[MBourque]

We have a 1year old unneutered male dachshund that we've had since he was 8wks old. I am a stay-at-home mom who homeschools a 15yr old son and a 13yr old son while Dad and the oldest son go off to work, so someone is home 95% of the time.
From day one, we've trained him to go on the Puppy Pads because we cannot always walk him on a leash and our yard is not fenced so there's no way he can go out alone. He has done VERY WELL with this and it only took him about 3-5 days to master pottying on his pad in the very beginning. The only "drawback" I can see to this method is that he's never really learned to hold it, but this has not caused us a problem because he always has access to his pad.
The problem we're having lately is that he's taken to relieving himself on either my husband or my son's pillow (which of course are on the beds)! He is still peeing on his pads so I don't think its like he's "forgotten" what he should do and needs to be retrained, and we've taken to closing the bedroom doors now, but every time he can sneak into one of the rooms and no one's looking directly at him, there he goes!! I've sprayed pet urine neutralizer on everything, flipped the mattresses (THIS IS A CLUE) He's not continually peeing where the smell is, because by flipping and rotating the mattresses, the smell moves--he always goes to the same SPOT in the bed (where the pillows are) and just "sprays" the edge of the pillow.


I would appreciate any advise because I am at wits end, this is driving me CRAZY!! Thank you!

[labman]

This has nothing to do with relieving himself, but about who is top dog. Challenges are very clearly a matter of pack status, and quite common at his age. Having a good pack structure reduces such problems. The dogs see all the
People and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
The pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
Outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
Or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
A treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

Who sleeps where is a very big thing among dogs. The top dogs get the best spots. It is clear he is challenging the other males in the pack by marking their sleeping places. The first step is to neuter him. Not only is it necessary to eliminate this problem, it insures he will not pass the undesirable habit on.

Check on 4-H for obedience. In my area, clubs form soon after the first of the year. Even many urban areas have 4-H. For info look in your phone book under government listings for extension or cooperative extension offices. Ask specifically about a dog or canine club. It is essential your husband and both boys learn to treat the dog as a lower status pack member. This does not mean being abusive, but top dogs go through doorways first, eat first, get the best food and places to sleep, and have the other move out of the way. Does the dog enjoy belly rubs? Instead of getting the belly rubs when he comes and rolls over demanding one, he gets one when the higher status pack members choose to gently roll him over and give him one.

There is a lot of poor dog advice out there that ignores the fundamental necessity of giving the dog strong leadership. Many websites, books and obedience classes neglect it. There is too much to cover in an answer here. That is why I have refereed you to obedience class and the Monks of new Skete. I can't check out every site somebody else suggests. Many of the ones I have looked at are very poor.

Closing the bedroom doors was a good first step. As you become better trained, if the problem is not corrected, he will seek to challenge the others some other way. This could be a favorite spot in the family room, shredding possessions, or some other way. Your only hope is neutering him and obedience training him.

[MBourque]

Thank you for your response. I am looking into all you suggested right away! I'd just like to ask if you can please clarify something for me. I apologize for "grilling" you with all these questions, you've just peaked my curiousity and I want to understand this. (That means feel free to tell me to go away and take my questions with me!! LOL) You said "The first step is to neuter him. Not only is it necessary to eliminate this problem, it insures he will not pass the undesirable habit on." What do you mean "pass it on"? Does that mean that he can pass this "personality trait" on to offspring genetically which would mean he could have inherited this from his ancestors?

[labman]

Thank you for your response. I am looking into all you suggested right away! I'd just like to ask if you can please clarify something for me. I apologize for "grilling" you with all these questions, you've just peaked my curiousity and I want to understand this. (That means feel free to tell me to go away and take my questions with me!!! LOL) You said "The first step is to neuter him. Not only is it necessary to eliminate this problem, it insures he will not pass the undesirable habit on." What do you mean "pass it on"? Does that mean that he can pass this "personality trait" on to offspring genetically which would mean he could have inherited this from his ancestors??

Exactly. The exact relationship between genetics, early socialization, and behavior is cloudy. Penn State is doing a large study now working with some service dog schools to clarify it. I filled out a questioner last year on
Sheba. I will be getting another one for my Nita this year.

Still it is quite clear the drive for dominance and marking is inherited. Many dogs are bred by breeders that keep their breeding stock in kennels. If they are breeding for show, house manners are low priority. This is a common problem in many of the smaller breeds including the Dachshund. I think people put up with things from the cute little dogs the larger breeds never would never get away with. So feel free to complain to whoever you got him from. Even if his father wasn't a problem, his grandfather on his mother's side could have been. From my standard advice in choosing a puppy,

''Maybe ask to visit the breeders home. Field and show champions can be bred
In kennels. Dogs where the mother lives in the house have the best
Personalities. Some kids to fondle the puppies from birth are better yet. If
The breeder doesn't want the parents in their house, do you want the offspring
In yours? Spend as much time with the parents as you can. Nice parents don't
Guarantee nice puppies, but don't chance bad parents.''

I have been around the dog world a long time, far more involved than as just a dog owner. It is universally accepted that spay/neutering is highly effective in correcting dominance based behavior problems. It alone, is no cure all but an effective step.

I enjoy answering questions. It is a way to pay back some of the highly knowledgeable people that answered mine.