Problem with urinating...everywhere

[ShepNBoxinCA]

We got our 7 month old girl when she was 8 weeks old from the niece of a breeder who had passed away...supposedly. Anyhow, we have terrible problems with her peeing all the time, everywhere. She'll go in her crate, on the floor, when she's happy, when she's in trouble, whenever, wherever. I've done a lot of research on it and am reading that it is a sign of submission and that dogs probably don't even know they do it. But that still doesn't explain all the times she'll go right in front of us with no warning or in her crate (she's only in it at night for a few hours and wouldn't have had water for a couple hours before bed). We've been trying to bell train her but she refuses to learn, we ignore her for a short period when we first get home (or in the morning when we wake up) until she calms down, we get down to her level to greet her calmly...I'm exhausted cleaning up after her or finding her messes by stepping in them. HELP!! What am I missing here??

 

[Lola's mum]

Take her to the vet for a check over, she could have a bladder infection.

 

[gmacleod]

Do take her to a vet to be checked for a bladder or urinary tract infection. If she has that problem, then not only will it be very uncomfortable for her (ie. painful), but she would not have very much control over her bladder either. And if she's had it for several months, I'd expect her to be in a bit of trouble by now.

If that all checks out OK though - then you've got to look at your training. Thing is, submissive urination aside - if there's no physical problem there, then this is a dog that has absolutely no conception of housetraining at all. None. You would need a completely new approach to training her (naturally, since whatever you did previously has not worked). I can't tell enough from your post above to make any useful suggestions at all. But first stop anyway really needs to be the vet - you need to know if there's a physical problem there and to treat it if there is.

 

[ShepNBoxinCA]

Thanks for the tips. I will get her in to see our vet. As far as the training goes, I've pretty much followed what I've read on this forum about taking puppies out every hour in the beginning, then a little less often as she gets older but I haven't really made it past two hours during the day. Her crate is the right size for her, not too big. I'm wondering, too, if she might be the type of dog that is naturally fearful. When anyone tries to pet her she rolls over, when she is caught doing something naughty, she rolls over. I'm scratching my head at this one because we are certainly not loud, obnoxious, over-exuberant people by any means! Our house is a happy one so I'm having a hard time figuring this out. Thanks again for your input!