Things hadn’t been going very well with my beagle pup Rosie. If I perfectly honest I would say I was at whit’s end with her. She was too much. With the childcare kids she was too much. She still wasn’t house trained.
I got to the point I just kept my mouth shut about it because everytime I ever said anything, people would say, “Remember she’s just a puppy.” Trust me…I knew she was a puppy. Every action she did reinforced the point that she was a puppy. She took childcare toys. She mouthed me all the time. If the grandkids and childcare kids were here she had to be kenneled a lot. She was way to rough with them. She needed to get out of the kennel but her behaviour was too much. She had accidents on a regular basis. She started peeing in the kennel. This was all more than..”she’s just a puppy”.
I didn’t get encouraging words. I just got, “Remember she’s a puppy.” Or I would get a long explanation about how to train a puppy telling me the very basics that we had been doing since day one. HELLO?! I’ve trained puppies before. Ruby was a puppy and she had did okay. So I quit saying anything about Rosie and the troubles I was having with her as the things people said to me were more frustrating than helpful. I felt like a failure with Rosie…a big failure.
Last week was the last straw….I ended up so upset and wondering why I ever got her. I know that sounds terrible but that’s where I was at. I wasn’t going to “get rid” of her. But in the moment all I could think was how dumb I was to sign myself up for this. She was more work than a childcare kid. She was WAY more work than play. It was a bad day and hey…I have them and I admit it. This was a really bad day.
In the middle of childcare she peed in her kennel THREE times. I put a new bed in each time. Yes I ended up buying multiple beds as it was typical that she would pee on one…I’d have to wash it and she needed something in the kennel. I was doing more laundry than ever. I started wondering if she was doing it out of spite. I went to the bathroom later that day. She had just been outside. I went into the bathroom and shut the door with her other side and she peed on the floor outside the door. Seriously, she had just been outside. It was too much. I would have to do some training…something, I didn’t know what had to happen. This couldn’t be typical of puppies, or seriously, no one would ever get a puppy. Yes, it really was bad. But…did I say anything. No. I didn’t want to deal with comments from people on top of the problems I was having.
I decided before I could get angry about it, I needed to have a urine sample ran on her to see if she had a UTI. I really didn’t expect her to have a UTI…but I needed to eliminate that as a reason for the accidents. I can’t begin to tell you how frustrated I was. I didn’t think it was a UTI as the majority of days, she would go overnight with no accidents. Obviously, she had the ability to “hold it”…but-during the day…there was no consistent holding happening. UGH.
So under MUCH stress and hardship we finally got 2 tablespoons of urine. It took three tries peeing to get that much. Urine collection was a whole ‘nother story but I won’t get into. Let’s just say by the time Kalissa left with the urine sample to deliver to the vet, I was in tears. I was sure she didn’t have a UTI and I didn’t know what I was going to do if she didn’t….I just couldn’t handle this anymore. It was WAY more than remembering “she was just a puppy”.
A couple hours later I called the vet…and….Rosie not only had a UTI but she had crystals in her urine too. Now I felt a new frustration. Why didn’t I take her sooner?? Why didn’t I realize this was a UTI? AH!!! If only I would have taken her in sooner. Oh my word. How stupid could I have been? How stupid? What kind of pet owner am I? UGH.
So Miss Rosie has had a shot. She’s on special dog food and she is a new dog. Just like that so many things have changed. Pee isn’t an issue like it was anymore. 
Her attitude and manners have improved too. She isn’t mouthing as much. If I correct her for it, she listens. She’s been able to be out of her kennel for an hour in the morning and the afternoon with the childcare kids. I’m so happy.
She settles down in a reasonable amount of time if I want to cross stitch….
Remember when I made my list of things I was looking for in a dog? I wanted a female, to be the smaller sized and copper colored. In my haste, I forgot to add healthy. I can’t believe how much I’ve already spent at the vet with her and I’ve only had her just over 2 months. Oh my…but I’m not going to complain. I’d take a vet bill and a dog able to be house trained anyday.
What can I say…we’re best buds again.
I’m so sorry that I didn’t get a urine sample in sooner. I sure should have. Hopefully we’re on the right track. It’s been five days since the meds and I’ve seen very noticeable improvement but not perfect. At least now I feel like the “remember she’s just a puppy” statement is actually true. I still feel terrible for not taking her sooner. Thankfully she’s a dog and forgives so easily.
Don’t beat yourself up over not taking her to the vet sooner. After all she is “just a puppy.” Not sure if you have a clinic in your area that is mostly spay/neuter, but our clinic here sees animals one day a week for whatever your needs are. All of the shots/meds are much less expensive than the regular vet. After having a dog with bladder cancer and spending thousands of dollars on her, I was thrilled to find the clinic I am using with our new dog. Costs are at least 1/2. I am sure that if I felt there was a major health issue I would probably go to our old vet to confirm any diagnosis I got from the clinic, but I usually get a second opinion on a major problem anyway…both for myself and my animals.
And for the second time I thought you were going to say you returned her!!!! I also say, don’t beat yourself up about it. We are human!!!! When you close your daycare you’ll have more time to spend with her. ❤
Poor, Rosie (and poor, Jo, too!!)
Aw poor girl . When we rescued our dog she was about 8 months old and not trained. We hung a big jingle bell next to the door and each time we took her out we’d take her paw and hit the bell and say outside potty. If she went potty outside, we’d give her a small treat when she came in. It was amazing. In two weeks she was ringing that bell to go! She was funny. When she really had to go she’d beat the bell really hard . I miss her so. We had to put her down in July and I still miss her so much. So glad your girl is in the mend.
We got 2 English Setters 6 months apart. Male simply could not be potty trained and female was relapsing. Just about drove me nuts. Then they started vomiting. Vet couldn’t figure out what was going on. I went online and the first article was about a large dog food company had shifted production to China and the food had went to H***! Dogs were dying from it. I threw out almost a full bag of food and switched to another brand. Dogs were back to normal and no accidents within days. Sometimes it just takes time for a solution to present itself. Not your fault and not the dogs. And to be truthful, not all dogs work in all situations.
I hope this is the beginning of only good things with Rosie!! If she relapses in anything in the future, you’ll be hustling her to the vet to find out the answer to her relapse!! Meh, we’re human and we can’t read dogs as well as we would like to! We learn as we go along, and that’s the important thing!! She is a beautiful Beagle and it is obvious she loves you and wants to please you.
Puppies are hard…our puppy is 8 months old and there are days I’m at my wits end! Pee is almost always outside but poop is 50-50. There are two places he picks and I’ve blocked one spot but can’t the other. He rings the bell…but that’s not a guarantee that he’ll do anything. He just likes to go outside. I’ve pretty much puppy proofed my sewing room .. all in all we are making small progress. He’s so darn lovable we are hanging in there!! The doggy day care people can’t wait for him to return!!!
I’m so sorry you’ve had a hard time and that people were that rude to you. You have had horrible stress for several years now. Please don’t hold yourself to seeing/knowing everything happening around you.
You’ve been able to solve the Rosie problem and you are once again friends. Remember, her love is unconditional and you are well-deserving of her love.
Hugs to you.
I had a pup like that too. I dealt with the peeing for almost a year. Finally discovered she had a bladder stone as big as a ping pong ball, after an emergency vet visit. She has accidents occasionally, but her behavior is much better. I have to be very diligent about what she eats, no treats, or people food, when I allow her to slack and cheat she develops crystals in her urine and the PH gets way out of whack.
I’m glad to hear Rosie is on the road to recovering. Wish dogs could tell us when things are bothering them. She’ll be a wonderful dog friend for you!!
I went back to look when you got Ruby. I don’t think you were doing day care at the time. I would think that would make a big difference in training a puppy. And I don’t know if you read Bonnie Hunter’s blog, but she just got a puppy. And today her blog was about her puppy pooped twice and both times were right after coming in from a walk. So I won’t say ‘remember she is just a puppy’. But I will say ‘give yourself a break’. Thanks for sharing.
So sorry for both you and Rosie to have to go through this. You for the frustration and Rosie for the medical issue. Glad to hear things are turning around and I wish you both joy and happiness in you lives together. Hugs!!!
I’m so glad Rosie is better. It’s often hard to know what’s going on with a pet. You’re still getting to know your girl and her ways.
You really helped me with training my dog to stop licking things in the dishwasher. He was bad and had been for a long time. Would. Not. Stop. You reminded me about spray bottles and since I had one within reach I tried it. It’s set on mist and I point it over his head. Used it 3 times the first day, once a week later, and once more a week or so after that. That’s it. Amazing. Thank you so much!!
No need to beat yourself up about it, just remember, hindsight is 20/20. With everything else going on around you, why would you think a healthy puppy would have a UTI? Those things usually come on gradually so they are pretty hard to spot when you aren’t looking for them. But now you know if her behavior changes to look into getting her urine tested. I’m glad to hear you and Rosie are best friends again!
Dear friend, it really is ok. I can’t imagine your frustration and then guilt. But, it’s ok and like you said, dogs are very forgiving.
A good lesson for all of us I think.
Love and prayers
I had the same problem with my dog when she was a puppy. My daughter asked if the dog had a UTI. I was so in the weeds trying to house train I didn’t think there might be a health problem. It took someone out side of the situation to see it differently. You are not the only one and you are not a bad owner. You took care of it as soon as it was thought of. That makes you a great owner.
Sorry Jo that you have had so many problems with Rosie! I cannot imagine what you are going through since we are cat people. I grew up with dogs but haven’t had one since I was a kid! I don’t know how you would have know about the UTI. You are being too hard on yourself! So glad things are finally looking up for the both of you! You will have more time for her while you are off so that will help too!
I’m so glad things are going better! As a reader all I see are the adorable Rosie pictures but I forget how difficult it is with a new puppy.
I think you are a HERO! Hindsight always makes what we ‘should’ have done clearer but we are human and we can’t think of everything. Thank you for loving Rosie so much and hanging in there till you could figure out what to do. We had older female labs at one point ( I still miss those girls so much!) but anyway, when they slept, they would leak urine which can be common in older female dogs. We put the foam bed cushions in plastic trash bags and then put the bed cover back on. This way we could pull off the cover, wash them and easily wipe off the plastic for cleaning. You may have already done this with your beds but just thought I’d mention it. Love to you and Rosie!
Poor Rosie! When I started reading I thought I bet she has a bladder problem. However, don’t feel bad, the important thing is that you took her. I also thought, is she giving her away? She is so cute and sweet. Take care and forgive yourself and love Rosie.
As frustrated as I was, I’d never give her away. I’m not like that. I commit for life.
It’s easy to say in hindsight what we should have done. But you’ve submitted the urine sample now and have a diagnosis and you can go from there. I’m glad you’ve seen some improvement for your own sanity. Please don’t beat yourself up. Everything seems clear after the fact. You’ve been dealing with plenty of other things.
Love and hugs
A doggy door changed my life for the better. We had fenced the yard years before and someone would let the dogs in or out every 30 minutes. They loved playing outside, then needed a drink, then wanted back out like toddlers. It drove me nuts. We had a house fire and while walking the dogs and living in a motel I decided I had to have a dog door. I bought a great double door from https://www.moorepet.com/ and we love it! I wish I had done it years sooner.
Good luck with Rosie! She is so precious!!
Oh the joy and problems of having littles, children or pets. Things go wrong and they can’t say momma I hurt. Except to cry or whine. You did figure out it was more than “just a puppy”. She’s doing better and will grow up a good girl. I really like to see her in your pictures. We all need someone to love
Jo – Sending love to you – glad you found the problem with Rosie. Hope things go smoother now. I have had frustrations with dogs before and can relate.
Great job! You took her sample in and figured it out. So happy for you both.