[daniellc]

I rescued a Shiba Inu 2 years ago. She was severely abused. She wouldn't let anyone touch here. She didn't like other animals, she didn't sit, stay or anything else and she hates crates. I have gotten her to sit and lay down and she now comes to my bf and I. I can also get her to relax around other dogs (thanks to the Ceasar Millan tactics). This took a lot of praising but Im glad I saw progress.
Having said that here is the problems I can't seem to break and if I don't get it fixed soon I will be having to return her. (Trust me, I don't want to)

She still hates crates (both metal ones and the traveling ones) she poops and pees in them and then smears it all around the cage. She chews on the metal bars and pretty much lost 60% of her teeth doing this. I tried training her to like them by praising, treats and even having her sleep in them.

She pees on carpet by the door and on my bed as well as my roommates bed when we are gone. We have tried to change her drinking schedule but its like she saves it. I can be gone for 10 minutes and she will pee on my bed (or the crate) or I can be gone for 10 hours and the same result.

She does prefer me over everyone else which is not unheard of for the Shiba breed (HACHI) so she follows me everywhere (I can't seem to train her to stay). I don't want this to be the case but it seems like some habits I just can't break.

Oh and she doesn't eat unless her food bowl is in one specific spot (so nothing if she goes on a weekend trip) and she also pees on all 4 beds if there is thunder!


PLEASE PEOPLE! Im begging for a way to get this fixed.

[Deafdogsrule]

I have a severely abused rescue as well. who cannot, under any circumstances be crated either. she's terrified of them. Here's the thing, she is not being dominant, or any such stupid term, she is trying to control her environment to help her manage her stress. You cannot put her under any more. You need to listen to what she's telling you. Peeing on the bed is her way to claim a safe spot for herself. My Zoe did this. I never corrected her for it. Peeing in the house was the same thing for Zoe, and again, I left her alone to feel comfortable and safe.

Instead of trying to crate her, give her a room to be in, or block off the kitchen, so if she does pee, it'll be easy to clean up.

DO NOT FORCE HER to do anything, no corrections, no pulling/pushing. Look at clicker training. She needs a choice, forcing her to do anything isn't giving her a choice. Fight or flight is very strong in abused dogs, when they're scared they make decisions which aren't always rational.

lots of treats, lots of praise, and a choice. I've had Zoe 7 years now, and she has gotten tons better, though she's still not normal.

BTW, Hatchi was an Akita

[cigwyllt]

The fact that she pees no matter how long you leave her would suggest to me that she does it as soon as you leave her and if she has pee'd or poo'd in her crate it inevitably means she is going to have to sit or stand or lie in it whether you are gone for 5 mins or 5 hours.

Make sure that the doors to the bedrooms are kept closed - if you are a household of adults it should be easy enough - I have a house full of kids and they know from the time they move through the house on their own that certain doors have to be kept closed. You could try a Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) diffuser available from the vet or larger pet stores. Lots of people find them very helpful.

You say you have had her two years and now you are thinking of returning her. Has anything happened to make the situation intolerable for you now? How long is she regularly left for? If you are working a 40 hour week then perhaps it would be kinder for her to go to a home with someone around for most of the time.

[daniellc]

I am only considering returning her because she is damaging the human realtionships in the house. I just moved to a new state so Im staying with my boyfriends father. She has peed on his bed 3 times. If I had a back yard I would leave her outside but its not possible until I can get my own place.

I have tried leaving her in the bathroom and laundry room but she pees right on the floorboards and she claws at the door so there are tons of scratches and marks.

I do know that Hachi was an Akita. But the Shiba Inu and Akita are in the same family with the same personalities; just different sizes.

I just wish she could either be okay in a crate or she could not urinate in the house so that she could be free.

I don't want to hurt her because we have become great campanions but she is so scared of absolutely everything and leaving her alone has become a burden. Ohhhh and did I mention that she is quite literally a perfect angel if bf or I are home. Its only when she is alone when she freaks.

[reeskujo]

Since these issues only occur when she's alone then my guess is that she has seperation anxiety. What is your routine with her when you're getting ready to leave? What type of interaction do you have with her when you're getting ready to leave? Do you make a fuss or give her a long good-bye? What is the routine with her when you come home and how do you interact with her when you come home and she's peed where she shouldn't?

As for her peeing on the beds the simple solution to that is to keep the bedroom doors closed. When I have a puppy who is being house trained I keep every door to every bedroom and bathroom closed when the puppy is not in their crate.