[Raliaj]

I have had my puppy since she was 7 weeks old. She is a Cocker Spaniel Pug mix and is 6 months old. She has been crate trained as well. We have been working on potty training since the minute i got her and she still doest get it. She never hides from me when she goes...in fact it is the exact opposite. She usually pees on me. She never asks to go out..but knows the word potty and whenever I ask her she will run to the door and wait. But there are times when I am sitting on the floor and she will crawl into my lap and then just pee on me, or the other night she was settling down in my bed to go to sleep like we do every night and she peed on my pillow, while my head was on it. I dont know what to do anymore. Im at the point where i cant handle it much longer. I have spent so much time, effort and money on her and I am not seeing any results. I need help! Not even my petsmart trainer helps.

[peace36]

Have you tried using a crate. I would just keep a strict potty train schedule and crate her when you cant watch her especially while your sleeping since she has peed on your pillow while you are sleeping Keep her on tile and as soon as you see her go run her outside whether its on you or the tile.

If she does not have some type of medical condition I would think she would get the hang of it.


Good luck

[TooneyDogs]

This isn't a problem with the potty training and it's not territorial marking.
It's called social marking. Social marking is peeing/defecating on the owners personal belongings, usually the heavily scented ones, like shoes, pillows or even on the owner. This may be hard to understand but, take it as a compliment.
Your dog is saying in the strongest way it knows how that it wants to be closer to you...that's why it marks. But, here's the bad news...the reason why the dog is doing this is because something is off kilter in your relationship. The dog feels adrift, emotionally insecure. There can be many reasons. One of the more common reasons....every dog needs a job. Not knowing what they are supposed to do or not having a purpose is very unsettling. Another reason can be a very unstructured/unpredictable daily schedule.
Dogs absolutely need structure for emotional security..it can be a hectic/frantic schedule but it has to have structure that the dog can rely on. Part of that daily structure is consistency in what we expect of our dogs.
We may see a reason for moving the dogs bed or food dish to a different room everyday of the week (maybe cleaning that room) but, the dog doesn't understand and becomes worried about where he belongs or fits in.

[Raliaj]

So you are saying that she loves me but feels there is something missing in our relationship? So she decides to pee on my face. I truly dont get that. I am a college student in my last year so my schedule isnt always the same. I feed her at the same time every day during the week, weekends might be off by an hour or two. What else do you suggest i do to make her feel comfortable enough to not pee on me

[SSpiro]

Originally Posted by TooneyDogs

This isn't a problem with the potty training and it's not territorial marking.
It's called social marking. Social marking is peeing/defecating on the owners personal belongings, usually the heavily scented ones, like shoes, pillows or even on the owner. This may be hard to understand but, take it as a compliment.
Your dog is saying in the strongest way it knows how that it wants to be closer to you...that's why it marks. But, here's the bad news...the reason why the dog is doing this is because something is off kilter in your relationship. The dog feels adrift, emotionally insecure. There can be many reasons. One of the more common reasons....every dog needs a job. Not knowing what they are supposed to do or not having a purpose is very unsettling. Another reason can be a very unstructured/unpredictable daily schedule.
Dogs absolutely need structure for emotional security..it can be a hectic/frantic schedule but it has to have structure that the dog can rely on. Part of that daily structure is consistency in what we expect of our dogs.
We may see a reason for moving the dogs bed or food dish to a different room everyday of the week (maybe cleaning that room) but, the dog doesn't understand and becomes worried about where he belongs or fits in.

Great reply. I agree.

[peace36]

Wow! That is new to me. I have never heard of that before. It sounds like they are close if the owner is letting her sleep on the bed with her. But anyway not saying anyone is wrong it just sounds wierd.

So how do you say you stop this? More consistancy in the dogs life?

[melvs]

Originally Posted by Raliaj

I have had my puppy since she was 7 weeks old. She is a Cocker Spaniel Pug mix and is 6 months old. She has been crate trained as well. We have been working on potty training since the minute i got her and she still doest get it. She never hides from me when she goes...in fact it is the exact opposite. She usually pees on me. She never asks to go out..but knows the word potty and whenever I ask her she will run to the door and wait. But there are times when I am sitting on the floor and she will crawl into my lap and then just pee on me, or the other night she was settling down in my bed to go to sleep like we do every night and she peed on my pillow, while my head was on it. I dont know what to do anymore. Im at the point where i cant handle it much longer. I have spent so much time, effort and money on her and I am not seeing any results. I need help! Not even my petsmart trainer helps.

Just trying to get an idea of where this starts, so have some questions -

What made you decide to move her from her crate to your bed at night even though she's continuing to have accidents? When crate training her, did you consistantly put her in there or move her from bed back to crate, so forth?
Are you allowing her water right before bed time?
Does she pee on you only when you're on the floor or bed - meaning, at her level? Or has she tried peeing on you (your leg/foot) while you're standing?
Prior to her climbing on your lap and peeing on you, are you playing or are there a lot of other people around or something that gets her excited or nervous?
There's a lot of reasons that could cause something like this, so jsut trying to get some history and an idea of the surroundings when this happens.

[TooneyDogs]

Originally Posted by Raliaj

So you are saying that she loves me but feels there is something missing in our relationship? So she decides to pee on my face. I truly dont get that. I am a college student in my last year so my schedule isnt always the same. I feed her at the same time every day during the week, weekends might be off by an hour or two. What else do you suggest i do to make her feel comfortable enough to not pee on me

She needs social engagement with you and with other dogs. She is a highly social animal and needs mental stimulation.
She needs exercise. Dogs are made to run (trot)..they have to...some more, some less.
Those are two huge needs that must be met almost daily for emotional stability.
Go for walks and perhaps a dog park or make friends with a neighbors dog, Engage mentally...teach some tricks, play fetch, Sniff & Find, get your toy, basic obedience (sit, down, come...even if she knows this already...it's very comforting for her to do something she knows), grooming can be very soothing for some dogs and is a great time for establishing a stronger bond.
Praise and discipline are two other areas that must be consistent. Handing out either in a hap hazard fashion can cause problems. Discipline must never be done with anger or threats and praise should not be given willy nilly if it's unearned.

[Raliaj]

She is always in her crate whenever I am gone. She has been sleeping with me for a while now and I have never had a problem like this before, and honestly the only reason i have her in my bed is because i enjoy the warm fuzzy next to me. I always make sure to take up water 2 hours before bedtime and then take her out right before lights out. This is why I am so confused and frustrated about this because i feel like i am doing everything the way i thought i should be.
We are always playing fetch and running around, making weekly trips to the dog park and I have 2 roommates who play with her as well. She has only peed on me when i was on her level, laying down in bed and sitting on the floor. Never while i was standing, she will just sit on my foot. She is a pretty nervous dog, it took a while to get used to my new roommates and any noise or movement she jumps. We are also in a puppy class as well.

[Love's_Sophie]

Perhaps go back to the crate for a while at night...

It sounds like a nervous behavior to me. Does she also pee submissively; as in if you go to pet her from a standing position, or even from her level, may just urinate? If so, even the bed could be a nervous response; if you move toward her suddenly (even if it doesn't seem 'sudden' to you) and she just 'goes'...this is usually not a controllable thing, and given that you stated that she is a nervous canine, this may be your real issue; don't discipline her, ever, as that will only serve to make the behavior worse. With positive socialization, and a schedule that helps her feel most comfortable, she can get over this in time.

One suggestion I have that may not have been mentioned, is to have her thoroughly checked by a veterinarian; she may have some underlying bladder issue.