[Doody]

I posted this over at SOS in the Wonder Thread but thought I should share it here with all my pet lover friends!

This is Miss Bruna on Saturday night movie night with my daughter. Son-in-law went to a bachelor's party - til 3:30 in the morning. I stayed at their house so daughter could go pick them up whenever and me stay with grandoody. They called at 3:30 am for a ride wayyyyy over on the west side of Des Moines, a good half hour drive from where they live. She didn't get back home to bed til 5:30.

Anyway, during our movie, Bruna wanted to lay between my legs on top of the blanket but wanted to be covered so I put a baby blanket over her. I checked her a little while later because she was so quiet and still, and this is what we saw, LOL. Here's Miss Bruna relaxing on my legs on a blankie, and no that isn't her pill bottle, it's mine, LOL.


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Her potty training continues to be a huge challenge. But then she did spend the first 3+ years of her life in a cage, so all she knows is pottying in a cage. Also battling realllyyyy bad doggie breath even though she's had 2 dental cleanings in the past year. I've been searching reasons why and ways to help eliminate, even brushing her teeth.

I've been feeding her Evo dog food which is what she was fed at HUA, so I'm not sure what in her diet could be causing the really foul smell. Maybe that food doesn't help, I don't know, but she likes it.

Otherwise, she's come out of her shell so much! She prances around and plays with the oddest things. Runs around having fun. She doesn't like doggy toys, she likes any old thing laying around. Like a small box I dropped on the floor, she played with for a long time, LOL. Anything but dog toys!

[Doody]

HMMMMM, looks like I have somehow offended Photobucket, LOL! With pictures of Bruna? Hmmm, guess I better go check, I have no clue!

[Doody]

Okay, well...that's interesting. ALL except one of my pictures of Bruna are x'd out in my album. Very interesting.

Here's the one that isn't.


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[mrsD]

censored by Photobucket! That's a new one on me!

Bruna is cute. I admire your patience with the house training tho.

Like I said before, she is a LUCKY DOG!

[Doody]

Aw, thanks Mrs. D.

Yeah, I thought...wow, apparently naked bellies on dogs has offended PhotoBucket, LOL! I emailed them about it and they responded almost immediately. Said it was done in error and had been restored.
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[abbey97]

I got a cat several years ago from the APL and she had terrible bad breath until I took her to an new vet who pulled out her tooth, and she never had bad breath again.

Maybe you could take your pup to a vet that specializes in dental problems......
maybe there is something wrong with her gums?

Good luck with whatever you do.......

[Vowel Lady]

Adorable!
BTW, I've had several dogs...many different breeds in my life.
Our little doxie took by far the longest to house train.
Believe me...I've heard this complaint before.
Even today (she is five years old), she has more accidents than I care to think about.
She also has a little tendency towards bad breath.
Today, we had her teeth cleaned professionally and I picked up some canine mouthwash for her daily use (I wonder how healthy this is for her though).
We'll see if this eliminates the problem.

[Doody]

Aww, thanks you guys.

Abbey, yes Bruna has had 2 dentals since getting out of the puppy mill and 1 of those was right before I got her. But you're right, I'm going to take her to my vet and have her teeth checked out some more. Maybe she has a bad tooth or who knows.

I also found some recipes for dog biscuits that look like she might like them. One of them includes fresh parsley and mint in it. And one has some kind of type of charcoal added to it in a small amount, though I'm not so sure about that!

Vowel Lady, yes for sure doxies are one of the most difficult breeds to train! She won't even use a puppy pad! That's what my daughter does with her mini dox, Otto. He uses puppy pads in one area of the house.

She will go on paper but in general she has just gone wherever she darn well pleases.

But I know this is my responsibility. I'm the one who has to take the time to figure out her potty schedule and try to work with that. Doxies should have poopy duty anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour after they eat. But I haven't felt inclined to be outside with her for an hour in the morning, LOL!

Last night I stood out in the misting rain for almost an entire hour waiting for her to go before bed! We were both shivering and there was no reward. Put her in bed, went to brush my teeth, came back and she had soaked my pillow with pee.


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I was SO tired and that didn't sit well with me but I didn't yell or chastise. Training is hard enough but I suspect since she's only known a tiny cage all her life that it's difficult for her to understand the concept of going outside for poop patrol.
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[mrsD]

I have to confess-- I couldn't tolerate this!

I can understand the dog's not understanding things about a "home".

But peeing on YOUR pillow? That is more IMO...that is a message!
Cats do this when they are spiteful.

I think this is part of her attachment grieving for the other person who she
was bonded to.

My husband had 2 doxies as a child. The second one developed encephalitis as a pup and was braindamaged (the vet wanted to put him down, but my husband's mother said she would take care of him). And even so, they could house break him without problems. (he was addled, and barked only at people when they LEFT the house, never when they arrived. He was rather dull and had little personality as one might guess.

I guess you are going to have to crate her severely and only remove the crate slowly. I would NOT let this dog into bed again, for a LONG time at least until she learns the ropes. I would also put her urine outside where you want her to go. Take the soiled papers and put them there, so she can scent them.
Also it might be worth a try to take Otto outside with Bruna...let her see him relieve himself appropriately. She might learn faster from him than from humans.

I would keep her in a "playpen" and not give her free roam of the house. Definitely set limits and show her that YOU are boss, pack leader (as Cesar Millan would say).

The other thing that comes to mind for me, about that bad breath is a kidney problem. Here you have her leaving YOU a direct message about urine and she has that stinky breath. They could be connected. My brother's cat had cystitis and she urinated on his CHEST while he was in bed, to tell him about it! Kidney and liver disease cause terrible bad breath. So I'd look at more than teeth if you go to the vet.

I don't envy you this problem....it is the one thing that I cannot tolerate about pets. I hope you get her trained soon, for everyone's sake!

[Doody]

Thanks Mrs. D.

I do have her in a playpen all day while I'm at work and put her in it when I'm doing things around the house unless I know she's relieved herself.

The last 3 days she has done all of her business outside! Except for last night.
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And yes, I didn't like it at all. She's been sleeping with me since I got her and this is the first time she's done that. NOPE wasn't pleasant at all.

I'll have the vet check all those things. Thanks.