[angelaH]

We are rather desperate because Susi has suddenly become scared stiff of our garden. She will walk round the edge of it but wont go onto the grass. Possibly because of this she has started peeing in the house. Our new carpet has been peed on 6 times, the kitchen carpet twice and the hall carpet several times. She seems to know she has done wrong. When taken for walks in the woods she acts fine, but doesnt pee.
We have washed all the carpets, are considering removing the lounge carpet for a while, but cant understand why she is like this. We thought of grass mites, which we have, but quite honestly it shouldnt stop her going out. On the odd occasion when she dashes across the grass, she ends up in the pergola, and pees there.
As she is obviously scared stiff of the garden we cant get annoyed with her, but are getting a bit desperate as to how to cure this. Snoopy is fine and looks at her as if to say what the heck is the matter.
I know there is nothing you can advise, but just thought I'd share our problem.

 

[angelaH]

Well today we had no accidents. However, it meant taking Susi and Snoopy for walks on the lead the moment they started getting up from sleeping. We started the walks at 5am. Susi is o.k. in the woods and at the back of our house, but is spooked about our front garden. We have removed most carpets and she only seems to want to go on carpet and not bare floors! We are giving her plenty of cuddles (and Snoopy of course) and shall do our best to see this phase through.

 

[angelaH]

Thanks for your suggestions. We wondered whether Susi associated the front lawn with grass mites, or that she had been stung. But we havent seen any injuries to her feet. There is grass in our back garden but she walks on that. There are plenty of areas without grass where she could pee. She is happy in the woods but usually doesnt do much there. Now, as we go out with her so often she has to pee.
We have sat with her in the middle of the front garden, she on Daves lap, but if we put her on the ground she races back indoors.
The slightest thing can upset ex-research beagles so we know we have to just see it through. Susi is so loving one cant be cross.
The new rug is possibly part of the cause, it probably smells like a sheep to her! Also these hounds hate changes and they loved the old smelly carpet, it was their first taste of comfort after 5 years in jail.
Yes, we have tried taking her on the lead into the front garden, but one can see she is so stressed that we stopped doing that.
Shall let you know how things go.

 

[angelaH]

ricksconnected. Susi and Snoopy spent their first years in research centres. Susi was used for all sorts of horrible experiments before being bought free by an animal rescue organisation. Snoopy was not as badly treated but spent his first years behind bars. Neither knew how to react when they were let out into the real world. In the past most dogs used for research were destroyed when of no further use, Susi and Snoopy were lucky.
Susi can reach the back garden direct from the lounge and the front garden from the hall. The doors are left open. She doesnt seem so scared at the moment, but still comes in to pee. I'll let you know if this changes