# perplexing housebreaking issue



## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

My 3 year old Hav is housebroken, except for an occasional accident. He has had the run of the house since he is about a year and he is generally very good. He rings a bell to go out. At night, he and our other dog sleep in our room and we generally have our door closed. On occasion, if our door is open, he will get up in the middle of the night leave our room and go"pee ' somewhere. He doesn't ring the bell in the middle of the night as he does during the day and if he stays in our room, he won't make in the room. We can't figure it out! Anybody have any ideas?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I would say if he has an occasion accident, he isn't quite housebroken. If most of his accidents occur at night, you could try crating him at night. Take away his water at about 6pm. Maybe even consider putting a bell in the crate? My sister's pup rings the bell to go out too. She's still under a year old, but they crate her at night, because of that occasional accident.


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## jacqui (Aug 7, 2007)

I would agree that you might want to crate her at night. This could become a bad habit and once the odor is in the floor their mindset is that it is a place to pee no matter the time of day.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

I think he is SMART enough to realize you are sleeping, so he doesn't ring the bell but DOES go ahead and "go" when he needs to. Could you leave out a pee-pad in a tray by the bells so he can go if he really needs to? If not - I'd just be sure to close the bedroom door every night if you don't want to crate him....


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

My 3 yo hav sleeps with me and most of the time if she needs to go, she'll try to wake my hands, although, I do leave a pee pad out in our master bathroom pretty much all the time, so she knows it is there if she can't get outside or we aren't home...or its pouring down rain, and she'll use the pee pad (has he ever used a pad? You could try that?)

Maybe he did go ring the bell and you didn't hear it, is that possible?

I did hang an extra set of bells on our bedroom door, but she never wanted to use those, maybe they didn't make sense to her as there was no 'outdoors' on the other side of the bedroom door, idk..lol

Could he be upset? I know everyone says that they don't pee when they are upset but it sure is one heck of a coincidence in my house.

I doubt I'd cage her for an occasional accident, but I would try to figure it out. Maybe if you want to keep your door open, you could put a gate so he couldn't get out, since he won't go in your room, I'm guessing he is trying to ring the bell....if you can't hear it, you could always put a baby monitor to listen.?

(just throwin' ideas out there )

Kara


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

He's not going where he sleeps, which is the right thing to do. Since we ran out of corners on the bed, all ours sleep in crates. One will wake us if there is a problem.


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## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

Well, I think you are all right! He's too smart to do it in front of us and I think he realizes we are sleeping. He won't go in the bedroom because that is where he sleeps and he probably has rung the bell and I've probably slept through it! I used to have a bell on my bedroom door and he would ring it. I really don't want to crate him after 2 1/2 years of being out of a crate and he never really liked it in the first place. Once he was about 6 mos. old, he would cry and I am a sucker(especially for him!) I think I will try putting back a bell on my bedroom door. That way, he will have a way to tell me. If that fails, then I will have to try the crate again.

Thanks for all the suggestions!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

He will be fine in the crate as long as you remain strong and don't feel anxiety. He will know if you do. Some of ours didn't start sleeping in crates until they were past 6 years old and they did fine. They're all anxious to get in their crates when it's time for bed now. The ones on the bottom row jump up the 18 inches (I just went and measured) to get in their crates as soon as the doors are opened.


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

I agree with Tom. You can't feel anxious about the crate, or he'll pick up on it. 

I swear by crates. Our little Cali runs into hers at night w/o any prompting from us. Finnegan goes in at our urging, but seems to like it. He's relcutant to come out in the morning, lazy guy.

The only one to sleep on the bed is Chico. And maybe someday he'll sleep in the crate too. He always runs right to the crate in the kitchen when he sees/hears me getting out the brushes. He thinks I won't see him, if he's in there LOL.
I know it's his safe place


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## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

It's funny because Charlie never really liked the crate. Once he became more aware, he would cry and wake up from his nap after 15 minutes. Finally, I decided just to keep him confined in the "play pen" area. He was fine in there, never had accidents and he took long naps. I never used the crate again. Gradually, I expanded his area, one room at a time, until he had full reign of the house. The thing that is so confusing is that he could be making all over the house all day if he was inclined to do that but he doesn't. It's just strange how he will only do it occasionally in the middle of the night.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

Daisy and Beau sleep in crates in our bedroom. The crate doors are open, and we have an ex-pen with a 4 x 4 area for them to come out of their crates if they want to. We keep a tray in there "just in case". It is hardly EVER used. When it is, usually one of them has a stomach issue and has diarrhea - but at least they get it in the tray and NOT in their crate.

We bought a small vinyl flooring remnant at a carpeting store that their area is set up on. We just placed it over the carpet.

Their crates have a covering over them so they seem more "cave-like". As others have said, when we walk into the bedroom they go right to their crates and jump right in.

The only reason I bother with the ex-pen is because if DH or I get up in the middle of the night, one of them would probably get up too and I don't want to trip over them in the dark! LOL (Plus - they probably WOULD jump in our beds....we let them sleep on the bed with us if one of us takes a nap or is sick - just not all night...)


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## rokipiki (Oct 15, 2010)

I keep pee pad for Roki all the time the toilet we don't use (so it is Roki's toilet). He goes there during the night. Sometimes even two times. Whem we came back from our summer vacation he started to pee on armchair in the living room, but stopped very soon. When he is mad at me he starts sniffing as if he is going to lift his leg and pee. I realize that this is his warning that he wants something. 
I (and Roki) absolutely hate crates. We have one soft crate we use for long journeys.

Marina&Roki


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