I wish I would have timed how long it took me to read every single one of these posts. My beloved cats are destroying my house. I'm single, working, commuting, and losing my mind trying to clean it and get them to stop. I think that a fair number of these posts are written by SHILLS, which I find despicable. People like me are going through hell. Not only is there a mess, it's a smelly, toxic mess, and it's caused by my children. Yes, they are my children, and I can't just get rid of them. I, too, want to chime in and say that Nature's Miracle does NOT work. I'm fine with ripping up the carpet and starting over, but even that is going to be so incredibly difficult and time consuming. After reading all of this, and not having very nice carpet, I've decided to rip up my carpet, but I wish all of you cat lovers the best of luck in trying to eradicate the stains if you do want to keep your carpet. There isn't much on this thread about preventative measures to stop cats from doing this in the first place, but I encourage everyone to visit some reputable sites to deal with that as well. I've listed some below. Please don't ever think your cat is angry or vindictive or something like that. Cats don't have those types of emotions. Educate yourself and respond appropriately, but be careful of opinions in forums. Look to the experts for advice. I so very much appreciate the time people took to offer solutions. Thank you. I also want to recommend a money saving litterbox filler that will encourage you to keep up with cleaning it, as well as keep the smell at bay. My cats' issues have to do with new cats in the home, age and illness - not the use of this litter. I use plain wood pellets (no scent!), bought at Menard's or Fleet Farm type places. They're sold as woodstove fuel, as well as pet bedding. Way more economical that commercial litter and, I think, abate the smell much better. http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2011/06/cat-going-outside-the-litter-box-super-smart-behaviorists-share-their-tips/ http://catinfo.org/?link=litterbox http://www.littlebigcat.com/?s=litter+box One of the many posts on the brilliant Dr. Becker's site: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/08/29/cat-litter-box-aversion.aspx http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2011/02/9-useful-sites-for-researching-cat-health-issues/

Lydia, thanks for that link. The diapers look like a feasible option which I will check out after I take Star in to make sure there's not something else going on. I would feel much better having him wear diapers at night and while I am at work than kenneling him. About a month ago we took the dogs down to Chicago to visit my Mom. We took the Durango so we could put a bed in the back for him to sleep for the ride. When we got him out of the car he had chewed off a cyst on his haunch and had a gaping hole and bald spot. He did it so quietly we were not aware. So I had him on antibiotics for three weeks. Now that is mostly healed and this is going on. I love the old guy so much, he's the best dog I've ever had and my eternal buddy.

This type of behavior usually takes on one of two forms. Excitement urination is the result of infant muscles that simply cannot hold their urine when the pup gets excited/scared etc. The vast majority of dogs simply outgrow this problem as they become stronger and gain control of their muscles. freezetag gave an example. Pkguy's little cutie will in all likelihood grow out of his sprinkler stage. What you are describing (especially since the dog does NOT display the behavior with you) falls into a different category than a puppy simply lacking neuromuscular control. My opinion might change if the owner son has the same problem. Or is it only occurring with your husband and other son? At 18 months, the dog "should" have sufficient control over her bladder, but some dogs can't control their bladders relaibly until they are 2 - 2.5 years old. Has she been spayed? Spay incontinence isn't particularly common, but should be ruled out if this is a problem with everyone she meets. Anyway, I don't think that is what you are describing. SO.... Dogs have several behaviors designed to reduce challenges/violence between them. A submissive dog will display some or all of these behaviors to display its lower status and to prevent an attack. By rolling over and urinating, the dog is merely acknowledging the other dog's superiority. Mazer is correct - it's a "please don't eat me" signal. I don't get the impression that you have done so, but do not make the mistake of trying to correct or scold the dog after submissive urination. Submissive urination is not the same as a housetraining accident - one where the dog is simply confused as to where it can and cannot eliminate. To her, this behavior is perfectly acceptable and REQUIRED because she (rightly or wrongly) has perceived a threat and she wants to make perfectly clear that she doesn't have a dominant bone in her body. If you try to reassure her (oh, poor puppy! It's OK! Nobody's going to hurt you"), she will think you are praising her for urinating and will urinate even more. If you scold her or become distressed about the puddle, she will feel an even greater need to reassure you and apologize by urinating. Either reassurance or scolding will only make submissive urination worse. Your husband and other son will want to examine their body language. Dogs assume that direct eye contact, even a quick glance, is a challenge. Coming from above, indicating that another dog (your husband) is taller (bigger, stronger), heightens this reaction. A person towering over the top of her is guaranteed to cause a submissive gesture. Another signal that canines perceive as a challenge is bending over or touching the dog's head, neck or shoulders. Dominant dogs often display their control by placing their neck, or a paw over another dog's neck or shoulders. When a human pats a dog on the head, an overly submissive dog perceives it as a display of dominance, and again the dog to roll over and urinate to say "you're the boss! You're the boss!" Avoid those situations that instantly trigger urination. Avoid eye contact, do not approach the dog head-on and then bend over in greeting, do not touch the dog, do not speak to the dog and in general ignore the dog for the first few minutes. If submissive displays do not occur, try some VERY calm words of greeting - just a simple "hey there, pup" and walk away. If there's no peeing, you can GRADUALLY add physical affection. To indicate that you are not a threat, approach from the side and stroke the throat or chin from below. After the physical affection, if she still has not eliminated , CALMLY praise her and give a small treat. As stated by gina, you also want to work on boosting the dog's confidence by teaching your dog a few basic obedience exercises. A dog that can earn praise by obeying a simple routine of "sit and shake" will develop confidence and a confident dog will not feel the need to urinate to show submission. Good luck!

Have you ever had your dog's urine checked to see if he has a urinary tract infection? This would be my first course of action, and it has proven to be the root of the problem in 3 of my pets who began to urinate in the house at various times in the past. A simple course of antibiotics might be the solution. I would explore this avenue first. How long have you had the pug? If he has been with you for a long time, and he has always peed indoors, then unfortunately he has become accustomed to believing that this is the correct place to relieve himself - sort of reverse potty training. In this case (after you have him checked out by the vet) you should go back to house training 101, using a bellyband and constant supervision, taking him outdoors whenever you see him sniffing or acting restless, and keeping him in a crate when you cannot be there to supervise. But be sure not to leave him in the crate for more than a few hours at a time, and being sure that he pees outdoors before you confine him.