NORMAL ELIMINATION BEHAVIOR
Puppies start to form substrate preferences between 7.5 & 8.5 weeks of age
Location and surface preferences are common
Females may need to eliminate more frequently than males
By 6 months of ages, the average dog defecates 1/2 times a day, and urinates 3/4 times a day
Urination postures sexually dimorphic by 4 months of age
Functions in communication
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES FOR INAPPROPRIATE ELIMINATION
Marking behavior
Excitement- related elimination
Anxiety
Inadequate housetraining
Medical Causes
Submissive urination
Fear reactions
Undesirable location
Surface preferences
Management related problems
Cognitive dysfunction
Medical Conditions
Urinary tract disease
Renal disease
Anatomical malformations
Endocrine disorders
Neurologic abnormalities
Conditions affecting locomotion
Reproductive system diseases
Gastrointestinal parasites
Gastrointestinal bacteremia
Viral conditions
Dietary indiscretion
Food sensitivities
Conditions causing painful defecation
Behavioral History
Duration of problem ® prognosis
Frequency
Areas soiled ® type of substrate
Timing of the episodes ® association with external stimuli
Presence or absence of owner ® S.A.
Underlying medical conditions
Changes in household environment, in schedule, exercise routine
Corrections tried and responses
Changes in the pattern of the problem
Substrates or location preferences
Urine deposited in numerous locations in small amounts
If multi-pet household, which pet is the problem
Response to confinement
Basic Rules For Housetraining Puppies
Puppies usually eliminate after physical activities
Take outside frequently
Allow puppy to play after elimination
Reward for eliminating at the appropriate location
Regular feeding and exercising schedules ® regular elimination
Take the dog to same areas, Supervision / Confinement
Recognize pre-elimination signs, appropriately timed correction
Clean affected areas with odor eliminator
Don't punish the puppy unless you caught him in the act, avoid physical punishment
Basic Rules For Housetraining Older Dogs
House-train the dog as if it were a puppy
Take the dog out after eating, physical activity and waking up
Supervise closely in the home, confine when not supervised
Keep rewards only for eliminating at the appropriate location
Mildly punish the dog if you caught him in the act
Stop feeding the dog in the late afternoon. Do not allow the dog access to water after 7:00 p.m.
SUBMISSIVE URINATION
Puppy or submissive older dog urinates and shows the submissive behavior when approached, punished, picked up, greeted, etc.
Genetic predisposition ® Suspected in cases where no obvious environmental cause
Early experience deficit ® Associated with fear of certain types of human beings because of lack of experience with them early in life
History of punishment ® problem can result from the owner's application of punishment measures
Unintentional owner eliciting/ fostering ® can be response to dominant / aggressive owner behavior
Unintentional owner reinforcement ® owner stops doing something to the dog or comforts / reassures in response to urination
Submissive Signaling
Flattening of ears
Avoidance of eye contact
Lowering of head and neck
Sitting /Cowering/ Crouching
Tucking the tail
Rolling onto the back
Submissive "grin"
Stimuli That Trigger Urination
Person approaches
Reaches toward or over dog's head
Patting on the head
Deep or loud voice
Direct eye contact
Scolding or physical punishment
Treatment
Neither punish nor reward
Identify specific eliciting stimuli and avoid them
Obedience training must focus on positive reinforcement
Interact with pet in less threatening manner:
Kneel down, speak softly, pat under chest rather than over head, avoid eye contact, ignore the greeting, allow dog to approach first
Desensitization and counterconditioning
Start with an empty bladder, identify a gradient of eliciting stimuli, present lowest level stimulus first, non- threatening presentation of stimuli, gradually increase intensity of stimuli, teach competing response, such as sitting for food reward
EXCITEMENT URINATION
Dog urinates while standing or walking when highly excited during greeting, playing, etc.
Submissive signals are absent
Possible Causal Factors
Genetic predisposition ® possible explanation of why some dogs are incontinent in excitement-eliciting situations
Inadequate care/maintenance conditions ® excitement greater after period of social isolation / lack of activity
Unintentional owner fostering ® owner behavior during greeting / playing may increase dog's excitement
Physiological factors ® low bladder / bladder sphincter tone
Treatment
Avoid stimuli that elicit the behavior
Ignore dog until excitement subsides
Provide frequent opportunities to eliminate outside
Increase exercise
DS / CC
Punishment will be unsuccessful
Medications to increase sphincter tone
Reinforce calm behavior
MARKING
Male raises hind leg and deposits small amounts of urine on vertical surfaces or corners of objects in the home
Age of onset is variable; can be as early as 3 months
May reflect relative social rank: dominant animals more likely to cover a subordinate's urine
Possible Causal Factors
Genetic predisposition as possible contributing factor in some cases
Urine-elicited marking ® old marks often investigated and marked over
Social eliciting stimuli ® visiting dog in home, estrous bitch nearby, other dog marking in home
Hormone factors: problem much more common in males, castration often helpful
Associated with specific territorial or anxiety- eliciting stimuli
Treatment
Neutering or spaying: castration may eliminate male marking behavior in approximately 50%
Therapy based on detailed behavioral history
Prevent exposure to stimuli that elicit marking: limit exposure to outside dogs
Avoid situations that make the pet anxious
Remote punishment
Confinement when not supervised
Clean marked areas, urine deposits elicit remarking
Anti-anxiety medications
Hormones
SEPARATION ANXIETY
Dog never eliminates in the house when the individual is present and awake; may or may not have a problem when the owner is asleep
Symptoms include excessive vocalization, house soiling and destructive behavior (especially around doors or windows)
Occurs only when owners, or a particular individual, are away or visually separated from dog
Dog often become anxious while owner prepares for departure
Treatment of underlying problem -separation anxiety
MISCELLANEOUS CAUSES OF ELIMINATION PROBLEMS
Changing feeding schedule
Schedule changes resulting in insufficient access
Fear of outside: traffic, noises, other dogs
Elimination associated with fear
Attention- seeking behavior
Geriatric cognitive dysfunction