Had an accident at the pet store

Durbkat · 12-23-2007, 07:09 PM

Snoopy has never had an accident at home, except for the first day we had him. But last week when we took him to the pet store he pee'd in the store and then he did it again today at a different pet store. Could it just be a new environment plus all the dogs around? It just puzzles me as he normally lets me know some how by pawing at my legs or barking. The only thing that gave me a clue he was going was that he was running around in one spot and I was getting ready to rush him out but he was already going.

LuvMy2Pups · 12-23-2007, 07:47 PM

Hi.

I just wanted to let you know that this is actual the "normal" response. At the pet stores around here, they have accident zones, that have disinfectant wipes, etc.

My vet told me the reason they do this (especially the males whether they're fixed or not) is because they smell so many other animals in the store; who have been there that day, and every day since the store opened!!! lol Even though they clean and wax the floors, etc, the scent is still there. Snoopy is simply attempting to let all the other dogs know that it's "his store", not theirs. lol

Don't be embarrassed..just clean it up and go on. My vet assured me there's nothing abnormal about it at all, and it happens to even the best trained pets.

Dogstar · 12-23-2007, 09:04 PM

While I do agree it's not necessarily something to be hugely embaressed over, I do NOT think it is 'normal' for well-trained pets to do this. I think it's a sign that you may have gotten a little lax in remembering to take him out often enough. I can't remember what age he was neutered at, but it could also be marking behavior- he's about old enough to start, I believe, or a toy breed, and early neutering doesn't always prevent it totally.

Durbkat · 12-23-2007, 09:10 PM

Snoopy hasn't been neutered yet, he will be on the 3rd, I took him out about 30 min before we left.

Shalva · 12-23-2007, 09:25 PM

I just want to add that dogs don't generalize well. it may also be that snoopy knows the rules at home but doesn't understand the rules in the store are the same as the rules at home.
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Durbkat · 12-23-2007, 09:29 PM

Thats what I was thinking, but my mom was like "oh see, he sure is house trained, this is why we need to put the pads back down." I don't get my mom sometimes. lol

Dana1384 · 12-23-2007, 10:55 PM

When I worked at petsmart the trainner there told us it was normal (well common) for male dogs to do that even if they are house broken because it is not their house and plus all the different smells. I wouldn't loose sleep over it, just make sure you walk him around alot before you bring him into a pet store and see if that helps

Dogstar · 12-23-2007, 11:12 PM

It's common, but it's still a sign of bad training. Most people just don't train their dogs that well!

Durbkat · 12-23-2007, 11:35 PM

Well how do you train them to not go potty inside a pet store when they are fine everywhere else, we went to my great grandma's house and he had free run of the place and didn't have an accident?

Willowy · 12-24-2007, 12:39 AM

I would think that a dog would not necessarily equate "big warehouse-type building with cement floors" to be the same as "the house I shouldn't potty in". I wouldn't worry about it. As long as he doesn't go in the house it isn't a problem.

Shalva · 12-24-2007, 08:27 AM

I have to say I don't understand all this, don't worry about it...... the dog is peeing inside a building and if you want to be able to bring your dog you need to worry about it.

if you are in a petsmart you do exactly what you do at home....... the dog pees, and you let your dog know that it is unacceptable. and bring him outside......

marking in a building like a petco or petsmart because of the smells is common but that doesn't mean it should be allowed...... this is why so many people think that these bad male behaviors are unavoidable because everyone says don't worry about it and people don't try and train it. When Cuinn did this, at a petco.... I loudly and meanly said nooooooooooooooooooo grabbed his face on both sides of his face and looked him in the eyes and said very angrily...... dont you ever do this again, you do not pee in a building ever..... he of course didn't understand what I was saying but I got my point across..... it never happened again and he is now six.....

you have to figure out what the best way to get hte message across is..... dont worry about being embarassed or cleaning up right then..... just worry about making it clear to snoopy that what he did was bad.

good luck
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Durbkat · 12-24-2007, 09:34 AM

Alright, I'll try that if it happens again. What about putting there nose in the pee to show them what they did? Thats what my mom did one time when he pee'd in the house and he has never done it again.

Lorina · 12-24-2007, 09:51 AM

I think prevention is the best route to take.

Make sure he has opportunity to pee before going into a building, and keep a close eye on him for suspicious sniffing while you're inside. If he's acting like he's about to pee, correct him first (uh-uh!), go outside, and praise when he does go, just like housetraining at home.

Shalva · 12-24-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durbkat

Alright, I'll try that if it happens again. What about putting there nose in the pee to show them what they did? Thats what my mom did one time when he pee'd in the house and he has never done it again.

no no no no no...... this would not be an appropriate solution.....
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Durbkat · 12-24-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorina

I think prevention is the best route to take.

Make sure he has opportunity to pee before going into a building, and keep a close eye on him for suspicious sniffing while you're inside. If he's acting like he's about to pee, correct him first (uh-uh!), go outside, and praise when he does go, just like housetraining at home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durbkat

I took him out about 30 min before we left.

Like I said I had taken him out 30 min before we left and he didn't have any water after he went so I didn't think he'd have to go again. He wasn't sniffing though, he just stopped where he was and pee'd.

chucky · 12-24-2007, 12:29 PM

c, mon ppl, you expect too much from a dog, he maks his turff, i,m sure everyone house trained their dogs, but does anyone even train them in the store? dogs don,t have consept of right and wrong, we teach them certan aspects, but don,t expect the dog have human undestanding, i took my dog to stores many times, he never peed there, but if he even did, i wouldn,t be alarmed about it, don't forget nutered or not, it is still a dog, not only marking is instinctive, but there are female dogs come to the store as well, and even nutered male, will try to claim a spot that smells female.

Dakota Spirit · 12-24-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chucky

c, mon ppl, you expect too much from a dog, he maks his turff, i,m sure everyone house trained their dogs, but does anyone even train them in the store? dogs don,t have consept of right and wrong, we teach them certan aspects, but don,t expect the dog have human undestanding, i took my dog to stores many times, he never peed there, but if he even did, i wouldn,t be alarmed about it, don't forget nutered or not, it is still a dog, not only marking is instinctive, but there are female dogs come to the store as well, and even nutered male, will try to claim a spot that smells female.

Sorry, but expecting a well trained dog to keep it's marking behaviors outside only is not "too much to expect". You don't need to be alarmed but you do need to fix the behavior, especially if you plan to take your dog into these stores frequently, as I'm pretty sure Durbkat does.

The fact that a lot of pet stores are so willing to brush it off as an accident should not be an excuse for you to forgo training. As I said, a well trained dog eventually understands that not even strange buildings make for an "Ok" to potty inside.

Shalva · 12-24-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota Spirit

Sorry, but expecting a well trained dog to keep it's marking behaviors outside only is not "too much to expect". You don't need to be alarmed but you do need to fix the behavior, especially if you plan to take your dog into these stores frequently, as I'm pretty sure Durbkat does.

The fact that a lot of pet stores are so willing to brush it off as an accident should not be an excuse for you to forgo training. As I said, a well trained dog eventually understands that not even strange buildings make for an "Ok" to potty inside.

I agree, my boys are intact and adults and they would never mark inside a building they know it is unacceptable.

but the fact that there are so many people who don't train their dogs to behave in a building is one of the reasons my dogs are not generally allowed inside stores anymore
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MegaMuttMom · 12-24-2007, 01:34 PM

Cherokee hardly ever marks outside. I would be shocked if he did it inside. I wonder if this has anything to do with his early neuter or maybe it's just that he is such a submissive dog? He has never marked when on a leash at all. This is all explaining more and more why he loves Petco so much. The smells must be super special

Lorina · 12-24-2007, 02:36 PM

I wish more people would take the time to pottytrain to ALL indoor areas. We have one guy who brings an intact yellow lab to the vet who think it's just hilarious that his dog pees what seems like gallons all over our floors, doors, walls, carpets. There's been times that the dog was in the exam room, and a great yellow flood starts seeping out from under the door into the hallway.

Our "caution wet floor" sign just seems like an invitation to urinate.