I need some advice..

[Elizabeth]

We just discovered tonight that Sophie has been peeing on the floor in the lower level. We don't think it's been going on for long. We were told she was potty trained. We noticed that she wandered off downstairs a couple times, but we didn't think anything of it. Tonight, my husband stepped on a wet spot in the carpet down stairs, he says there is an obvious area she has been going to. Sophie had cataract surgery on Dec 1st. Everything is going well with that. Her eating schedule got a bit off track at first, but now she seems to be back to normal. She does seem to drink a little more than usual- and has been asking to go outside a couple times at night- which she didn't do prior to the surgery.

A couple things I could mention is that she was initally 1. submissive peeing when we would come home and let her out of the crate and 2. she was afraid to go into the basement at our house, and at a family member's house. We brought her into the basement and rewarded her for coming down there and she has been fine ever since... going downstairs freely with no hesitation.

Any advice on why she's doing this and how to correct the behavior before it becomes a problem?

[Adina P]

The only thing that comes to mind right away is to never allow her to go to the lower level without you there supervising--at least for several weeks. Perhaps, taking a few weeks to treat her as a puppy... Rewarding her for peeing outside and managing her and the environment so she does not have a chance to go inside: crate if she is used to it, tethering her to you, etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wish I could help, Liz. I have some thoughts about the basement issue, but if she's fine with that now, it doesn't help much with the current issues. First thing is to make sure you neutralize the odor in the area where she's been going...cleaning it up isn't enough, no matter how it looks or smells to you. Pour Nature's Miracle over the area until it is saturated all the way through the pad, and then follow the instructions for blotting, etc. You have to get the odors neutralized or she will keep going there.
Other than that, the only things I know to do are restricting her water & letting her out more frequently. I think you'll have to ask the vet about restricting her water...with the surgery, I'm not comfortable advising you to cut her water back right now. Perhaps you'll need to limit her access to the lower level (maybe a gate?) when someone can't watch her closely there. As to why it's going on, there is obviously something about that lower part of the house, possibly relating to things from her past, that are triggering some fear issues, but I have no idea what it could be or what to do about it. Hopefully someone else here will have some ideas for you.

[Elizabeth]

I was paranoid she was having kidney issues, but I'm not sure what to look for!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would think maybe something they gave her during the surgery, anesthetic or extra IV fluids, maybe, might be causing it? Talk to the vet about it. I don't think she would start with kidney issues right out of the blue without any symptoms of pain, blood, difficulty with urinating, etc. She's been through such a lot this last month, especially this last week, really it seems amazing to me how well-adjusted she is! There are bound to be a few setbacks or odd behaviors. Try not to worry. Make a list of these questions, and talk to the vet about them. Hugs to you all!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I woke up this morning thinking about this, Liz. Another possibility might be a UTI? Nothing to worry about, ask the vet tomorrow.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Isn't it also possibe to have this creep up with antibiotics? Is she on antibiotics after her sugery?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's what I was thinking.

[2m42srv7vi6sq]

Am I correct in that she has had cataracts her whole life?

If so, the peeing could be a reaction to the vividness of everything in her world right now.

Just think of how it would be to live in a world of fuzzy shadows and suddenly have everything become clear and bright!

I would imagine that she is experiencing sensory overload, at the moment.

I agree that you should treat her as if she were a small puppy and act accordingly. She must be supervised while free anywhere in your home.

Spot shot or some other odor neutralizer works well as a remedy for the pee spot.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I agree with all the replys. I would treat her as a puppy also in the respect that I make sure she went out before and after eating, napping, playing - just like a puppy; wouldn't let her down in the basement without supervision; treat and reward.
Is your basement a place where you hang out, watch TV? If yes, I would spend lots of time with her there, bring a bed there for her and make it a realy comfy place - with the mind set 'dogs don't usually pee where they sleep'.

[Leslie and Halas]

I agree with the comments about treating her like a puppy for awhile. When Halas was pretty much potty trained, he all of a sudden started sneaking into the dining room to pee. He did this a couple of times, so I just started blocking off the dining room again. He couldn't go in there unless I went in there with him. And I also made sure I praised him a lot when he went potty outside like he was supposed to. It was just a minor setback that lasted a couple of days. Sophie's issue probably does have a lot to do with everything she's been through, so maybe she just needs some time and encouragement.

[Mary, Scrappy, Sully and Olive]

I agree with everyone else, as long as nothing serious is wrong, than go back to square one and treat her as a puppy for a while with rewards, lots of treats and boundaries. The poor sweetie has been through so much!
Good luck and hang in there...they do learn so quickly with persistence.

[Elizabeth]

The basement/lower level is about four steps down from the main level, my husband and I often leave and come home through the basement door which leads to our garage. It is mostly an entertainment area with a large tv and couch etc.- we haven't been down there much since we got Sophie. We could start spending time down there, and put a pet bed down there. She spend almost every day laying around and being lazy- I just want Monday to come so that we can get back to our old routine. Out in the am, 40min play session in the am, out in the afternoon, 40 min. play session in the afternoon, Out for a walk (1-1/2 hours) with Don and I, and then out to go potty right before bed. That's alot of activity she is missing out on- I am sure she's bored/sad or something! I would be. Good thing tomorrow is MONDAY!!!
I bought a gate last night on the way home from work, and some odor remover that is all natural- I hope it works.
She has been going to the bathroom fine outside, no difficulty urinating, and no blood.
I guess we will just have to watch her closely, talk to the vet, and go from there.

UUUGGGHHHH. I just want her to be well, and happy :)