Bad Habit needs to end

Jeannette · Post by **Jeannette** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:21 am

Hello, Everyone!
My name is Jeannette from Michigan, and I have Philomena a beautiful 9 1/2 month old cream. She is just to beautiful for words. However, we have a very big problem. She barks all night long. I know what you out there are thinking.....she wants to be with us. But we can't let her have run of the home, as she still pees and poops in the house. Yep, she only does it at night. Other than that she has perfect house manors. It's like she is getting back at us for gating her into the laundry/bathroom. Don't get me wrong, these two rooms are very large with windows that she can look out of. Now Chows are not new to us. She is our third little girl that we have had. The rest of them never acted this way....ever. We have reduced the barking by purchasing a "no barker" device that we place on the counter when we retire for the night. Also, we let her out for one hour before bed time, so she can elimate herself. HELP! Thank you in advance.

ngraham · Post by **ngraham** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:22 am

You might try letting her outside to go potty right before bedtime... which is what I do with Koda. I just tell him, lets go potty before we go to bed. I have had 2 chows, and neither of them had that problem, and frankly I am a little surprised that you are since chows almost housebreak themselves. Is gating her in your bedroom at night out of the question since you feel that she may be getting back at you for gating her away from you at night? Maybe being in the room with you, with no access to the rest of the house could take care of both problems. There may be a medical reason too, which prevents her from holding it all night long... which Kiwani might be able to help you with. As far as the barking goes.. I just don't have a clue. Kodie is my barker, and altho it is not all night, he does bark at little noises that he hears and I have to tell him to knock it off. He wasn't bad at all until we fostered another chow pup for a few days and that one was a barker... and I guess Koda picked up his bad habit. LOL

Jeannette · Post by **Jeannette** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:54 am

Thank you for your quick reply. Philomena goes out for no shorter than one hour before bed time. And we figured that she wanted to be with us durning the night, however she refrains from going up and down the stairs in our home and our bedrooms are up stairs. That is good for me as she stays in the main part of the home. I know, this behavior has really proplexed us. We were not ready for this.

Jeannette · Post by **Jeannette** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:56 am

Thank you for your quick reply. Philomena goes out for no shorter than one hour before bed time. And we figured that she wanted to be with us durning the night, however she refrains from going up and down the stairs in our home and our bedrooms are up stairs. That is good for me as she stays in the main part of the home. I know, this behavior has really proplexed us. We were not ready for this.

Jeannette · Post by **Jeannette** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:57 am

Thank you for your quick reply. Philomena goes out for no shorter than one hour before bed time. And we figured that she wanted to be with us durning the night, however she refrains from going up and down the stairs in our home and our bedrooms are up stairs. That is good for me as she stays in the main part of the home. I know, this behavior has really proplexed us. We were not ready for this.

ngraham · Post by **ngraham** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:24 am

Well... like I said, Kiwani, who is our resident expert and help in time of need, may have some suggestions for you Jeanette. Have you talked to your vet about the problem of not being night house trained? That is just so un-chow-like. You're not a first time chow mommy, so I know you are aware of that. I am more apt to lean towards there being a medical problem with her not being able to hold all night long, or she has a grudge streak in her a mile long. LOL Chows using their homes as bathrooms just isn't that common because they are so clean natured. Hopefully Kiwani will check the boards soon and offer some advice. I'm pretty well stumped with the exception of letting her out to go potty just minutes before you retire for the night. As far as the barking goes... thought could possibly be because she isn't with you. Chows tend to like to do things their way and can make you miserable if they don't get it. But what kind of bark is it? Is it just a "I am mad and gonna make you miserable bark" or is she in pain, or just lonely? There are differences in their barks.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:48 am

I suggest crate training. I know alot of people on here disagree with it but my pup has not had any housebreaking issues since he was 10 weeks old. He has been crate trained since he was 8 weeks, he is only 5 months old now. He loves to hang out in his crate with the door open, he gets fed in their and he will whine at me when he has to go potty, It is in no way cruel but you will be stopping two problems at once, your dog will stop barking and you will be working on housebreaking......Hope this helps!!
Here is some sites on crate training:

http://www.barkbytes.com/training/crate.htm

http://www.perfectpaws.com/crt.html

http://www.cuhumane.org/topics/crate.html

bruinsmom · Post by **bruinsmom** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:51 am

Hi,
Have you tried puttting on some soft music? The music created a nice diversion for both of our "kids", it kept them company. Also, I placed a sweatshirt of my husbands in her pen. It was for her to get his scent. It seemed to confort her.

Good luck,
Bruins mom

sixchows · Post by **sixchows** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:38 pm

Are you sure she is "going" while outside for that hour? If she goes out alone she may be too preoccupied to bother "going". Maybe walk around with and see what she does?

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:46 pm

The first thing that comes to mind is a serotonin imbalance, because it's a common link in all the symptoms you've mentioned.

Serotonin is an important brain chemical which gives us a sense of calm and overall well-being. It is also a very important chemical in the workings of the digestive tract. It's also the daytime chemical which clicks-off at night, and turns into melatonin, which helps us sleep.

Separation anxiety in dogs is linked with low serotonin levels. Low serotonin is also linked with delayed transit time in the bowel, so most of the house soiling is done at night when your Chow's anxiety raises her stress hormones.
If she's up most of the night, it also means that her body doesn't have enough serotonin in order to make melatonin (sleep hormone) so she seems to be in an endless loop.

To increase her body's serotonin production, she needs foods like turkey, milk products, eggs, whole grains. The B-complex vitamins are also needed for serotonin production and to lower anxiety.

Also, melatonin is available in tablets. It's being used to help dogs with phobias. You might consider giving her melatonin before bedtime to help her sleep, and whatever is left in her body by morning would turn into serotonin.

If you leave lights on for her at night, her body won't make as much melatonin either. She needs certain amounts of strong sunlight too in order to make serotonin by day.

.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:15 pm

I have permission to post an update from Jeannette's mail, so that the information remains in the archives to help other Chows.

Quote:

"Just wanted to say thank you so much for your advise with our Philomena. In just two days, we have seen a significant change in her attitude. I think that with a change in her diet, and B-12 along with melatonin (1gm) we are on our way to recover the Chow that she is to be. I passed your information on to the Breeder for future reference. I think that if a person has never owned a Chow before, this bad behaivor would have put this girl in a pound, or worse. I am so happy that I have joined this web-site. There were so many wonderful people who jumped up with suggestions. They are as special as the Chow Breed it's self. I only hope that with my years of experience owning several Chows, I to may someday be able to come to the aid of a desperate Chow owner. Thank you once again."
Jeannette

CenTexChows · Post by **CenTexChows** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:39 pm

Wow Kiwani, Im impressed that you know so much.

In another post I ask what you do for a living. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything like that, but simply curious to how you know some much and it seems you have a great knowledge on the chemistry of Chows. Maybe your a dietarian? lol

I agree with Jeannette's email. ChowChow.org is a good website to get information and the latest photos.

But most of all, I think the people on here make it a special group of dog lovers.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 3:46 pm

Re : "it seems you have a great knowledge on the chemistry of Chows."

---

Maybe I'm really just a Chow who has learned how to type : )

ngraham · Post by **ngraham** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 5:56 pm

kiwani wrote: Maybe I'm really just a Chow who has learned how to type : )

ROFL Kiwani... I just think you're a smart caring person who adores the chow breed and wants to help all of us make sure our chows are as healthy as they can be.... in memory of your loving chow.

Debbie · Post by **Debbie** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 8:17 pm

You must email us a photo of you typing in your posts; we all know that chows are smart, but one who can type is new to me!

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:33 pm

They say that on the internet no one knows if you're a dog

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:43 pm

THAT is a PRICELESS picture!! LOL Too cute!!

Judy Fox · Post by **Judy Fox** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 2:40 pm

Kiwani, I do not think you are a Chow Chow but I would not be surprised if a Chow Chow did sit at a computer like your beautiful picture!

My Milly almost does - she always comes and sits by me when I am using the computer - helping me I think!
They are really bright and know just about everything that is going on!

I reckon I will have a word with her and Mabel and see if they can throw any light on the question that is now puzzling the site!!

That picture is beautiful.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:03 pm

It's an archived picture from google. The Chow is named Pansy Paws (because she has very delicate feet) Here's her web site with more photos:

http://pansy-paws.com/

Elaina · Post by **Elaina** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:15 pm

Kiwani, that pic had me laughing on a terrible, horrible, very bad day! Not only are you smart, helpful to others, and an obvious Chow lover, but you've got one great sense of humor. Thanks.

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:27 pm

What a cute pic!!!
HeHeHe