Fraggle

[Kaz]

Having a few problems with the new recruit. The main one is he is soiling in the house, it started after he'd already been here a couple of weeks. Weeing at first - once in B's bedroom and once on the landing They both get walked first thing and in the evening and have the run of the garden so there is no excuse Then he started to leave poos - every time on the upstairs landing

The other issue is him jumping on the bed at night. Now ideally they would both sleep downstairs but Pepper has slept in her basket in our room for years, so when the new boy arrived we wanted to maintain the same routine for Pepper so both baskets are in our bedroom. In the middle of the night he gets on the bed and wiggles up right to the top - I am waking up in pain from my hip and back as I'm squashed! He also sometimes barks to be let out, at about 3.30am! It's getting us both down a bit, we love him to bits but he's a heck of a handful compared to Pepper.

There is no room downstairs for crates, our living room and kitchen are longish and narrowish with no free wall space for them, so I really don't know what to do about the sleeping issue. Our stairs are low and wide and curve around, not suitable for a stair gate even if we wanted to fit one!

As for the soiling thank god we have a Vax and that Mick is willing and able to use it as I can't with my back and neck There is some staining though, even with the Vax, as his wee is very yellow! We were assured he was house trained, this is a behavioural thing I think, maybe territory marking? He has been from pillar to post poor lad in his short little life.........

Don't get me wrong, we love him to bits, he's our dog and we'll work through this somehow but I wondered if anyone had any advice - I do have the number of a 'dog behaviourist and that's our next step He's otherwise good on the lead, affectionate, just a bit boisterous but then he's only two and terriers tend to calm down around 3 years of age in our experience.....

Suggestions??

[miasmum]

I think the most important thing is get him downstairs and find a way of keeping him down there. I know that might be easier said than done though. Could you fit a baby gate across the kitchen door, or do you have a utility room?

I think maybe a crate would be a good idea, even if you had to plonk it somewhere in the way and walk round it for a few weeks, not ideal I know.

I am sure other doggy owners will have more and better ideas though.

[Kaz]

Yes we do have a utility but is very small, no room for a crate honestly or even his basket. The soiling is happening through the day, and that is the thing getting me down the most TBH......

Really the only room with enough space downstairs is the living room and it would take up most of the space where there isn't furniture. We'd have to keep dismantling it and putting it up every night

Peps has always had free run of the house, so we would have to start treating them differently and again that would bring its own problems I think......We've already had a bit of jockeying for top dog and I reckon 'favouring' Pepper would drive him nuts! He's a very strong willed little thing.....

I wonder if our vet would have any advice? There must be a reason why he is doing this........

Thanks for answering Shell (((x)))

[Diflower]

Sorry haven't really any advice other than to agree to keep him downstairs.
I know it would affect Pepper as well but can you just keep the doorways to the stairs shut during the day?
Also I've no idea whether it would matter if Pepper was allowed upstairs at night but not Fraggle

Probably google and the vet are what I'd try
Good luck though, I'm sure you'll work something out.
x

[Kaz]

Well ideally we'd treat them equally Di, because of the jealousy thing, but we could try, nothing to lose

With Mick working from home they both tend to be based in his first floor study during the day, in their baskets, but come down to see me sometimes - when I'm in, as I tend to go out most days, once the housework/washing etc is done! We'd have to alter the whole routine here really to keep them totally downstairs, but if that's what it takes we'll just have to!

I think the vets, and maybe Google for some pet behaviour forums

Thanks for the advice

[debih]

My initial reaction is to contain him downstairs too. I would be inclined to get a baby gate so he can't come upstairs at night but you can still let Pepper up there.

But it would be harder during the day if you were going to let Pepper wander around - you wouldn't be able to keep the gate closed if you want her to have access to the whole house. I would be inclined to keep them both downstairs during the day.

I think a trip to the vet is called for to ask their advice.

[Kaz]

Yes, I wonder if we could find one to fit? Our stairs are a odd shape.........

I think we do need some professional advice about it

[miasmum]

the one thing I do remember from our behaviour management with my sis in laws Cocker is DO NOT TREAT THEM EQUALLY. Pepper is top dog, she has to know that and Fraggle has to know that. Always put her food down first, always put her lead on first, always fuss her first. You and Mick have to be the top dogs, but they have to have a hierarchy and he has to know he is at the bottom. It sounds cruel, but dogs do not understand fairness, they understand a pack mentality and you need to set up the pack for them.You might decide she is more laid back and wouldn't mind either way in which case you make him top dog, but then she has to go downstairs too or you are muddying the water.

[Kaz]

That sounds entirely sensible Shell! We will try that

[JoM]

Shell's advice makes a lot of sense. I hope you can soon get the little fella sorted (((((Kaz)))))

Funny story. We had a stairgate across the kitchen door when we first got Billy. I used to put him in there when I went out and always put a puppy Bonio on the cupboard by the front door to give him when I came home. One day I came home and the Bonio wasn't there, I was sure I'd put one there but Billy was in the kitchen so I just assumed I'd forgotten to put it there before going out. A few hours later I left him in the kitchen with the gate closed while I went upstairs to the bedroom to get something. Next thing, I heard the tags on his collar jangling and he walked into the bedroom. He'd obviously managed to get over the gate - and was clever enough to get back over again after taking his Bonio
So that was the end of the stairgate.