# Housebreaking regression after neuter



## Buzzys Mom

As everyone knows, Oscar was neutered last Tuesday. Since he came home, he has been having a lot of accidents. We went back to basics and he is tethered to me when home, in a crate or an ex-pen when he isn't, or outside on a leash. Guess what? He doesn't care. He peed on the floor yesterday WHILE tethered to me less than an hour after peeing outside. He also ran into the house yesterday after pooping outside and my husband accidentally dropped the leash- well, he ran over to his bed and pooped in it. I know there are a ton of threads about all of this, and that people say he will get it again, but does it start slowly? Or does it one day click again? It has been over a week with ZERO success. We are extrememly diligent and take him out every hour during the day. He is 6.5 months old now and it still isn't helping. He has peed in 2 of 4 beds, on 3 different toys and my floors (including the new hardwood that was installed 2 weeks ago in the family room). The vet says there is nothing medically wrong and that it will come back to him but I don't see any progress. Any ideas?


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## krandall

Whether there is anything medically "wrong" with him or not, I would strongly suspect that either something is still uncomfortable, or WAS uncomfortable enough to interrupt his house training. Regardless of the reason (which you may never know for sure) the answer is always the same. Confine more closely and watch more diligently until you are SURE they are handling things in the more confined situation, then slowly expand territory and freedom. According to what you've said, he's had at least 6 pee accidents and a poop accident in the last week. That's a LOT of accidents, and it's going to take many TIMES that many successes (with TONS of praise!!!) before you should start to trust him again.


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## Buzzys Mom

Thanks Karen- just a quick update. We were both out of the house yesterday afternoon for about 4 hours. He went in to the crate, and my FIL came over and took him out 2 hours in to it (clean crate), and put him back in his ex-pen. When I came home 2 hours after that, the ex-pen was clean and he pottied outside :whoo: He was really good all night- I kept him ojn a leash and at one point, I let the leash go and he went tot he back door like he used to before neutering to go out- and he peed this time. After that I went upstairs, took a shower (had him in the bathroom with me), and put him in the pen upstairs while I got dressed, and guess what? He peed on the bed in there AGAIN- second night in a row!  I think it's the texture of the bed so I washed it and I will put it away until we know he is reliable again. Hopefully not for long, since that wasn't even his bed- it's Buzzy's bed!!!I think in a few more days we will be back on track. Thanks for your help!


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## Buzzys Mom

OK, another quick update- it looks like whatever it was clicked with Oscar again. My husband just called me all excited because he was upstairs with the dogs, adn OScar stopped paying and ran downstairs. My hubby followed him and he was at the back door sitting very nicely. My hubby let him out and he peed! :whoo: I am not 100% confident in him YET, but it looks like we are back in business!


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## apololaceymom

Oh goodness, that is good news. Blaze was neutered today, he has been doing great with housebreaking lately, but was a challenge for a while.. He never pees in beds, and never in his crate. He does great for long stretches. His accidents are usually poop, and usually my lapse in watching him close enough. We gate him where we can see him, and he is not allowed upstairs. (his favorite place to poop). I am going now to pick him up at the vet. Glad I read this, will take EXTRA care to watch him close!!!!


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## Buzzys Mom

Good luck with Blaze- he is so cute! It was definitely a rough week while he was doing this, but it really was like a light switch flipped back on. Keep me posted


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## ClaireVoyant

Yay for Oscar :whoo: maybe the little regression was just a little payback for the snip LOL. Glad to hear he's back on the right track. It's gotta be traumatic for the little guys. Did Buzzy react when Oscar had the accidents?


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## Buzzys Mom

Nope, Buzzy could care less. He would never even dream of having an accident inside. If he has an upset stomach, he will wake us up at night (like last night) or tell us somehow and do whatever he can to hold it. He has even learned to throw up in the bathtub since that's where I used to run with him when he would get sick! Now if he could only tell us when he does that, we won't have any surprises!


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## misstray

Buzzys Mom said:


> He has even learned to throw up in the bathtub since that's where I used to run with him when he would get sick! Now if he could only tell us when he does that, we won't have any surprises!


Haha...mine thinks when he needs to throw up he needs to climb up somewhere and hang his head over the edge and let gravity help! Ugh.


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## Buzzys Mom

LOL- that visual made me laugh. I am picturing your pup all hungover with his sunglasses on hanging his head over the couch into a garbage can.


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## krandall

Buzzys Mom said:


> OK, another quick update- it looks like whatever it was clicked with Oscar again. My husband just called me all excited because he was upstairs with the dogs, adn OScar stopped paying and ran downstairs. My hubby followed him and he was at the back door sitting very nicely. My hubby let him out and he peed! :whoo: I am not 100% confident in him YET, but it looks like we are back in business!


That's fantastic, but remember he had an accident yesterday. You need to continue to supervise him VERY carefully for quite a while more, building those "correct" experiences for a good period of time to make up for so many accidents over the last week or so.


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## krandall

apololaceymom said:


> Oh goodness, that is good news. Blaze was neutered today, he has been doing great with housebreaking lately, but was a challenge for a while.. He never pees in beds, and never in his crate. He does great for long stretches. His accidents are usually poop, and usually my lapse in watching him close enough. We gate him where we can see him, and he is not allowed upstairs. (his favorite place to poop). I am going now to pick him up at the vet. Glad I read this, will take EXTRA care to watch him close!!!!


Kodi didn't relapse as a result of neutering, but they all seem to at one point or another. The key is to catch it early and get right on top of it so it doesn't become a habit. I'd watch Blaze, but I wouldn't be EXPECTING a problem.

I thought he was your little conformation dog, though, no?


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## ClaireVoyant

Buzzys Mom said:


> He has even learned to throw up in the bathtub since that's where I used to run with him when he would get sick!


LOL, either Isabella is extraordinarily healthy or she's managed to do it in private and clean up afterward (sorry for the visual). Two days ago was the first time I ever saw her do it and I was so freaked, I didn't know what was happening to her . . .but she jumped up in my lap and that's where it happened.

The little dears . . .


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