My dog has been having "accidents" overnight for me

United States
October 25, 2012 8:49pm CST
My dog Yoda goes out twice a day, and I won't bring him in unless he does his business. Lately, he's been having accidents overnight-he's even picked a few places in the apartment that he frequents. I've been trying to clean up the mess, but it's getting worse. The biggest problem is urine-I thought he had been using the futon for aim . I threw it out recently after it broke, and just began to notice how badly is smelled in here, so I guess the futon wasn't the problem! I've tried using Resolve pet spray, Woolite Pet Urine spray, a mixture of half water and half vinegar, or a paste of baking soda and oxygen peroxide, but the smell is still here (as are the stains). I'm at my wits end-we're renting and I really don't want to lose our entire security deposit! Does anyone have something that they've used that works (we don't have a shampooer right now), or should I go and hire someone to help us clean up the carpet? And how do I get Yoda to stop messing in the house-I know part of it is because he can smell his "spot" (he's a terrier and he's always marking outside). Any help is appreciated-thanks!
2 people like this
5 responses
@deazil (4723)
• United States
26 Oct 12
Hi scorp, poor Yoda. Or maybe poor you, having to clean it up all the time. There's a product called Nature's Miracle. It's been around for years and it's supposed to be the best. Here's a link www.petco.com/product/2437/Natures-miracle-stain-and-odor-remover.aspx You can probably buy it anywhere or any pet store. And here's some links that might help to stop this bad dog behavior www.dogchatforum.com/dog-marking-inside.htm and www.doodycalls.com/resources_dog_stop_marking.asp I hope these help. But I'll keep looking and if I find more I'll be back. I think the Nature's Miracle is an enzyme deodorizer and that's what you need (I read that somewhere). Give Yoda a pat for me - even if he is being bad. After all, I'm not the one cleaning up after him!
@deazil (4723)
• United States
26 Oct 12
I found another site with 2 short videos. www.ehow.com/how_2101770_keep-dog-marking-territory.html Good luck.
@deazil (4723)
• United States
26 Oct 12
I know. What a girl, huh? Searching. It's what I do. Always searching for something. I can find what everybody else needs, I'll never find what I need.
• United States
27 Oct 12
Thanks deazil-I really do think that part of this is psychological, so those videos are VERY helpful. I just sent Jim a message (he's at work) and asked him to pick up some Nature's Miracle-hopefully Walmart sells it. Tomorrow, Jim's brother is bringing me his rug shampoo machine and I'll get to work. Oh this will be a pain because I just got a call to start work locally (all in preparation for once I start selling real estate)-somehow I'll make it happen. I did give Yoda quite a few pats, as well as a good talking to; unfortunately, he is his dad's dog and that means he probably just doesn't give a darn!
@KrauseHome (36449)
• United States
27 Oct 12
Wow!! This would be a lot to deal with, and I know when our dog makes messes sometimes when we are gone too long it is hard to clean up. Have you considered teaching him/her to bark and let you know they need to go out, and let them out more? Maybe if you train them this is not acceptable and they can let you know when they need out it might help. But as for getting the stains and odor out without shampooing the carpet, I am really not sure.
• United States
27 Oct 12
I think I'll just have to start his potty training over again. He barks so often that it's hard to decipher just what he wants-he barks for treats even! I know I have to shampoo the carpet, I was just hoping someone had some advice regarding what exactly they used to get the urine smell out that worked. Thanks though.
• United States
26 Oct 12
First thing I would do is take poor Yoda out more. You go to the bathroom more than twice a day so does Yoda. The next thing I would do is to hire a carpet cleaning service. No matter how much stuff you spray or use on the carpet the urine is still there unless you have some one come in and professionally clean the carpet. After its cleaned still damp sprinkle it with some baking soda, Wait for it to dry then vacuum the carpet keeping Yoda off of it till it fully drys. Then you will be good to go. However it may be more than just the carpet Yoda may have marked more than you realize. Good luck I hope that my advice helps.
• United States
27 Oct 12
I think because he's part terrier, he's marking EVERYWHERE! If I take him for a walk, he's got to stop every few minutes to mark his spot. The last tenant here also had a dog, and even if WE (humans) can't smell anything, the dogs will and I think he smells something. I'm only able to take Yoda out twice, and Jim SHOULD be taking Yoda out at least once. Tonight Yoda decided to go two hours after I took him on a walk-and he must have known he was bad because he went and hid from me when I looked for him. The stuff I'm spraying is supposed to remove urine, or to help remove stains caused by pet messes. The problem is that I wasn't aware of some of the stains until just recently, so I am borrowing a rug shampoo machine and working on the carpet tomorrow; if that doesn't work, I'm going to hire a professional. It's wreaking havoc on my allergies! Thanks for the advice.
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
26 Oct 12
You haven't said anything about Yoda's age, but I suppose he's an adult dog. I think even for an adult dog it's too much to restrain himself for about twelve hours. You must take him out more often. Take some time to go for a short walk with him the last thing before going to sleep. Also, the first time when you get up should be the morning walk. One more session of going out during the day, and this should be enough. As for the carpet, I suggest you to take it out to be washed. When Binne was a puppy, I took off all the carpets. When she were around 5 months and she had learned that she must do her business only outside, I put back the carpets. Of course we had two or three accidents after that, so I had to take out the carpet again to be washed. Nothing takes off the urine smell than a good wash and a rinse with a lot of water.
• United States
27 Oct 12
Yoda is a neutered male; because the ASPCA picked him up off the street, they could only guess at his age. Jim thinks that he was still a puppy when he adopted him because he has grown bigger, but that's all. I work during the daytime; Jim works overnights. I can see if I can figure out how we can take him out a third time daily, as you suggest, but it would probably require someone leaving work early. The carpet is wall-to-wall, so I cannot take it out to be washed; I'm borrowing a rug shampoo machine and scrubbing it this weekend. I've got to find something to remove the urine smell that's soaked in a few spots-what I used to do was wash the carpets at our old home with carpet shampoo for pets and hot water, or a combination of hot water, vinegar, and a touch of oxygenated dish soap; unfortunately, the smell was set in too deeply to remove it entirely, but it did make a difference for a short time. Perhaps I'll do that with this machine.
@Tongcv (172)
• China
26 Oct 12
Maybe you need a better understanding of it,to see about what time to be urine,he brought it to the appropriate place.
• United States
27 Oct 12
I don't think that I need to understand about when to take him out; I think that he needs to be trained again. Plus the fact that we moved here in April hasn't helped-I doubt that Yoda knew that he needs to potty outside. Jim's ex-wife left behind a puppy training CD that was still sealed in the package, and I don't think that Jim even knows how to begin housebreaking him. I think that it's now my responsibility because I cannot abide Yoda messing in the house, even when he's just come in.