Hello....I have 2 mini dachshunds that are both 6 years old...females and spayed. we have a basement that has just been finished with new carpet. It is also the dead of winter. We have a doggy door that they have been using for over a year and come and go as they please to do their business. They have been trained for years this way with no real issues at all. However suddenly they ( I cannot tell if it is one or both) are starting to get lazy and peeing on the carpet.

we do get quite a bit of snow, which I always am pretty good about shoveling a space and this has been going on since they came home.

we do spend most of our time on the main floor. when we ar at home they are trained to wimper or scratch at the patio door. this has not changed. and we have never needed to crate when we are not home, as they have always used the doggy door. However We may need to start this..

I am looking for some answers on how I should go about breaking them of this suddenly new habit.

Thanks

im not an expert but i think you should teach not to pee inside

I thank you for your reply.....however.....in case you did not read....what I am after......and in case I did not make it clear.........and since you are a senior member......and even though you state you are not an expert.....which is quite clear from your post....which I might add I do not need an expert opinion.......what I was asking for....is if anybody has experienced this behavior....if they could share how...or what they did to resolve the issue...would be helpful....your post was not....

your post was none of the above.....so if I offended you by my lack of knowledge....I am sorry it was not my intent....I am just trying to resolve an issue I am having with two 6 year old daxy's that have never given me any trouble before?

I will allow you to try again...if you wish...otherwise...please just ignore...as I obviously do not not need help from senoir members like you....

Sorry.. to all...but this is a very serious issue to me....and I belive his or her last post was no help to this forum at all....

Any time a dog breaks house training, or their behavior suddenly changes, your first step should be a trip to the vet. There could be a medical issue like an infection or urinary crystals. And because Dachshunds are prone to both diabetes and Cushing's Disease, and because both of those can cause excessive urination, they should be ruled out.

You should try to figure out which dog is the culprit, or if they're both doing it, although one dog might be copying the other dog's behavior, and adding her own scent to the one left by the first.

Your dogs are both at the age where a multi-diagnostic blood panel would be a good idea anyway, and I'd probably add a urinalysis, too. The blood panel will check liver and kidney function, and rule out diabetes, and the UA will tell you if one of them has a urinary tract infection or crystals. If the blood chemistry points to Cushings, and the urine is extremely dilute, further testing for Cushing's would be in order.

Thank you for the reply......

I have made an appointment to see the vet......I have since restricted the use of going down stairs and using the doggie door as they see fit.....to just scratching at the back patio door......I have had the last two weeks off for christmas...so I have been able to monitor this close.......and since my last post...I have not had any accidents on the carpet....but they have also not been down stairs much and have been present with them when they have......when down stairs...I have been encouraging them to "Go Pee"...which is the term I have used since they were pups....and on all ocassions they have gone out the door......I have to admit that this year has been an extremly cold year and a lot of snow......before I was off for holiday's we would get 6 Inches of snow in an afternoon........The first thing I would do is go out into the back yard and shovel an area for them (This is also something I have done for years as I feel asking a daxy to go pee in 2 ft of snow is asking a little too much).....and now since they are getting a little older....and a new carpet....which to a dog could just be taken as a new area to go to the bathroom ( a much warmer area) that this could be the reason for the new behavior....

I do not totally know...what do you think??.......there is also carpet on the main floor that has been hear since we moved in...with no accidents on this area at all....this all seem to start when the cold hit..and when I was not able to keep up with the shoveling on some of the day's

I thank you for your reply and the time you took to give your thoughts....I have only ever had two dogs....so I appreciate your wisdom.....

Thanks

[wishbone]

I think too about health issue that your dogs might have something that couldn't hold their pee longer. Hope there's nothing more serious about them when the vet checked them.

One thing I also see is the marking, dogs mark new things to show dominance. You should clean up totally that carpet for they might sill smell their scents there and pee again. Always supervise them and spray water to them whenever they try to pee inside.

Thanks to all for posting......Vet bill checks out OK for both dogs.....I told the vet the story and he checked I think for almost everything under the sun.....blood work took a while....the reason for the delay in responding

to update.....we still have not allowed them free range of the downstairs area without close monitoring...and we have no reports of anymore peeing on the carpet....we have had some warmer wheather, and the snow has subsided.....there is however another sudden change as well....

Since we have finished the basement, we have moved their kennel down into one of the small rooms.....this was done about 2 months ago.....they share a kennel and have done so since they were pups.....they have had no issues with movement before, and have moved them from room to room from time to time with no issues in the six years we have had them......they also were good with this move as well.....then about a month into this new move....one of the girls started to howl and whimper.....even though rare...this has happened before.....and usually means they just need to go pee...or have gotten sick....Very very rare....I let them out....they go pee....back in the kennel...and the rest of the night is peaceful....however....for some sudden reason.....the one girl......both were howling....but the one was definatley the instigater....would not stop howling......this went on all night...no more than about 15 minutes of silence......at about 5 in the morning I finally went down and let them out...we all snuggled on the couch and salvaged a few hours of silence......the next night the same thing.....all night....I tried to be strong.....but at 5 again ....I went down...brought their kennel back upstairs...but put it in a different area of the house then were they were previously.....they crawled in ...curled up and were silent for the rest of the night.....I did this for a few days....no issues.....I then moved the kennel to another area of the house.....no issues for a few days......then put it back downstairs...instantly the howling started..and again lasted all night.....now remember...they were downstairs for about a month with no issues prior to this.....and for their entire lives...we have been able to take them with us to unfamiliar places....hotels....family houses.....camping....and as long as they have had their kennel......there has never been an issue....but for some strange unexplained reason....they will have nothing to do with sleeping down stairs....and all this after they slept down there for almost a month...

So if anybody could share their thoughts or theories about this sudden behaviour would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks to all for your thoughtful insights

Thanks to all for posting......Vet bill checks out OK for both dogs.....I told the vet the story and he checked I think for almost everything under the sun.....blood work took a while....the reason for the delay in responding

to update.....we still have not allowed them free range of the downstairs area without close monitoring...and we have no reports of anymore peeing on the carpet....we have had some warmer wheather, and the snow has subsided.....there is however another sudden change as well....

Since we have finished the basement, we have moved their kennel down into one of the small rooms.....this was done about 2 months ago.....they share a kennel and have done so since they were pups.....they have had no issues with movement before, and have moved them from room to room from time to time with no issues in the six years we have had them......they also were good with this move as well.....then about a month into this new move....one of the girls started to howl and whimper.....even though rare...this has happened before.....and usually means they just need to go pee...or have gotten sick....Very very rare....I let them out....they go pee....back in the kennel...and the rest of the night is peaceful....however....for some sudden reason.....the one girl......both were howling....but the one was definatley the instigater....would not stop howling......this went on all night...no more than about 15 minutes of silence......at about 5 in the morning I finally went down and let them out...we all snuggled on the couch and salvaged a few hours of silence......the next night the same thing.....all night....I tried to be strong.....but at 5 again ....I went down...brought their kennel back upstairs...but put it in a different area of the house then were they were previously.....they crawled in ...curled up and were silent for the rest of the night.....I did this for a few days....no issues.....I then moved the kennel to another area of the house.....no issues for a few days......then put it back downstairs...instantly the howling started..and again lasted all night.....now remember...they were downstairs for about a month with no issues prior to this.....and for their entire lives...we have been able to take them with us to unfamiliar places....hotels....family houses.....camping....and as long as they have had their kennel......there has never been an issue....but for some strange unexplained reason....they will have nothing to do with sleeping down stairs....and all this after they slept down there for almost a month...

So if anybody could share their thoughts or theories about this sudden behaviour would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks to all for your thoughtful insights

Thanks to all for posting......Vet bill checks out OK for both dogs.....I told the vet the story and he checked I think for almost everything under the sun.....blood work took a while....the reason for the delay in responding

to update.....we still have not allowed them free range of the downstairs area without close monitoring...and we have no reports of anymore peeing on the carpet....we have had some warmer wheather, and the snow has subsided.....there is however another sudden change as well....

Since we have finished the basement, we have moved their kennel down into one of the small rooms.....this was done about 2 months ago.....they share a kennel and have done so since they were pups.....they have had no issues with movement before, and have moved them from room to room from time to time with no issues in the six years we have had them......they also were good with this move as well.....then about a month into this new move....one of the girls started to howl and whimper.....even though rare...this has happened before.....and usually means they just need to go pee...or have gotten sick....Very very rare....I let them out....they go pee....back in the kennel...and the rest of the night is peaceful....however....for some sudden reason.....the one girl......both were howling....but the one was definatley the instigater....would not stop howling......this went on all night...no more than about 15 minutes of silence......at about 5 in the morning I finally went down and let them out...we all snuggled on the couch and salvaged a few hours of silence......the next night the same thing.....all night....I tried to be strong.....but at 5 again ....I went down...brought their kennel back upstairs...but put it in a different area of the house then were they were previously.....they crawled in ...curled up and were silent for the rest of the night.....I did this for a few days....no issues.....I then moved the kennel to another area of the house.....no issues for a few days......then put it back downstairs...instantly the howling started..and again lasted all night.....now remember...they were downstairs for about a month with no issues prior to this.....and for their entire lives...we have been able to take them with us to unfamiliar places....hotels....family houses.....camping....and as long as they have had their kennel......there has never been an issue....but for some strange unexplained reason....they will have nothing to do with sleeping down stairs....and all this after they slept down there for almost a month...

So if anybody could share their thoughts or theories about this sudden behaviour would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks to all for your thoughtful insights

Thanks to all for posting......Vet bill checks out OK for both dogs.....I told the vet the story and he checked I think for almost everything under the sun.....blood work took a while....the reason for the delay in responding

to update.....we still have not allowed them free range of the downstairs area without close monitoring...and we have no reports of anymore peeing on the carpet....we have had some warmer wheather, and the snow has subsided.....there is however another sudden change as well....

Since we have finished the basement, we have moved their kennel down into one of the small rooms.....this was done about 2 months ago.....they share a kennel and have done so since they were pups.....they have had no issues with movement before, and have moved them from room to room from time to time with no issues in the six years we have had them......they also were good with this move as well.....then about a month into this new move....one of the girls started to howl and whimper.....even though rare...this has happened before.....and usually means they just need to go pee...or have gotten sick....Very very rare....I let them out....they go pee....back in the kennel...and the rest of the night is peaceful....however....for some sudden reason.....the one girl......both were howling....but the one was definatley the instigater....would not stop howling......this went on all night...no more than about 15 minutes of silence......at about 5 in the morning I finally went down and let them out...we all snuggled on the couch and salvaged a few hours of silence......the next night the same thing.....all night....I tried to be strong.....but at 5 again ....I went down...brought their kennel back upstairs...but put it in a different area of the house then were they were previously.....they crawled in ...curled up and were silent for the rest of the night.....I did this for a few days....no issues.....I then moved the kennel to another area of the house.....no issues for a few days......then put it back downstairs...instantly the howling started..and again lasted all night.....now remember...they were downstairs for about a month with no issues prior to this.....and for their entire lives...we have been able to take them with us to unfamiliar places....hotels....family houses.....camping....and as long as they have had their kennel......there has never been an issue....but for some strange unexplained reason....they will have nothing to do with sleeping down stairs....and all this after they slept down there for almost a month...

So if anybody could share their thoughts or theories about this sudden behaviour would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks to all for your thoughtful insights

Originally Posted by wishbone

I think too about health issue that your dogs might have something that couldn't hold their pee longer. Hope there's nothing more serious about them when the vet checked them.

One thing I also see is the marking, dogs mark new things to show dominance. You should clean up totally that carpet for they might sill smell their scents there and pee again. Always supervise them and spray water to them whenever they try to pee inside.

Thanks to all for posting......Vet bill checks out OK for both dogs.....I told the vet the story and he checked I think for almost everything under the sun.....blood work took a while....the reason for the delay in responding

to update.....we still have not allowed them free range of the downstairs area without close monitoring...and we have no reports of anymore peeing on the carpet....we have had some warmer wheather, and the snow has subsided.....there is however another sudden change as well....

Since we have finished the basement, we have moved their kennel down into one of the small rooms.....this was done about 2 months ago.....they share a kennel and have done so since they were pups.....they have had no issues with movement before, and have moved them from room to room from time to time with no issues in the six years we have had them......they also were good with this move as well.....then about a month into this new move....one of the girls started to howl and whimper.....even though rare...this has happened before.....and usually means they just need to go pee...or have gotten sick....Very very rare....I let them out....they go pee....back in the kennel...and the rest of the night is peaceful....however....for some sudden reason.....the one girl......both were howling....but the one was definatley the instigater....would not stop howling......this went on all night...no more than about 15 minutes of silence......at about 5 in the morning I finally went down and let them out...we all snuggled on the couch and salvaged a few hours of silence......the next night the same thing.....all night....I tried to be strong.....but at 5 again ....I went down...brought their kennel back upstairs...but put it in a different area of the house then were they were previously.....they crawled in ...curled up and were silent for the rest of the night.....I did this for a few days....no issues.....I then moved the kennel to another area of the house.....no issues for a few days......then put it back downstairs...instantly the howling started..and again lasted all night.....now remember...they were downstairs for about a month with no issues prior to this.....and for their entire lives...we have been able to take them with us to unfamiliar places....hotels....family houses.....camping....and as long as they have had their kennel......there has never been an issue....but for some strange unexplained reason....they will have nothing to do with sleeping down stairs....and all this after they slept down there for almost a month...

So if anybody could share their thoughts or theories about this sudden behaviour would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks to all for your thoughtful insights