new dog in house & now rottie is peeing all over house

[Scorpia]

I have a male rottie, Boo, that is a fourteen months old. He has been housebroken for several months now. At least, that is, until now.

My parents arrived two weeks ago with their female beagle Hunter. They are staying with me for a couple of months. My dog and their dog have been sole dogs in their households, and the beagle was leery of my rottie at first. (My rottie wasn't of her. He always wants to play.) They eventually did start playing together and getting along better.

The beagle peed and pooped in the house a couple of times when she first arrived. And she may very well still be peeing in the house. I haven't caught her doing it any more. But I have also discovered that my rottie is also now peeing in the house. I've caught him two times, and I know he's been doing it other times as well.

I've scolded him both times I've caught him in the act, but I don't know if it is doing any good. I'm suspecting he's either peeing because he smells her or because she's peed in a certain spot and he feels he must also pee there. And I think she is, too, for the same reasons. So it's like some vicious cycle.

I'm sick of stepping onto wet spots in the carpet or smelling the lingering odor of urine in the air. By the end of two months, my house is going to smell like a toilet bowl!

First, what are the reasons why my previously housebroken rottie would be doing this? Second, what can I do to stop it?

[AngelBunny]

Hunter's behavior is the cause of Boo's behavior. Those smells she put into his house have thrown poor Boo for a loop. Now, Hunter & Boo have gotten themselves into a vicious cycle that won't be broken unless you take drastic action.

Since Boo has regressed, you're going to have to treat him as if he's being housetrained all over again. You know what this means--Boo is crated when you & your parents are out of the house. When you're home, he can be out of his crate, but he never leaves the room you're in. If he wanders away, you immediately follow him & bring him back to where you can watch him and/or take him outside. You take him outside on a regular basis. The same goes for Hunter--she also *must* be crated, must be watched, must never be left alone in your house uncrated or otherwise unconfined. You absolutely can't leave them unsupervised in the house.

To Boo's way of thinking, if some strange dog moved into his house & started behaving in this fashion, he could, too.

[Mick Trainer]

Angelbady is correct on this point. Start from scratch. Scalding will do not good in this case.

[AngelBunny]

Scorpia:

Your parents don't have a choice--they *must* do their part, since Hunter is the problem. If Boo & Hunter don't stop, the rugs/floors in your place will have to replaced--not merely cleaned--when they leave. Hunter is setting a terrible example for Boo.

Surely your parents won't have a problem with stopping their dog's inappropriate behavior in a house--especially someone else's house.

If your parents balk, however, encourage them to board Hunter for the duration of their stay. Hunter's behavior goes beyond annoying--she's interfering with the training of your dog, in your house.

[Scorpia]

Thanks. I kind of suspected I might have to go through the housetraining motions again. Didn't really want to, but if that's what it takes, I'll do it. Thanks very much for your help.

Now I just hope my parents will go along with this.

[valstybaby]

One thing I didn't hear is how to clean the spot. First, soak up all the urine with paper towels, then spray the area with a mixture of white vinegar & water to dampen and soak that ALL up with paper towels (the vinegar neutralizes the urine odor so your dog will not smell it & pee in the same spot). Of course you'll have to stop your parents dog from peeing in the house. If you can find the spots already marked, clean them with the vinegar & water also or your dog will go back to those spots to mark his territory. Hope this helps.