This is just my opinion but I truly believe belly bands worn at home help them learn to "hold it" if possible. I have a puppy mill rescue and for some reason the past few months he has been marking the end of the couch. So I put a pee pad up the side of the couch and then realized I'm encouraging him to potty there. So I rented a steam cleaner, bought the enzyme shampoo and cleaned the heck out of it. The little stinker is so sneaky I never see when he goes potty on the pad or the end of the couch. Took him to the vet for his annual visit last week and told her how his behavior has changed and not only is he pottying what seems to be a lot but every now and then he started going over to Speedy's food bowl (I don't free feed) when she was done and hiking his leg on it. He has NEVER done that in four years. Toby is six years old. The vet took a urine speciman and sure enough, he has a UTI. After five days on antibiotics I've already noticed a difference. He seems more relaxed, he doesn't seem to need to potty as much and today our new family room furniture was delivered. I scotchguarded it and put his dog bed at the end of the couch where he always seems to want to potty. So far so good but I'm not going to get excited yet. He's definitely the alpha dog in our house. So I'm hoping the pottying in the house was because of his medical issue and not a territorial issue as we've had him for four years. I'm hoping (and keeping fingers crossed) that since the new furniture has no urine on it whatsoever he won't feel the need to mark it as his territory. I will follow your thread in case others have ideas/suggestions I might be able to use. I would definitely take him to the vet and see if he has some sort of infection. I don't like leaving a belly band on Toby at home and my husband is home all day but isn't near as diligent about looking for pee spots as I am and always tells me "he's been with me all day" but maybe he will work harder at watching him now that we have new furniture! Hang in there, I've been dealing with this for months and I'm a clean freak and refuse to let this little stinker win! |