1.8 Year-Old Lab Male Urinating in House

Well, actually in the garage. The dogs spend much of their time in my garage. They have a dog door leading to the fenced back yard and up until about a month ago I wasn't having any problems.

The male lab lives with his neutered mother and about two months ago two of his sisters came to stay with us for a week while their owner went on vacation. One of the sisters urinated a couple times in the garage and then while they were here I noticed that the male had also urinated on top of the same spot. It's pretty easy to tell the different patterns between the females and the male.

The sisters went home and all went back to normal. About a month ago I noticed that the male had gone on the spot again. I gave him a stern talking to (he was definitely acting guilty the minute I walked into the garage). Since then it's been a constant occurrence. It's like he's just trying to be defiant. He goes in multiple places around the garage now, but he definitely prefers the spot where his sister originally went. I clean it up, he cowers the whole time I'm out there cleaning, and I get more exasperated with each event.

It's been raining here basically since this behavior started. I'm wondering if it's common that a young dog will just not want to slog around in the wet yard and instead disregard his training and pee in his living area. Also of note, the male is unaltered (his mother is altered). Is this something that might get better if I get him fixed? I really don't have a reason for not fixing him other than I also am a male, and I sure wouldn't want someone doing that to me. He is never out of my sight when we're off my property (again it's fenced well) so I don't have to worry about him mating with other dogs. I'm thinking that some day down the line I might want a pup of his. Other than this urinating issue he's the sweetest 90 pounds of unbridled energy you'll ever see.

He's sitting out on the porch right now doing a little "time out" for this morning's transgression.

 

You need to clean the area completely and get all the smell out. I would suggest getting some Natures Miracle or some kind of pet stain remover. "THE WORKS" is pretty good. You can get it at the dollar store. I use the stuff on everything!!!

After the spot dries. Put something over it like a sheet of foil! That way not only is the stain gone, but theres something covering the spot to confuse him.

 

Also, if you are correcting him after the fact you are doing more harm than good. Unless you catch him actually peeing on the floor, time outs or scolding or whatever are just confusing for him. He has no idea what he did wrong.

It is really hard to train a dog to NOT pee somewhere when you are not around to catch him in the act, go outside with him, show him the correct spot, put it on command, and praise him for doing it right.

 

Have you had the vet check him to be sure he doesn't have a urinary tract infection or some other health problem, like diabetes? Is he neutered? Has anything in his life changed that could be causing him anxiety?

 

Samsintentions,

I have not been cleaning it as well as I should. It's just a concrete floor so I have been just wiping it up then hitting it with 409. I'm all checked out on the enzyme products (I had a 15 year-old senile male lab before this one!), but no matter what you use the smell will remain, however faint. At this point I'd basically have to clear the entire garage out and mop the floor with the stuff.

Jamiya,

The only correcting he's getting is while I'm cleaning the mess. I look him in the eye and say "no, no, going potty in the garage". I can tell the minute I walk into the garage if he's urinated. When he hasn't, he runs up to me and wants to play like a lab. If he has, he runs straight for the doggy door. He comes in a few minutes later looking all sheepish. He knows full well that I'm not pleased cleaning these messes and lays near me in a submissive posture (on his side with his legs sticking up.) Frustration on my part is why he was on the porch today. I figure if he's going to continue this he might as well learn to be an outside dog (the garage is heated).

Shineillusion,

He's going in for his annual checkup soon and I will definitely be discussing this matter with the vet. About the only added anxiety I can see is that he's running around with a guilty conscious all the time.

 

I don't know if this is possibel. But can you keep him out of the garage, unless you can supervise him at all times?

 

Dude, I feel your pain. Except with me it's my male cat. I know that NOTHING works to get rid of the pee smell for the critters. But if it were me, I would probably gut the garage and scrub it down with an odor-neutralizer and then a diluted bleach mixture. Then maybe seal the concrete if you're going to leave the dogs there (if it's not already sealed). Good luck! :y_the_best:

 

someone emailed me this website. he can help.

just call uncle matty! heres the link the girl sent me on this guy:

www.unclematty.com

 

i feel for ya! i once housesat for a lady for two days. she had a little yorkshire terrier.......while she was gone, this little dude peed EVVERYWHERE! i spent two days on and off on my knees cleaning up pee. I put down puppy pads on the floor, he'd pee next to them, never on them. I'd put litter box, he'd pee next to it never in it. I'd take puppy outside - he wouldn't pee.........as soon as i'd get him in the house....he'd pee. On the couch, the side of the chair, on the rug, the hardwood floors. Her whole house smelled like a combo of pee, amonia and lemony scented air freshener. THEN the doggy started adding moist mushy poohs to his peeing!!!! :shock:

I never housesat for her again. 8)

 

This is a common mistake. You are correcting him TOO LATE. You MUST correct the dog AS HE IS IN THE ACT OF PEEING on the floor. All he has learned is "urine on the floor with my owner in the room is bad." So he pees on the floor - not knowing this is wrong - and is fine until you walk in and then it's "Uh oh! Urine + Owner = Bad!" and out the door he scoots, all sheepish.

This is a wonderful house training article that has absolutely everything you need to know: http://www.dogtrainingbasics.com/Potty Training Basics.htm.

As I said before, it is next to impossible to fix this problem without having him somewhere you can watch him. You can try crating him if he won't pee in his crate. But with him in the garage and you in the house, there's really no way to stop this behavior.