Question:
We are the happy parents of a newborn son. Since bringing him home from the hospital more than a month ago, our 14-month-old wheaten terrier has had several accidents in the house. My husband thinks this is done on purpose.She mostly urinates in the nursery, even after she has just successfully visited her favorite spot outside. We clean the rug with enzyme cleaner and try to be vigilant about watching her, but she is still having these accidents.We tried to prepare our dog for the baby's arrival by bringing home his hospital blanket and letting her smell it and introducing them outside before bringing the baby into the house. We have tried to keep her regular schedule and give her as much attention as before, but it is difficult.We truly love our dog and are very frustrated by this problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
W.F., Milltown, NJ Jan 06, 2008
Answer:
Your dog is probably reacting to the new baby by marking her territorial space in the nursery because she feels insecure. Also, the cries of the infant could trigger some anxiety and associated incontinence.Clearly, you went through the right steps to introduce the two. Now you need to help your dog not feel displaced by the baby.Some dogs will urinate to get attention. Ignore her piddling, quietly cleaning it up -- then sit on the floor, close to where she marked, with the baby in your arms. Call the dog over to you and give her lots of TLC. Let her sniff the baby and a soiled diaper. A few daily repetitions of this should help desensitize her toward the infant and the nursery and help her to be both continent and content with a new pack mate.To order Dr. Michael W. Fox's newsletter, Animal Doctor, on providing the best care for your animal companion, send a check or money order for $2 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Send your questions to Dr. F
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