Ask Me Help Desk - Do dogs really pee on the floor out of revenge?

My 2 year old beagle, Dude, is a shelter dog. He is crated during the day, and has been sleeping sometimes on our bed, sometimes on our children's beds. Last night, he went out to pee after 10pm, as usual. Through the night, he tried to get up on our bed. We wouldn't let him... it gets crowded and hot with him. So I heard him walking around... he jumped up on my son's bed. My son must have kicked him off after a while, because I heard him walking around again. When my husband got up for work this morning, he had peed on the floor in his "usual" spot. We are finally getting him housebroken, but he has had two accidents in the last 2 weeks that fit the pattern described. Could he be doing it simply because he's not allowed on the bed when we sleep?

Dogs don't know the concept of revenge people-style, but they often will be willful when a routine is broken, like ripping something to shreds if you get home late. I suspect, however, that your dog peed because he was awake and restless and had to pee, not directly a result of being miffed that he wasn't allowed on any beds. And in the hot weather, who knows when he is doing the most drinking and then having to pee?

Dogs are ingenuous. Their feelings are on their sleeves, and their reactions are rarely that far removed from what bothered them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joypulv

Dogs don't know the concept of revenge people-style, but they often will be willful when a routine is broken, like ripping something to shreds if you get home late. I suspect, however, that your dog peed because he was awake and restless and had to pee, not directly a result of being miffed that he wasn't allowed on any beds. And in the hot weather, who knows when he is doing the most drinking and then having to pee?

Dogs are ingenuous. Their feelings are on their sleeves, and their reactions are rarely that far removed from what bothered them.

Thanks very much... you make a good point about the heat... I hadn't considered that. I probably should have just gotten out of bed and investigated when I heard him wandering around... just took for granted that he wouldn't have to go again!

I would say it is more because he is wandering around during the night.
Just think if you were up all night walking around you would probably need to pee at some point, whereas if you are in bed sleeping you would rarely wake up to use the bathroom.

I would crate him overnight or give him his own bed to sleep in. Don't let him on your or your kids beds anymore and don't let him wander around the house through the night.

Good advice... he does have his own bed, and often sleeps there. He's just a little willful, and I have been inconsistent about letting him on the bed... so he's confused. I'll just have to make up my mind not to give in to his adorable beagle-ness :-) And I will for sure not ignore it the next time I hear him wandering around at night. Do you think if I hear him walking around I should let him out again? I don't want him to think it's normal to go out for a pee at 1:30 in the morning. Or should I just direct him back to his bed?

Haha it is very hard not to give in! I'm lucky I have very small dogs and a huge bed to myself so we can all spawl out!

Personally I wouldn't let him out, I would be more inclined to be training him to stay in the one spot all night, whether it be shutting him in your bedroom so he can't walk through the house or investing in a crate/kennel to put him in overnight.

A lot of people think crates or kennel are cruel but my 3rd dog (the only one not on the bed!) has a problem with urinary incontinence so she has to be confined or she tends to leak everywhere without meaning to. She loves her crate, every night before bed I say "bed time!" and she dives in her crate because she gets a special treat.

I tried keeping that same dog in just a regular dog bed on the floor but she did the same thing as yours and got up through the night and wandered around. I used to just tell her "back in your bed" and snap my fingers and she would go straight back, but more often that not I would wake up with her sleeping on my feet anyway so she ended up being crate trained.

I would crate him at night, but I feel bad since he's crated through the day when we're at work. Also, I only just got him adjusted to the crate since he HATED it when he first got here... he would tremble and cry... he was likely never crated before coming here. I like the suggestion about closing the door and ordering him back to his bed though. I think that would work... thanks for your time!

Ah beagles. Willful, stubborn, cute as a button. I have one myself. He's the hardest dog I've ever had training wise. He may be the death of me, but darn the cuteness. ;)

You hit the nail on the head. He's confused. Am I supposed to be in the crate? Am I allowed on the bed? Why am I sometimes not allowed on the bed? Where am I supposed to pee?

All dogs need consistency, but with beagles it's even more important. They are stubborn to a fault, very hard to train. If you don't know what you want him to do (crate, bed, floor) then he'll never learn what you expect of him.

Consistency. You all have to get on board. The crate is the best option. I myself could not get my beagle crate trained (first dog I've ever had that I couldn't crate train), but it sounds like your beagle takes to the crate, so use that. Don't feel bad. A crate is like a den. It's a safe place. Crating at night to sleep is a lot different than crating during the day. Just make sure that he's getting his walks, being allowed to sniff and do what his breed is meant to do, and you'll be fine.

Sorry if I missed it, but how old is this little guy?

Edit: Oi, I'm blind! That's the first sentence of your question! Okay, at 2 he has settled. Beagles are hardest the first year of their life. But, as a shelter dog he's likely picked up bad habits that you'll have to correct. Not easy with a beagle, but not impossible.

Remember that beagles are scent hounds. Their noses are their God's. They're also hunting dogs, they are bred to hunt rabbits, and as such they're notorious diggers. They are hard to train, but treat training is the way to go. If you're consistent, and patient (and you'll need a lot of patience), it can be done.

The rule for crating during the day is 1 hour for each month of age. At 2 years of age your beagle should be fine for an 8 hour shift. Make sure the crate is big enough for your pup to stand, turn, and lay down. No smaller and no bigger. A bigger crate may seem like the humane thing, but it's not. A dog wants to feel safe and snug, and a bigger crate will promote peeing or pooing, which is not okay, and something most dogs won't do in the right sized crate.

Make sure that he's getting at least 2 one hour walks a day. A great game with beagles, to keep them happy is the hide and seek game. Pick his favorite toy, or a treat, hide it in the yard, and then teach him to find it. After a while he'll know when you want him to find his treat. This allows him to use his nose, and it will let him fulfill his purpose. Beagle's are working dogs. If they're not allowed to work, to do what they're bred to do, in one way or another (and no, I'm not saying you should allow him to hunt rabbits), they will get into mischief.

If you have any questions about beagles I'm more than happy to answer. Just post your question here, or start a new thread if it's a different topic.

Also, we love pictures. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alty

Ah beagles. Willful, stubborn, cute as a button. I have one myself. He's the hardest dog I've ever had training wise. He may be the death of me, but darn the cuteness. ;)

You hit the nail on the head. He's confused. Am I supposed to be in the crate? Am I allowed on the bed? Why am I sometimes not allowed on the bed? Where am I supposed to pee?

All dogs need consistency, but with beagles it's even more important. They are stubborn to a fault, very hard to train. If you don't know what you want him to do (crate, bed, floor) then he'll never learn what you expect of him.

Consistency. You all have to get on board. The crate is the best option. I myself could not get my beagle crate trained (first dog I've ever had that I couldn't crate train), but it sounds like your beagle takes to the crate, so use that. Don't feel bad. A crate is like a den. It's a safe place. Crating at night to sleep is a lot different than crating during the day. Just make sure that he's getting his walks, being allowed to sniff and do what his breed is meant to do, and you'll be fine.

Sorry if I missed it, but how old is this little guy?

Edit: Oi, I'm blind! That's the first sentence of your question! Okay, at 2 he has settled. Beagles are hardest the first year of their life. But, as a shelter dog he's likely picked up bad habits that you'll have to correct. Not easy with a beagle, but not impossible.

Remember that beagles are scent hounds. Their noses are their God's. They're also hunting dogs, they are bred to hunt rabbits, and as such they're notorious diggers. They are hard to train, but treat training is the way to go. If you're consistent, and patient (and you'll need a lot of patience), it can be done.

The rule for crating during the day is 1 hour for each month of age. At 2 years of age your beagle should be fine for an 8 hour shift. Make sure the crate is big enough for your pup to stand, turn, and lay down. No smaller and no bigger. A bigger crate may seem like the humane thing, but it's not. A dog wants to feel safe and snug, and a bigger crate will promote peeing or pooing, which is not okay, and something most dogs won't do in the right sized crate.

Make sure that he's getting at least 2 one hour walks a day. A great game with beagles, to keep them happy is the hide and seek game. Pick his favorite toy, or a treat, hide it in the yard, and then teach him to find it. After a while he'll know when you want him to find his treat. This allows him to use his nose, and it will let him fulfill his purpose. Beagle's are working dogs. If they're not allowed to work, to do what they're bred to do, in one way or another (and no, I'm not saying you should allow him to hunt rabbits), they will get into mischief.

If you have any questions about beagles I'm more than happy to answer. Just post your question here, or start a new thread if it's a different topic.

Also, we love pictures. :)

Thanks so much... good advice! I'll keep working with Dude... see pic of his adorable howling face attached.

He's adorable! What a sweetheart!

Love the howling, and the baying. They have such a unique sound. :)