Spiteful?

brindlemoma · #1 08-12-2009, 09:16 AM

Hi! My 10 1/2 month old boxer Ty is usually so well behaved and has not gone to the potty in the house in over 4 months! Well... my husband is away traveling for work. He has been gone for 3 nights so far.

Ty has been waking up multiple times in the middle of the night. His bed is set up in the corner of the room closest to my side of the bed. He has not slept through the nite since he left which is so odd because usually he is the first in bed and last one out.

Yesterday, I took him to play with his best friend puppy and when we came home he ate and I left him with my mom at our house so I could go for a run. When I got back, only 20 min later, he was super excited to see me (as if I was gone all day). I gave him hugs but then went upstairs to change my clothes. He followed me upstairs and peed on the floor right in front of me!!! He will usually cry and stand at the door if he needs to go potty.

I told him no. Put him in another room and cleaned it up. After I put him in his bed while i went downstairs to clean up.

20 min later he comes down panting as if he just ran around the house. I go upstairs and he ripped through the bed sheet and the mattress covering on my husband's side of the bed!

He haas been taking Metronidazole but I think he may be spiteful and feel abandoned that my husband isnt there.

HELP!! Thoughts? Suggestions?

larrygs · #2 08-12-2009, 09:58 AM

Sounds like he has been exceptionally good, kudo's!

There may be several things going on, however I doubt a 10 1/2 month pup is spiteful. Perhaps some seperation anxiety, but could also just be going through a phase as he grows up.

I am not sure why the Metronidazole, but it appears to be an antibiotic. One of the side effects we seem to find with antibiotics is the need to urinate more often and harder for them to control. It seems we need to proactively take ours outside much more frequently and not wait to be asked. Otherwise there will be accidents. I wouldn't neccessarily tie peeing in front of you to anything more than he expected you to read his mind and couldn't wait.

He has been well behaved until now. I would maintain good practices and while keeping and eye on him, not worry too much at this point.

ehayes21 · #3 08-12-2009, 10:44 AM

Dogs do not do things out of spite - their brains just don't work like that. Sounds like what is going on is more of a boxer teenage thing mixed in with some of the side effects of the medication. When dogs hit the teenage stage they tend to back slide a bit in the training department. I would just stay vigilant with his training and exercise and maybe add a few more potty breaks to his routine.

LILYLARUE · #4 08-12-2009, 11:42 AM

Agree with the others here. Also, you said you came home after a short jaunt away and he was so excited to see you. After that would have been the time to take him out to pee. I see where once you got upstairs, he couldn't hold it and peed there.

As for the other issues......sounds like proper boxer antics. They have those crazy moments......I call them the "zoomies".

I double the suggestion of more potty stops. As they go thru the teen stage, it seems they forget half the stuff we taught them. Just like skinkids! LOL Their brain needs to expand a little more to hold all the new information, training, etc. We all know boxer's brains take quite a while to reach full "maturity". LOL

Skywalker · #5 08-12-2009, 11:53 AM

Hi. As others have said it could just be the change in routine with your husband being away, maybe it unsettles him a bit as he knows something is different. I find when my husband is away my boy gets very clingy and spends alot of time walking around the house looking for him. Also mentioned is the teenage years which he may well be going through - our boy is going through a period of testing us which is the same thing. He is seeing what he can get away with, so we are just keeping on with his training and keeping the rules the same unfortuneatly he may be stubborn but we are more so!!