[Rayray]

Hi. I've had my dog for 8 weeks. She's always been good for asking to go outside when she needs to go. I changed her diet recently from dry food to wet food, thinking it was more healthy for her. For about 4 days she's had constant reoccurring accidents in the house. I never caught her in the act, but she's done it when I had to go out, and I came back home I found a mess, and while I was in the shower, or in the bathroom in general. I feel like everytime I turn my back she's making a mess. I tried to take the blame off her, because I feel like it's diarrhea and she can't know when exactly it's going to come, but just an hour ago she peed right on my bed!
What is with her?
She always had a signal to go outside, she's not a vocal dog so her loud, throw her head back howl was a really good indicator that she needs to go outside. But today I took her for a walk, and she spent a good 20 minutes outside, and then she comes inside and pees on my bed? Why?!

 

[doxiemommy]

How old is she?

 

[Shell]

Vet check.

Although a change in food (if its a sudden change particularly) can cause digestive upset, it should clear up after she gets used to the new food unless she has an allergy or sensitivity to something in the new food. Every dog is different, but the handful of dogs that I have switched foods on cold turkey didn't have any trouble after a couple days (and even the initial days meant just soft poo rather than diarrhea)
But the food doesn't seem likely to be connected with pee accidents.
Have her checked for a UTI and get a fecal done. A UTI can make it hurt to pee, so she might seek a comfortable place (like a soft bed...)

 

[Rayray]

She's 5 months old.

 

[doxiemommy]

Also, at 5 months old she is still a baby. Pups don't gain FULL physical bladder control til about 6 months of age, give or take. She's almost there. But, what that means is, she can still have some slip ups, or she can still back slide a bit. It could be a health issue, but it could also be due to the fact that she's a baby, and still can occasionally not be able to hold it as well as she thinks she can.
And, teething can make puppies not feel well, and can cause setbacks in potty training.
For the time being, help her be more successful by taking her out more than usual, to give her more chances to go, and supervise her super closely, so she can't sneak off out of sight, to potty.

And, consider the vet check.

 

[Rayray]

Thanks doxiemommy, that reassured me. I hope she gets better.

 

[Shell]

Yeah, at 5 months she still needs to be either crated, penned or tethered to you for potty training. She shouldn't have the chance to pee or poop on anything. Even just for the time it takes you to shower, put her in a crate (after a potty break).

If she still has diarrhea after a full week on the new food, I'd say then you get a vet check and/or consider going back to her previous food (if that worked for her). Wet food isn't necessarily any healthier than dry food. A high quality dry food is better than a low quality wet food and dry food can always have some warm water added to it if you want to make sure she is getting enough liquid.

 

[Rayray]

Thanks Shell, that's helpful. I haven't really considered tethering her to me in the house, since she asks me to go outside. but I'll try that since she won't have a chance to even try to go in the house, and that way I can catch her in the act if she does. It's kinda sad that she can't free range the house yet, I really thought at her age, she would be able to.
And the reason I switched her to wet food is because firstly, I read the ingredients on it and it was higher quality than her former food, and secondly she prefers it.

 

[Shell]

A lot of dogs can't free range the house until 1+ year old or can only be loose for a short time. She isn't old enough to completely "get" all the signals her body gives for needing to eliminate especially with an upset stomach.

think of it like a child getting potty trained- you started teaching the kid to use the toilet but they still wear diapers (as in, she is crated or tethered to you), then you move the kid to pull-ups (short periods of time uncrated but only after a potty break), then the kid makes it to undies during the day and pull-ups at night (pup is free for a longer time when you're around but crated when you leave the house) and then the kid is pottytrained but if the kid is sick or overexcited, then accidents can happen (as an adult dog, she is fully housebroken but a rare accident is understandable)

Nothing wrong with wet food at all, although I happen to think the price is high for what you get but then again, I have a big dog that would cost a ton of money to feed with wet food. That said, no matter how much the dog likes the food, if she continues to have diarrhea while eating it then it isn't the food for her. May I ask what brand of dry and what brand of wet you are feeding?

Meanwhile, try a spoonful of PLAIN canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) twice per day. Will usually fix a dodgy tummy if there are no other issues than simply the change of food or overeating.

 

[Nev Allen]

I would suggest the wet food has upset her system and she has developed an allergic reaction to it. This has affected her mentally and she is seeking comfort.
I would change back to dry food but only a premium brand product. You will pay more per bag but you need to feed less so the cost will more or less even out.

 

[georgiapeach]

I would feed a high quality kibble. Check www.dogfoodanalysis.com for reviews (stick with 4 star or higher; I won't go below 5 star). Some people buy canned food and mix a spoonful in with the kibble - sometimes helps a picky eater. I just mix in a touch of water to bring out the aroma - no need for canned food. Sometimes I'll put a spoonful of plain no-fat Greek yogurt in it, especially if switching to a new food (helps with digestive upset) or a spoonful of plain pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filler) to help firm up loose poo.

 

[Rayray]

Thanks guys. I had her fast for a full 24-hours, then I gave her rice with carrots. While she's in the house she is on a leash, in her crate, or is carefully supervised. Simple walks outside help. She hasn't had anymore accidents in the house, so far.