Laura_E Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 For the last couple of mornings I have woken up to find that Tess has messed in the house. It usually happens around 4.30am when I am woken up to hear her scratching at the frontroom door. I always get up straight away, but it seems like she does it first and then decides to wake me up! I honestly don't think that it is because she can't hold it, as I normally don't go to bed until 12.30-1ish and she always gets walked just beforehand. She normally sleeps in my room and is quite put out if you wake her up any time before 7, but for the last three nights she has refused to come upstairs. She has no problem going up there at any other time though, so I just don't understand what this is all about. I am finding it quite hard to function on such little sleep, especially as I will be at work until 10pm tonight, and there are only so many times that you can hire the Rug Doctor in a week! I am convinced that this is a behavioural problem, but I don't know why she has suddenly started doing it. Any advice or suggestions on how to deal with it would be very much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) I think the first port of call if it were one of my dogs would be the vets for a check up to see if it's anything medical and if that was all clear, then I would investigate other possibilities Edited July 9, 2009 by merledogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mop Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Merlin started to leave lakes during the night so I took him to the vet, he had an infection in his kidneys, antibiotics soon cleared this up so I no longer need to swim from my bed to the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 it does sound as tho she has a tummy upset of some sort. Normally clean dogs usually hate being dirty indoors and only do it if they really can't help it. The fact that she is scratching might mean that you are a bit slow in waking from a deep sleep and she just cant hold it any longer. I would get her vet checked too.x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 I agree that with any sudden change it's a good idea to rule out anything physical like an infection. Other than that, has there been any change in her routine recently that might have upset her? Or anything going on at night (noisy neighbours, dustmen clanking round) that might be worrying her? Her reluctance to come upstairs sounds as though something might have frightened her and she's now not settling properly at night. One of mine got very distressed by a thunderstorm at night and it took a little while for her to get back to normal (well, as 'normal' as Meg will ever be ) If all else fails do you think she would accept sleeping in a crate in your room? I had real problems with Sophie starting to soil at night after being clean for months when she first arrive, so introduced a crate and put her bed in it. She accepted it really easily (she was used to the crate in the car which helped) and it's solved the problem. She doesn't seem to need to 'go' urgently in the morning, so I'm sure it was just a habit she'd got into rather than that she couldn't last the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickentikka Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Sounds like something has thrown her. I'd agree with first stop vet check but has anything else changed. Have you moved furniture upstairs, was she spooked by anything recently, is Tess an only dog because another dog's slight changes in habits can have a knock on effect, any change in food or last feeding time..............sometimes it's something really subtle or you have to break the habit for her and make her go upstairs with you so she can re establish her routine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Vets first, definately. It could be something as simple as anal glands, or a virus good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura_E Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Thanks for all the advice I spoke to the vet earlier (she knows Tess very well) and she said that she doubts it is an infection causing the problem as Tess has been passing solids as well (sorry to be so graphic!). Plus, there seems to be no urgency for her to go to the toilet during the day. She does get quite distressed during thunder storms, but we haven't had one here since last week and this has only been happening since Monday. I did take an injured cat in on Saturday night, but managed to locate her owner the next day, so she was only here for a night. Although she has popped back a few times since, so I'm not sure if this has upset Tess, but she didn't seem bothered at the time and the cat was very friendly towards her. She is the only dog in the house, but still mixes quite happily with her cannine friends at the park. Although she has started to refuse to let anyone other than me take her out for walks, which she never had a problem with before. She is a very stubborn dog! I will definitely take all your advice on board and think that I will try enticing her upstairs tonight with a treat, fingers crossed it will be an incident free night! Thanks again everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkle Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 Hope it works out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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