17. Golden Retriever sibling in the kitchen - apartment

It was a coincidence to meet 2 siblings coming in for vaccination at almost the same time on this Sunday afternoon. Both were from Australia and sold by the same pet shop.

"How's her toilet training ?" I asked the owner in his late forties.
"She has an attitude problem," the owner said.

I wonder what is the meaning of "attitude problem" as this seemed to be a common term used by Singaporeans. Does it mean that she does what she likes?

"She pees outside the Pee Pan, sometimes on the floor. We change the newspapers around 6 times and if she is home alone, she will not use the Pee Pan," the owner elaborated. "If I am at home, she uses the Pee Pan. My wife puts the tissue paper with her urine onto the newspapers to attract her to use the Pee Pan."

"It seems that this puppy just want to eliminate on clean newspapers," I said. "If she is home alone, she will not pee onto the soiled newspapers as your wife is not around to give her a clean sheet." His wife changes papers as much as 6 times per day.

The puppy was given access to the living area. She pees there too.
"Young puppies have no bladder control yet," I advised. "So, she just has to pee many times. She may not be able to run back to the Pee Pan in the kitchen to pee yet. She may forget or get distracted by your attention, playing with her."

The puppy poops 3-4 times per day. At 3 am, she poops 2x. Sometimes 1x before breakfast. After breakfast and dinner, 1x each, within 30 minutes after eating.

But she will poop on the floor at one end of the Pee Pan and near the corner of the kitchen cabinet which is next to the Pee Pan.

"Now, if she is shut inside the bathroom, she will not pee or poop there," the owner commented.

The puppy has chosen the bathroom as her den, a clean area with walls to protect her and to sleep. This is her instinct.

So, has she got an "attitude" problem?


SOLUTIONS:
In this case, the owner needs to confine her to the kitchen for at least 2 weeks, neutralise the floor urine smells with vinegar:water 1:3. Also, probably to cover up the kitchen floor with more newspapers as this is a big breed.