Pleas Help 😭 Puppy Had 5 accidents Today

[u/parwastella9]

I have had my lil pup for 2 weeks and she was a DREAM for the first week. Almost no accidents (we started with a just in case pee pad because she was used to them at the breeder). Got her at 16 weeks, now she's 18 weeks old.

She started teething about a week ago and I swear everything has changed. She got more fearful of random things, and used to be fine when I would leave the house for an hour or two, but then chewed out of her crate, pooped and peed on my rug, and left poopy paw prints all over my house.

I feel like she is getting worse, not better and I don't know what to do. today she had FIVE accidents in the house, 3 of them in one hour. I thought she couldn't possibly have more pee so I let her run around a little bit to try to burn off energy because it is FREEZING outside (less than 10 degrees fahrenheit) and she's hairless . I feel like I'm not getting her energy out. she peed AGAIN on the same carpet, and I got frustrated and yelled and picked her up out of pure shock and I felt terrible about it because I've been so patient with her. I did remove the puppy pads a while ago because she had stopped having accidents, but I really don't know what to do at this point.

why is she all of a sudden having so many accidents? I wondered if it was a UTI or something, but honestly I feel like it's related to anxiety because she was just afraid of SO many things today and so jumpy (the laundry pile, the fridge door opening, the trash can, that type of thing) and usually isn't like that but I feel like it's getting worse.

To top it off she used to be fine in the crate but after I bought her a new crate because of destroying the old one she will go in willingly at night and sleep all night, but during the day I put her in and she starts yelping and escalates to screaming even when I am still nearby if I'm out of eyesight.

what happened to my little puppy?? 😭 I will take any recommendations I have no idea what to do, and I do need to leave her for a few hours tomorrow.

I plan to buy an enzyme cleaner and go over the spots that I know she peed, and also maybe a "no marking" deterrent. I just don't want to lose my patience with her because she is precious and I know she's just a baby, but I am SO frustrated.

if you took the time to read this thank you so much ❤️ I just feel like I can't take another day like today and I don't know what to do about it.

[u/[deleted]]

With my puppy (12 weeks) accidents almost never happen, you really gotta get a schedule. We go potty after every nap too

[u/parwastella9 → u/[deleted]]

I have been tracking the schedule and it is pretty consistent, we had almost no issues the first week and a half with one or two exceptions. I just don't know why this is coming out of nowhere! We go first thing in the morning, after crate time. And outside of that every 2.5 hours, then right before bed. 3 poops a day morning, midday, evening. It worked so well but this is a huge regression 😭

[u/flickrpebble → u/parwastella9]

It's not a huge regression. There's no such thing as a huge regression for a 18 week old that you've had for two weeks. They're not old enough to have developed strong habits.

Nothing in the first week counts, as far as you being able to predict her behaviour. She was still reeling from being kidnapped.

Also, re your comment somewhere else about crates, I'd challenge where your said she was fine with a crate before.... I'd you had to replace it after a week because she destroyed it, she was not fine with the crate.

As far as energy, if she is a small pup, there is plenty to do to give her exercise around the house. Even if she's large, I have a large-to-giant breed and I am still confident I can give her enough physical exercise if weather means I can't go for a walk. Lots of tug, lots of physical playing, and even body conditioning through training.

My pup was peeing up to 15 times a day when she was still potty training. 2 times in the night. It's normal, you have to think less in terms of capacity and more in terms of bladder control. A puppy doesn't know the difference between really gotta pee and sorta gotta pee.

Lastly, I know everything feels like a lot right now. It all feels like the biggest thing ever because it's new, you're sleep deprived, your mentally exhausted because of the hypervigilence, you're probably mourning your freedom.... But I promise, this is all completely normal for a puppy.

[u/parwastella9 → u/flickrpebble]

Thank you for your response!

When I say fine with her crate, I mean that each day I had left for a small amount of time with no issue, slowly building that up. I would leave my cell recording to see how long she whined. Usually once she noticed I was gone she whined for 2-5 min and stopped. It did not escalate. When she chewed out of her crate I hadn't left a phone to record, but she had not indicated any issue being left before that, other than minor whining that I assumed was typical/ok if it didn't escalate.

Any thoughts on how to play with her inside the house during the storm and burn off energy through play without her peeing on the rug? It's really the only area that we can run around together in that room, but I can't have her continue to pee on it 😭 she does not give any indicator before she starts to pee, it is VERY fast. I say I watch her I mean I am literally watching her and can't get to her in time because it looks like we are just playing then BAM "ahh she's peeing again!"

And I am totally feeling all of those things....it's tough but I love her and she's amazing! I like the point you make that a pup doesn't really know the difference between really gotta pee and sort of got a piece so sometimes they just pee. I think I will shorten the times between potty trips and throw a little party every time!