Pooping/peeing out of Spite, HELP! :(

[ec2009 0]

We adopted a 3 yr old male shih tzu 10 days ago. He doesn't poop/pee inside the house when we're around, only when we leave the house to go to work. My husband walks him at 8 am and 6 pm. He does his thing outside. When we come home at lunch or in the evening there is poop/pee in his room.

I believe it's out of anxiety/spite because on the weekend he had no problems holding it until his 6pm walk. However, for example, today i came home at lunch and found his mess all over the floor in his room (he's gated in a small bedroom).

At night he has no problem sleeping in there (gated) on his bed.

But he knows we leave for the day in the AM and barks like crazy.

He was only left alone for 3 hours today until lunch and there was already a mess in his room so that's why i believe it's out of anxiety/spite.

Please help, b/c we're going nuts w/the cleanup every single day!!!! How do i calm him down? Should i NOT gate him? And let him roam the living room/first floor of the house (he hasn't done anything bad so far but i'm afraid left alone for all those hours he might...? what do u think?)

I feel he might be more calm if not gated in his room BUT last week he jumped a shorter gate we had and when i came home he was in the living room barking mad so mayhe it doesn't help...i don't know!!! thank you

[kcsheperd 13]

I had this trouble with Pandora, my first shih-tzu. It was like if I left her she punished me with pee on my bed! I found the only way to really get her over this, was to either crate her, or literally walk the Pee right out of her! Long walks in the evening seems to tire her out to the point of just resting while I was gone, instead of 'peeing' while I was gone..So you might try an early morning walk and see if that helps..I did find that with Pan it would go in 'phases' and she would quit doing it..so hopefully your baby will too..hang in there, tzu's can be stubborn little babies! :blush-anim-cl: