Help w/ Dog Issue

[kilee]

I have a shih tzu who will be 1 yr old next week. He's our little baby . Anyhow-- he is/was fully potty trainned and has been since about 5 months old.

We've been really hectic busy the last 2 weeks and he's letting us know he's not happy. He's started doing his business every time we leave the downstairs. Or the other night he must of snuck into my room and did it right beside my bed. I got up in the middle of the night and stepped in it-- oh so lovely thing to deal w/ at 2 am. Things will be better in another 2 weeks--- BUT in the meantime he's getting out of control. The last few days when I noticed he's acting "depressed" I realized he wasn't getting the attention he's used to. So, I've made an effort to take time throughout the day to play with him no matter how busy we are.

So, tonight I just finished brushing him and playing ball w/ him for almost an hour. Ds called me upstairs for 2 minutes to look at something he built. In those 2 minutes-- the dog followed me 1/2 way up the stairs and left a #1&2 on the step. Then ran into his crate. Which is where I found him hiding. I got him out-- took him to his mess- showed it to him and then told him bad dog and put him back in his crate. But he already knew-- because he runs right to his crate. He seems to do this in the path you are going to have to take to get back to where you just where. He had just been out 20 minutes ago. This has been the behavior he's been showing. Everytime we leave his sight-- he does this. Last night dh was said he was petting and playing w/ the dog. He went to go take a shower. The dog did his business right outside the bathroom door.

So, aside from spending 24 hrs playing w/ him or keeping him locked up in his crate all the time-- how in the world do I get him to stop? I am at my wits end.

 

[hiwaygal]

The first thing I would try is having a vet check him out, just to make sure there aren't any health issues. But I think you hit the nail on the head, that this is a behavior issue most of all.

I think there are a lot of dogs who "regress" sometimes, even after they are fully trained and even without the extra stress.

The best thing you can do is to "regress" too...go back to the basic training techniques you used to get your little guy trained in the first place. Basically reinforce his training. If that means more crate time, well, then so be it. He needs to re-learn the rules...

The other thing you might be able to do is to regulate the feeding schedule (if you don't already). If you free-feed, stop. Give him his meals twice a day and take up his water at 7 or 8 pm (or an hour or so before bedtime).

Make his potty breaks at definite times, and if he doesn't go, put him in the crate.

I hope you get this resolved soon...it's so frustrating!

 

[kilee]

I do think that is going to be the only way to make him get back on track. I just feel really bad because he is not going to understand the sudden lack of freedom. However, it will be for his own good so that we can not be yelling at him all the time.

 

[allicat]

I am a shih tzu owner too. He will be 2 in May. Count your lucky stars that yours has been trained and is just regressing a bit. Unfortunately, I cant give advice because my dog still isnt housebroken-although we try. We put him in the crate so he doesnt have free reign of the house. Maybe putting your dog in his crate will show him that this is what will happen if he continues to have accidents on the floor! Im sure you know how loving this breed is but how stubborn they can be!