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emtfeatherston · May 31, 2008, 04:58 AM

I saw the same question as I have on your site but didn't see a definitive answer. I have a one and a half year old Mini Schnauzer and a 9 month old female, same breed. During the day the dogs have access to a breeze way and a doggy door to let them go in and out. They never mess in the breeze way and since it's heated we don't have to worry about them even during the winter. Their food is picked up about 5 PM every night. Once we are home at night they are in the house but still have access to the breeze way because summer months the door to the house is open and in winter of course we let them in and out. About two months ago I started noticing that there was always poop or pee near the door (door that leads out to the breeze way) when I would wake up and I would scold them both since I was not sure which one was doing it. I blamed the younger female because I had no problems with Gimli (the older male) before this. Everything got better but lately now there are two things going on; there is always a pile of poo in the bedroom in the morning(I'm not sure of who is doing that) and I know it's the male in the kitchen peeing at night because he pees against the garbage can. I have steam cleaned the carpet and washed the pee with everything I can think of so that the scent doesn't linger but I'm about ready to get the crates out and put each of them in one at night. I don't want to harm them and of course they have always slept with us since they were very tiny. Gimli never needed a crate he would always hold himself till morning. Arwen was crated but she also started sleeping with us about one month after we got her and didn't need a crate after that. What is going on and how can gain control of this habit to nip it now. Neither dog has been "fixed". We are hoping for one or two litters of pups before we do that.

tickle · May 31, 2008, 05:44 AM

You have obviously gone by the rule of thumb that one schnauzer is not enough. You probably know that they are extremely intelligent terriers and were one of the terrier breeds used during the war at the front line to carry messages. My old schnauzer, a standard female who I had taken in as a founding at seven, only messed once in the house the 8 years she saw fit to love me back, and at that time was extremely upset at me for not taking her with me in the car, the one time I didn't.

If you say they sleep with you, the cause can't be lack of attention and from what you say they have a pretty good structured home, I can only think that something traumatic has happened to either one, they are still both adolescents basicallybut train well from a very young age. Has there been any arguments around them, have they been upset in any way, deprived of anything ?

emtfeatherston · May 31, 2008, 06:13 AM

There hasn't been anything going on out of the ordinary. Arwen came into heat a month ago and even that went off without any hitches. We did not let her become pregnant at this time... as far as we know...
Both dogs get lots of love and effection and walks most nights but they have a huge fenced in yard with lots of toys to keep them busy during the day. They are both active and healthy. I did some more searching and saw suggestions of feeding them only twice a day and I could try that but they don't make pigs of themselves and the food is put down in the morning and picked up when we get home around 5 PM. They are fed treats and are given real bones now and then as special treats. I don't want to add a doggie door to the inside door of the house and besides they need to learn that they have to hold it. We're going on vaction in the fall and taking them with us so I really need to get a grip on this situation.

tickle · May 31, 2008, 08:00 AM

Then the only thing I can think of to get this under control before you go away is the crates as you suggested. They will then realize they have done something wrong, and hopefully realize what it was. Good luck.

N2TECHNO · May 31, 2008, 08:10 AM

Crates work best

froggy7 · May 31, 2008, 08:25 AM

If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say territory issues between the two dogs since the baby is getting older.

Now, as to your plans to breed... are these dogs good breeding stock? Have they been shown to determine how well they conform to the breed standard? Will mating them result in puppies that are closer to the standard than either parent? Do you know their pedigree and any inherited issues that may show up in the pups? And finally... how many schnauzers are currently sitting in shelters and rescues by you? The fact that your dogs are purebred with papers is not sufficient reason to breed them.