Is My Obsessive Behavior Hampering Housebreaking (Pee)

[bildio]

Gus has a problem with frequent urination & excessive thirst. This has been a problem since I got him last March. He did have a UTI, & was successfully treated. I recently had him tested (urine culture), and it was negative. Diet has helped reduce the problem, but not to what I think is normal.

I take Gus out to pee frequently to prevent him from peeing in the house.

Is taking him out to pee frequently bad in the sense that it doesn't condition his bladder to hold urine for a normal amount of time?

[Babz]

Hmm. Well I don't know much, but I can share what I've experienced so far.

I use the pee pads and in theory it shouldn't help her (or me) to train her bladder to hold her pee longer, but I have noticed that as she grows older she does pee less amount of time. Nowadays in 24 hours (I change her pad once a day) she pees about 7-10 times a day. Before, the whole pad will be covered in these smalls spots of pee Now we have several big spots. Also, I took her to the mountains 2 months ago and she held her pee with no problems for 4 hours in the car. During the night, after I fence her she will usually not pee until I wake up and put the fence away. And that ranges about 6-8 hours.

My other dog (well, my mom's dog before) Lulu was never really trained to pee outside the house but we do have a back terrace with easy cleaning, and she only goes there 2-4 times a day. I'm not really sure how to explain, but she was never really trained to "hold" it in but she just do. Lulu is 2 years old. Both sleep in the room with me

I guess what I'm trying to say is, with my dogs they seem to just do it naturally.

[bildio]

Originally Posted by Babz

Nowadays in 24 hours (I change her pad once a day) she pees about 7-10 times a day.

10 times a day, almost hourly, seems like a lot, considering that she holds it through the night. Maybe I expect too much, and 7-10 times a day could be normal, with more or less frequency dependent on the Yorkie.

[Babz]

Oh! I forgot to add, Mocha is now 8 months old. I do not know how many times an 8 month old pees a day if they are trained to hold it, but with Mocha it's getting better by the week. What's important to me is I know she can hold it in if she wants to or have to. It just seems to me like she's learning it instinctively if that makes sense? I put the pee pads inside her fence at night btw. She just chooses not to pee at night when it's time to sleep, but seems to have no compunction during the day to pee whenever she feels like it, even if it's just a few drops. Go figure.

I personally don't think 10 times a day is normal, as every dog my family has had only goes potty average 3 times a day when they reach adulthood. I guess I am allowing myself not to worry too much about Mocha peeing that many times a day because I know I'm not really training her to hold it in, but seems to me she's learning it by herself.

So what is the problem here? Gus' UTI is fully cleared right? Are you saying he's still peeing too many times a day than to be considered normal?

[jdonica]

I noticed that when I was taking Harley to the pee pad to go, he would only go a little spot - just to do something for a treat I believe! Now that I pretty much just let him go on his own, he will go usually 3 or 4 hours between going with a much larger spot. If it has been more than about 4 hours I will usually remind him to go, but usually he will pee around 5 or 6 times through out the day, and typically does not go at all through out the night. He is 6 months old. I do think that letting him set the pace has helped him to go longer!

Jeri and Harley

[SamiNFurbabies]

10 times a day, almost hourly, seems like a lot, considering that she holds it through the night. Maybe I expect too much, and 7-10 times a day could be normal, with more or less frequency dependent on the Yorkie.

I think that i is a lot, but if it keeps him from having accidents and he's healthy...it's okay.
I take mine, when I'm home, every two hours...
They hold it for 5-6 hours if I'm not home (school)...but generally I work it so that i'm not gone more than 4 hours a day.
I used to take mine every 3-4 hours out... but Suzie (poodle) will have pooing accidents and Izze will then pee or vica versa...and it is one big mess.. so I'm doing every two and increasing it weekly by 10 min or so.... So far, it has been working out. I also wash the carpets 2x a week. I'm really on their back! hahaha

[bildio]

Originally Posted by Babz

So what is the problem here? Gus' UTI is fully cleared right? Are you saying he's still peeing too many times a day than to be considered normal?

UTI cleared. However, after it cleared he wasn't concentrating his urine according to monthly urine tests for specific gravity. Now his specific gravity is normal, but he's still peeing more than I think is normal. He also drinks more water than I think is normal, and it seems to be somehow related to food. One vet said he was heading for renal failure, but his current vet thinks he's okay. So, I'm proceeding with the assumption that he is healthy.

I now wonder if it's behavioral, his or mine or both. One odd behavior is that as soon as he sees his leash, indicating that we are going out, he heads for his water bowl and fills up. Usually, not always, when we return from a walk he drinks water. I guess the latter could be normal too.

[Babz]

3 times in one hour is a little much, but not really if he does drink a lot, ya know what I mean? I usually just use common sense with my dogs. I have to tell you, Mocha drinks like a camel. Sometimes in a hour she can pee once, twice, other times, less.

It *might* be related to his food. Do you feed kibble?

Wait - RENAL FAILURE? Are they serious?? That is pretty darned serious - have you done whatever test they do to assure it is NOT renal failure?

Mocha does the filling up thing, but she will rarely pee when we walk. Usually after we get back, she will RUN to her pad. Seems normal to me.

I'm curious - how many times does Gus pee a day and how much?

[bildio]

Oh, one other thing. He make's it through most nights without urinating. I take him out at 5 AM. Put him in his play pen while I'm at work. Return home for lunch at around 11 AM, and the pen is dry most times.

Number of pee times varies, but I'd say 10 - 15, and it's a lot of pee each time.

Renal failure diagnosis was based on declining specific gravity values. Since I stopped him from eating off the ground outside, his values have been going up.

[Janie Doyle]

Frequent urination and excessive thirst is a sign of diabetes. Has he been checked for that ?

[SamiNFurbabies]

Maybe it is the kibble? Izze used to drink so much and pee so much when she first came...once I switched her over to my homecooking---it stopped. I think because there's more "water" or natural juices in the food that she is not as compelled to drink so much. So she doesn't pee as much.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Janie Doyle

Frequent urination and excessive thirst is a sign of diabetes. Has he been checked for that ?

That's why I was thinking too.

[bildio]

Diabetes: He's currently 13 months old. None of the vets mentioned the possibility of diabetes, and no diabetes specific tests. His blood and urine test results were normal except for urine specific gravity which is now in the normal range. His glucose level was 69 when tested about a month ago. He has not lost weight, and if anything he's chubby or cobby.

Kibble: His urination wasn't concentrating when I was feeding him Science Diet. After I switched to Wellness for small breeds his ability to concentrate urine improved. However, at the same time I actively stopped him from eating wood chips, branches, insects, worms, etc. off the ground outside. His vet thinks the latter contained high sodium content, and contributed to his excessive thirst.

His specific gravity is now normal, but why the thirst and frequent urination. Again, it's been improving over time, but not what I'd consider normal.

[Babz]

Well if you're worried about some kind of illness, I cannot help.

Logically though..
Maybe he just drinks a lot of water, hence the amount of pee? What goes in must come out right?
Maybe he just LIKES to drink water? I know I drink more than most (a mug is surgically attached to my hand) - and I pee often too (sorry, might be TMI).

[bildio]

Originally Posted by Babz

Well if you're worried about some kind of illness, I cannot help.

Logically though..
Maybe he just drinks a lot of water, hence the amount of pee? What goes in must come out right?
Maybe he just LIKES to drink water? I know I drink more than most (a mug is surgically attached to my hand) - and I pee often too (sorry, might be TMI).

After the last vet consultation I decided to stop worrying about illness, and focus on food and behavior. I went from thinking I was going to lose a pup, to the vet recently telling me he is healthy. I choose to believe the latter.

I like your like your logic. He does seem to enjoy the water. I too drink a lot, and pee a lot. Maybe he's imitating my behavior .

I'm also comparing him to Squirt. He pee's 3 times a day, and I rarely see him drink water.