Why is my dog anxious and restless since his favorite rug is gone?

The most common cause of housetraining accidents like this that only occur when you're not home is separation anxiety - so I suspect that your dog may be quite stressed and anxious when you're gone. If you're unsure, you can set up a video camera to record him the next time you go out - it's usually quite easy to tell based on the video if this is an anxiety-related problem or not. I would suggest leaving a special long-lasting treat of some kind for him every time you leave the house, such as a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter. This will help to keep him busy and encourage him to settle, and over time will help to decrease his anxiety by giving him something to look forward to when you leave. You can also try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure. If these things don't help, I would recommend taking your dog to the vet for a check-up to make sure that there is not an underlying medical issue contributing to the problem. You can also discuss the possibility of prescription anti-anxiety medication for him if needed.

Argos is a BEAUTIFUL dog! So revenge is out. We don’t believe dogs have the mental capability to understand or act on revenge. More likely this is behavioral. He has either gotten in he habit of going there after his walk and now thinks that’s normal, or he does have anxiety when you leave and that is his go-to spot. Some suggestions- 1) Try coming in from your walk but keeping him on the leash. The second he goes for the couch, take him outside again. Praise him quietly but enthusiastically when he goes outside. You may have to repeat this ten times for days until he gets the idea, but that might work. 2) kennel/crate him when you get in from your walk or need to leave him unsupervised. I am a huge proponent of crate training puppies. This can help tremendously with both anxiety and other behavioral reasons. 3) move the couch to another place in the room, out of the room, or even get rid of it entirely. Sometimes just changing things up and getting rid of the smell is enough to break the cycle. 4) If you do catch him in the act, firmly tell him no and immediatley move him outside to finish. Then praise him. Hope this helps and best wishes to you and Argos!

If only Robin could talk! This type of behavior could be related to something like anxiety or to pain/discomfort. I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian who will check for evidence of pain on the physical exam. They may also check a urine sample or the anal glands as well. Since she can't talk, it's best to play it safe. Best of luck.

I am sorry to hear about your dog! The first step is to have your vet examine him to be sure there isn't a medical reason for this new issue. There are a multitude of issues that can cause urinary accidents, including urinary tract infection, bladder stones, kidney disease, diabetes, and more. If the vet rules out a medical cause you can discuss if this is an anxiety issue or a loss of potty training. Anxiety is sometimes treated with oral medications. In mild cases a pheremone product like the Adaptil collar or diffuser (available online and at some pet stores or vet offices), thundershirts (also online and at stores), and oral supplements like Composure and Zylkene. You can read more about re-potty training at https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/is_my_male_shih_tzu_being_a_s_when_he_potties_in_the_house/

There is defiantly a stressor our there initiating this behavior. Since it only occurs at a single spot I would place him back in a kennel and keep a white noise machine in to help mask the sounds. They also make pheromones you can use in that area to help keep him calm

Poor Onyx! I recommend you have him seen by a veterinarian to help rule out medical cause for his behaviour. If he is otherwise healthy, his behaviour may be caused by stress at the new family member in the house. Try to stick to a daily routine with him, and maybe save a little of his food for your brother in law to give him daily so Onyx can have positive associations with him. I recommend working with a trainer who uses positive reinforcement to help build up Onyx's confidence and hopefully reduce his stress levels. See the link below for more information. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=C&C=107&S=0&EVetID=3001459

Adding a new baby to the house can be very disorienting for dogs. It causes a huge change of routine and priorities. Maybe Leona is walked or played with less than before the baby - this is all very common and somewhat unavoidable. The change in routines is usually quite stressful and can lead to pets becoming more anxious or having trouble with training. It's also possible that Leona is having some sort of medical problem that is causing her to urinate and defecate more. I would recommend trying to walk and play with Leona as much as you reasonably can. Going on a walk on leash is much better than throwing a ball or playing with a toy, in terms of her mental health. Ignore her accidents (if she gets a big reaction to them and that's the only time she gets attention, she could be learning that it's a good way to get attention) and make sure she has many opportunities to go outside. If the problem continues (and lasts more than a few weeks), I would recommend a vet visit for a check up to make sure nothing is wrong medically. Good luck!