If you've seen my mind, tell it to come home!

[dbradley]

I apoligize now for the ranting I am about to do and for the likely length of my post. It's just vent or explode!

While giving my daughter a bath I crated Moya. She cried a lot but I thought it was just because she knew we were home and was upset about being crated. Turns out she peed in her crate. While I'm trying to clean out the crate (made more difficult because we don't have one of those barriers and use a very thick cardboard box to block off some space) my daughter keeps saying, "Mommy I have to pee pee," and my 4 month old son who NEVER cries decides to scream his head off. Hungry. During this time I think, Moya decides to pee on the kitchen floor. No sooner do I clean that up but she does it again. If you're keeping score that's three times in about 45 minutes. Now the house stinks to high heaven. Finally get things straightened out. Took Moya out at some point where she peed and pooed. We all go into the family room immediately after that. Fifteen minutes later she gets onto her pillow bed and pees again. It's at this point that I decide a glass of wine is in order. Well I broke the top of the cork off but finally get it open. Sit down at the computer to write this and knock over the glass which shatters all over the floor. I let my daughter sleep for half hour because she fell asleep in her dinner and now at 9:15PM she still won't go to sleep. Just not my day!!!!! But I digress...

What's the deal here? Moya is crated by 11PM and lasts until 5AM. Was she just upset that she peed in her crate? She's 12 weeks old and we've had her for a week and a half. Up until now the average is about 1 accident (pee) a day. Not too bad considering I'm constantly interupting my son's bottle to take her out.

Ack! OK, I'm done ranting now. Feel much better.

What I will say for myself is that at no time did I get outwardly angry or yell at Moya.

 

[ROM Newf]

Hopefully it was just the stress of events yesterday. If the frequent urination continues tho, definitely bring Moya to the vet.
May the children be quiet today, may Moya not have any accidents in the house, and may the wine bottle open easily.

 

[Annie Milliron]

I just hate it when the cork falls in the bottle!!!!

I'm sure today will be a better day... it is Friday, after all!!! The sugguestions here all all great!!! We're rooting for you!

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

Hope things go a little smoother today, Damian! But one thing I noticed with my pup, (I got her at 5 mo. old) that when she got excited, then she would pee a lot more often. I do remember thinking at times, that she just went, so why was she going again a few minutes later. So even a 5 mo old can react that way. If anything, Moya was probably picking up on your anxiety. Also, this time of year, pups do drink more water and I have found pups being a little harder to housebreak in the summer for this reason. So take a deep breath and rest assured that in a few months, Moya will become more relaxed in her environment and have more control which will make you more relaxed. Can you put in a doggy door so she can let herself out? This would also make it easier when your baby sitter is there.

 

[dbradley]

Karen: Moya seems to be doing OK with the hubbub of daily life. Sometimes I worry that she isnot bonding enough with the kids but that will come. She hasn't given me any indication that it won't. Everyone that comes over to meet her says how sweet she is. The breeder picked her for us knowing we had little ones and she was the mellowest out of the bunch. She does seem to be learning to be more gentle with the kids. INitially she ran after my daughter and latched onto the back of her shirt. This caused a lot of fear on my daughter's part but that has been 90% resolved due to improvements in Moya's behavior and Olivia's.

I suspect that the stress of the situation greatly contributed to the problems of yesterday. Dogs can sense when you are frustrated even if you don't act like it. The baby crying didn't help and I'm sure none of us would be happy about having to pee in our bed and lie in it for a half hour.

No accidents yet today (fingers crossed) but I did notice that when we were outside she was peeing an awful lot and has been drinking tons of water all afternoon. Some of it from the fish pond that I can't seem to keep her out of. QUESTION:If she had a UTI would the frequent urination last all day or would it only be every now and then?

Thanks again for the support and I'll try not to be so long winded next time...

 

[Greg L]

Just remember, plastic cups next to the computer. Metal travel mugs work too.

Greg

 

[sarnewfie]

Oh wow!
what a day you had sounds like today is better, UTI
the peeing happens thru the day and night, my rule of thumb, if ever in doubt go have a test, it is better to know for sure, i had one of my pups stay with me for 2 weeks, during that time she constantly had accidants thru the day and night, i thought it was becouse she and syd were having a water drinking contest, but my gutts also told me to have a UTI test done, sure enough she had one, it is common for female pups to have these on and off while developing, mainly becouse when they squat they squat in their pee, causing build up of bacteria.

 

[dbradley]

Sarnewfie: I thought squatting in the pee was just a Moya eccentricity! Guess not!

I don't think it's a UTI...She is holding it for up to 7 hours at night and we only have the problem of going and then again shortly thereafter every now and again.

I hope I haven't confused her...The first week I was so overwhelmed that I just concentrated on getting her outside to go. This week I really worked hard on walking on a leash and going in a specific place. It's not the easiest place to get to but it's a spot that no one will end up stepping in doodoo.

We'll see how it goes...It's just stressful for me because I'm trying to be scheduley for everyone's sake but Moya is not exactly cooperating with the schedule. Maybe I will limit water intake while in the house to only during mealtimes. Would that be a good idea?

 

[brendapiepiorka]

Dear Nutzycat,
I think it is really hard to house break a puppy and seeings as you have only had her a week and a half, I would say your doing pretty good. You have little ,little children and a puppy is just like another baby. I think as a routine settles in , everyone will settle down and the puppy will feel that and be easier to train and easier for you to catch her "I have to go pee" signals. Maggie just had surgery on tuesday and she is five months old and she has started going in the house again. First off she had stress diahra and I think because we changed her routine(I let her sleep in the kitchen for two nights-not in her kennal) She already thinks it's ok to go were ever. Today I started her back to normal with her potty stuff and her kennaling and she is already seeming more at ease. Give yourself and moya and your children a chance to get used to eash other and I think everything will work out just fine. I'm definatly know expert on puppies especially newfs, but these ladies on this sight really know there stuff . Somedays I feel over welmed trying to do the right stuff for her... and it's just my husband and myself here. You are doing a great job mom so if a little wine is in order at the end of the night I say Here Here
Brenda
P.S. I thinkl I may have a glass my self tonight!

 

[ROM Newf]

Personally, I wouldn't limit the water intake during the day.
Is it possible that she starts to pee and then stops because she sees something more interesting? Puppies often forget what they were doing when a distraction appears. That distraction could be nothing more than a leaf blowing but it piqued the curiosity and peeing is stopped to check out the fun thing blowing.

 

[ROM Newf]

Another thought after I posted the last message.
Seems like she is peeing just enough to relieve the pressure and not emptying the entire bladder. Unfortunately, I don't know what you could do to get her to empty the entire bladder instead of going only enough to relieve the pressure. Think that comes with age.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

I think you are doing a great job if she is only having 1 or no accidents in the day. She still is very young yet. Rory did the same thing when I got her. Even though she was 5 mo., she was a kennel dog and not house broken. My interpretation was that she was trying very hard to go in the right place and was a little nervous about it. Eventually, she went less frequently and is now fine. It would seem to me that if she can hold it all night, then she probably does not have an infection. I found Rory to be very smart and eager to please, and it seems like Moya is porbably the same way.

 

[sarnewfie]

I agree wtih everyone here, plus, females in my experience are harder to potty train than the males, may have something to do with males developing faster such as size.
i would also suggest limiting water, i had to do that with Syd for a while, if i remember right also penny, but....
an important side note, if this continues to six months that she has one accidant a day, to have her privates checked, they can have a flap of skin obstructing and making the pee pool and that in turn makes them have to pee more, penny had this, they popped the obstruction she went for a recheck and she is free and clear, that also is common in the females.

 

[AmyPC]

Originally posted by ROM Newf:

Seems like she is peeing just enough to relieve the pressure and not emptying the entire bladder. Unfortunately, I don't know what you could do to get her to empty the entire bladder instead of going only enough to relieve the pressure. Think that comes with age.

Try adding fresh parsley to her food. A handfull or two. This is a natural bladder stimulant and supposedly helps dogs fully empty their bladder.

I found this tidbit of info on our quest for information relating to doggie incontinence.

PS- Rory had a UTI when she was about 3 months old and squatted repeatedly, not intermittently.

 

[dbradley]

Well, things have calmed down during the day although our nights have been interesting! For the past couple of nights my daughter has awakened crying (nightmares) which wakes up Moya, who in turn wakes up my son. Good grief Charlie Brown!

I have to count my blessings, though! Moya is a sweety. She has learned "sit" and "down" and is quickly understanding "stay." I am also teaching her to "go take a nap." She is getting better and better about not chasing after my daughter and not putting her teeth on people. Although I have my moments of new mom anxiety, my skills are improving and our confidence in each other is growing.

Thanks for all your responses and for allowing a new member to rant!

P/S NutzyCat allowed Moya to give him a good sniff and put her paw on his belly!

[ 08-10-2002, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: NutzyCat ]