# Quit Peeing on My Rug!!



## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

So, Annie has done very well potty training, but lately, she's been having a bit of a problem outside. 
Rather than going out and peeing on the grass, like she always used to, she comes onto the patio, and pees right on the rug in front of the door. She won't EVER do it when we're looking, and I've corrected her several times on it when I by chance do catch her in the act. I grab her up and take her to the grass. Our patio is so small in relation to our yard, she has all this grass and dirt, and for some reason the rug by the door is the spot she picks. 

Today I threw the rug away, and what did she do? She peed on the cement where it used to be! During her typical potty breaks, she's great, because we're watching, but if I leave the back door open, and let them run in and out while I get housework done, it happens every single time. She's also done it when I put her outside by herself. (mealtime, driving me up the wall inside and i need a 5 minute break, so I let her out to run) Sometimes she'll do it right AFTER going in the grass. last night I let her out, watched her go to the gras, praised her, and thought she was fine, but less than ten minutes later, there she was. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm just glad she's going outside... but what could be triggering this? I thought it was the rug, so I got rid of that, but she still insists on peeing literally right by the door.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Akasha did the same thing to us and the patio mat...I think its out of laziness. If she doesn't have to go all the way to the grass, she wont. Plain and simple. SO...it just took a bit more work on our part as far as making the grass the ideal place to go because she got LOTS of treats and praise when she went out to the grass.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

danemama08 said:


> Akasha did the same thing to us and the patio mat...I think its out of laziness. If she doesn't have to go all the way to the grass, she wont. Plain and simple. SO...it just took a bit more work on our part as far as making the grass the ideal place to go because she got LOTS of treats and praise when she went out to the grass.


I'll try praising her more for going where I want her to. It's just confusing because she goes out to the grass first, then pees on the rug. It's not the absolute end of the world to me, because at least it's outside, but i'd rather not have to smell dog pee when I open my back door, ya know?

Today I caught her in the act, I saw her squat as I was walking down the stairs, and I called out her name, (couldn't get to her fact enough to pick her up and take her to the grass) and she looked at me, and high-tailed it to the grass to finish her business, so I KNOW she knows it's not what I want her to do. Sneeky little brat.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Well, that is completely different than what Akasha used to do. She would just simply go on the mat and come right back in. We had a big porch that had 2 small sets of stairs to go down in order to get to the grass, so she was just plain lazy and didn't want to go all the way down LOL.

I would just start potty training again to where she is supposed to go if you don't want her to go on the mat...I wouldn't for the smell


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Could it be that she's trying to establish some kind of leadership in the pack, I'm going through some of those same issues now. Since she was the last one into the house, she could be trying to make a statement with her scent.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Have you used any enzyme stain and odor remover on the spot to make sure she isn't still smelling her urine there and thinking it's an ok place to potty?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I've used the nature's miracle stuff on the rug, as well as the concrete under the rug. 
I wasn't too frustrated about it til yesterday when I caught her and the moment she saw me she ran out to the grass to finish.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Chelsy prefers to never step on grass if at all possible to pee so she will always try to go on the concrete or on the deck by the door. I think some dogs just hate grass.

You can try to get a mat that has a texture that Annie hates to stand on. Something like those ones that are really rough so you can scrape your feet, or maybe the rubber ones with the holes in them for dirt to fall threw. Anything that she just doesn't like to step on should keep her from peeing on it. 

Usually we carry Chelsy out and chuck her into the grass (it helps that she's little) and make her do her business but she'll still go on the deck if it's raining or if we forget to follow her out. At least with the mat it is a few feet further from the door.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

Have you ever tried finding a way to block the porch? After you send out the pups, put a box or something on there so she can't get there to pee. Then just make sure she doesn't do it on her way in. At least then you'll be there to catch her if she does. :biggrin:


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## notilloc (Jan 14, 2010)

I noticed you live in utah. Im not sure if u live in the north or south part of utah becuase i think it would make a difference. My boxers are great in the summer time I have no problems with accidents but they really hate peeing in snow and will pee on my deck or in the house to prevent it, especially when it is really cold out. Anything below 10 degrees and i know Im going to have a mess or two in the house. Its really weird though because they have no problems playing in the snow or even pooping in the snow its just peeing in snow especially when its cold.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

chowder said:


> Chelsy prefers to never step on grass if at all possible to pee so she will always try to go on the concrete or on the deck by the door. I think some dogs just hate grass.


She doesn't seem to have an issue with pooping on the grass, or playing and laying in the grass. Even if I'm watching, she'll pee in the grass. 



harrkim120 said:


> Have you ever tried finding a way to block the porch? After you send out the pups, put a box or something on there so she can't get there to pee. Then just make sure she doesn't do it on her way in. At least then you'll be there to catch her if she does. :biggrin:


The porch is more like an open slab of concrete. It would be hard to block the whole thing, but I'll look for something to block that square by the door



notilloc said:


> I noticed you live in utah. Im not sure if u live in the north or south part of utah becuase i think it would make a difference. My boxers are great in the summer time I have no problems with accidents but they really hate peeing in snow and will pee on my deck or in the house to prevent it, especially when it is really cold out. Anything below 10 degrees and i know Im going to have a mess or two in the house. Its really weird though because they have no problems playing in the snow or even pooping in the snow its just peeing in snow especially when its cold.


I need to update that. i'm actually living in Las Vegas now. 
But annie does hate the cold. I think she hates wind more than snow actually.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

Is this something that she does every single time or just every once in a while?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

harrkim120 said:


> Is this something that she does every single time or just every once in a while?


Now it's every time I turn my back. Even if she JUST went sometimes. 
Today, I was outside for 30 minutes with her, she wouldn't go. I knew she had to. (it was morning) so I closed her outside, and ran to the window to watch. Within 5 seconds, she went to squat by the door. I ran and caught her and took her to the grass to finish... but still.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

CorgiPaws said:


> Now it's every time I turn my back. Even if she JUST went sometimes.
> Today, I was outside for 30 minutes with her, she wouldn't go. I knew she had to. (it was morning) so I closed her outside, and ran to the window to watch. Within 5 seconds, she went to squat by the door. I ran and caught her and took her to the grass to finish... but still.


The only other thing I can think is that she's started to associate doing this with getting attention. Maybe try totally ignoring her for a few days (as hard as that may be), and see if that makes a difference.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

harrkim120 said:


> The only other thing I can think is that she's started to associate doing this with getting attention. Maybe try totally ignoring her for a few days (as hard as that may be), and see if that makes a difference.


I think i'll try that. Since I'm not working right now, she gets attention literally ALL day long. (she's got her head on my lap now, even!) so I can't imagine any logic in that, but she IS a boxer puppy... and thos tend to defy all logic. lol.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

CorgiPaws said:


> I think i'll try that. Since I'm not working right now, she gets attention literally ALL day long. (she's got her head on my lap now, even!) so I can't imagine any logic in that, but she IS a boxer puppy... and thos tend to defy all logic. lol.


Haha...MOST puppys tend to defy logic. Even though she has your attention a good chunk of the time, she may want it ALL of the time. Do you notice her doing anything else that may be a ploy for your attention?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

harrkim120 said:


> Haha...MOST puppys tend to defy logic. Even though she has your attention a good chunk of the time, she may want it ALL of the time. Do you notice her doing anything else that may be a ploy for your attention?


Nope. Other than this one behavior, she's actually a very good puppy. She's not a barker by any means, she's generally pretty content to lay o the couch when i'm sitting here at the laptop, or she lays on the bed upstairs and watches me clean. She's not really one to get into things she's not supposed to, or chew furniture. She's totally nuts, don't get me wrong, when she gets "boxer burning" she can run circles around the house for 30 minutes... but all in all, she's a good girl, doesn't act out in any other way.

She DID pee on my foot the other night, though. The second I let her back inside.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

CorgiPaws said:


> She DID pee on my foot the other night, though. The second I let her back inside.


Did she just kinda walk up and was like "Ooooo...pee time!!!" or were you holding her? Could be another ploy for attention or she was trying to "claim" you or it just happened.  Is she laid back with the other dogs or does she seem to be more of the boss?


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I still say she's trying to claim her spot in the pack! By leaving her scent at the door where all the dogs have to go in and out and smell her last entering and leaving she's making a statement.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

harrkim120 said:


> Did she just kinda walk up and was like "Ooooo...pee time!!!" or were you holding her? Could be another ploy for attention or she was trying to "claim" you or it just happened.


I opened the back door to let her in, and she ran right up to me, and squatted on my foot. Then ran back outside and finished. Brat. 



whiteleo said:


> I still say she's trying to claim her spot in the pack! By leaving her scent at the door where all the dogs have to go in and out and smell her last entering and leaving she's making a statement.


She could be, but she's definately the submissive one of the three. Champ is undoubtedly "the boss." I've never seen her show any other dominent behavior. 


We've just gone back to potty training, and crazy crazy praise when she goes where we want her to... hopefully she'll "get it" soon.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

Good luck!!! :biggrin:

Has she done it again lately?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

harrkim120 said:


> Good luck!!! :biggrin:
> 
> Has she done it again lately?


She hasnt gotten away with it the last two days, it's been overcast, and I haven't left the door open for them to run in and out, so just scheduled potty breaks, so to speak. 

She will NOT potty while I'm outside though. But she will with Jon, my husband. What the heck is that all about?!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

CorgiPaws said:


> She hasnt gotten away with it the last two days, it's been overcast, and I haven't left the door open for them to run in and out, so just scheduled potty breaks, so to speak.
> 
> She will NOT potty while I'm outside though. But she will with Jon, my husband. What the heck is that all about?!


It might be a dominance thing. She might feel intimidated or something when you are around and "watching" her while she does her business...kinda like she is shy or ashamed of you watching her. Is there some way that you could "block" the spot of where the mat is with something so she physically can't go there while you are inside, not watching her? Meaning that you stay inside and "spy" on her to see what she is doing?

Are you more of an authority figure or is Jon?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

danemama08 said:


> It might be a dominance thing. She might feel intimidated or something when you are around and "watching" her while she does her business...kinda like she is shy or ashamed of you watching her. Is there some way that you could "block" the spot of where the mat is with something so she physically can't go there while you are inside, not watching her? Meaning that you stay inside and "spy" on her to see what she is doing?
> 
> Are you more of an authority figure or is Jon?


When it was suggested the first time, I put a milk crate on the mat when I let her out, and spied from the window. She just peed on the cement next to it, but since I was spying on her, I was able to run out and scoop her up, and praised her for finishing in the grass. 

When I'm out with the dogs, I try to give them their space, but that could be it. I wonder why I'm ore intimidating than Jon? SHe's my cuddle buddy, and tends to favor me over him. We've just gone back to stage one potty training... the kind where when the neighbors hear the explosion of praise they'd think your dog just learned to do the dishes. 
I also stopped all verbal correction when I scoop her up and run to the grass when i catch her in the act. I did this when she decided this weekend that she won't potty with me out there. I wondered if telling her "NO" confused her on what I expect, and if she thought I was telling her no for pottying outside in general maybe? And now she might think she can't go inside, and can't go outside? Anyway, it might be a good thing, might be a bad thing, but either way, I just silently scoop her up, and praise her when she finishes her business in the right place. *shrug* we'll know in a few days or so if it's working at all. 
To be honest, as annoying as it is, I'm at least glad this is an inappropriate OUTSIDE spot she's picked, rather than inside. And we're moving in about 6 months, and she can pick a new annoying spot there. lol


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

Ryou likes to go on the kitchen floor next to the back door without any notice. I can't just let them run in and out as they please, because I have to keep my cats inside (there are too many coyotes where I live), and if they go out, they don't want to come back in, and they make a MESS! Being Sibes, they LOVE to dig, and they go out in the rain, snow, and sun and dig, and usually, when it's rain and snow, they come in looking like mud monsters, which doesn't fly too well on the beige carpeting.

I'm also at a loss as to how to get Ryou to do his business outside and not in the kitchen. I really should try praising him and giving him lots of treats when he goes out, but I'm not sure whether that would do anything, because he's not the smartest cookie, and still doesn't get it that when he comes to me when I call him in from outside, he's going to get treats and lots of love, not dragged in and having to sit and watch while Amaya gets all kinds of treats for coming to me when called. Which is kind of funny, because it USED to be the other way around!


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

xxshaelxx said:


> I'm also at a loss as to how to get Ryou to do his business outside and not in the kitchen. I really should try praising him and giving him lots of treats when he goes out, but I'm not sure whether that would do anything, because he's not the smartest cookie, and still doesn't get it that when he comes to me when I call him in from outside, he's going to get treats and lots of love, not dragged in and having to sit and watch while Amaya gets all kinds of treats for coming to me when called. Which is kind of funny, because it USED to be the other way around!


The praising is definitely worth a try...just make sure you do it right after he finishes and not when he comes back inside. As for him going in the kitchen...keep an eye on him and anytime you catch him going there bring him immediately outside. Don't let him have free run of the house if he can't be trusted, and clean up where he always goes with a good enzyme based odor remover. :biggrin:


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