Satan is Coming

This is a gross story that I probably shouldn’t put on the internet, but maybe it will help someone.

My dogs are a pair of almost-matching Havanese.  They are fluffy and soft and adorable. They are happy and secure and well-loved.  They are nine years old and totally housetrained.

And they clearly recognize my pregnancy as the next coming of Satan, because once the third trimester started, they have begun to defend the house against it.

By secretly marking.  EVERYWHERE.  Two dogs.  EVERYWHERE.  It started pretty much overnight, and in the span of a few days, they destroyed half our house before we even really knew what was happening.  It was the smell that started to tip us off…and then we began to find the evidence.  EVERYWHERE.

On the ottoman.  On my bedroom door.  On the corner of the plastic filebox.  In B’s “Going to Grandma’s” suitcase.  On a pile of dress-up gowns.  In a box of Duplos.  ON MY FREAKING PILLOW WHEN I LAID DOWN TO GO TO SLEEP.

This is actually not my first rodeo with third trimester dog marking.  When I was pregnant with B, the same thing happened…occasionally.  However, we had just moved into a new house as well, and the events coincided.  I chalked it up to the new environment.

Again, when I was pregnant with W, history repeated itself a few times.  At the time, I was traveling a LOT toward the end of my pregnancy, and when I came home, I was very emotional and really only wanted to spend time with B.  Woodson and Elliott got the short end of the stick, and I figured it was a little jealous rage-peeing.

This time there is absolutely NO excuse.  We are here ALL THE TIME.  The dogs are fed and walked and played with and loved on day in and day out by four people, constantly.  Nothing is new or threatening.  

Except, apparently, the smell of pregnancy hormones.

So I did what any rational pregnant woman would do.  I crated the dogs for a week in my fury.  They came out only to go outside and to eat dinner in the master bathroom.  

Then we tried to let them out again, under tight supervision, hoping they had learned their lesson…but they immediately took up the behavior again, RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES THIS TIME.  Back in the crates they went.

I was prepared to let them stay in those crates for the remaining 13 weeks of my pregnancy.  I cannot have the mess of two kids AND the smell of dog urine in my house.  I will go MAD.

But god bless my husband, who did the smart thing and called the vet.  Apparently, defensive peeing during a human pregnancy is relatively common behavior.  (Who knew?!?)  And the best part?  There is a drug for it.  Amitriptyline is literally indicated for both anxiety and “inappropriate urination” in dogs.  (GOD BLESS PHARMA, I’m telling you.  Ain’t NOBODY need a natural remedy when you’re seven months pregnant and your dog is peeing on your pillow.)

So we kept them crated for a few more days while we got them up to steady-state, and then let them back into the house.  And the “inappropriate urination” appears to be magically under control while my dogs have retained their lovely personalities.  They are still rambunctious as hell, bark at everything that walks by, and Woodson will still boldly leap up to steal a peanut butter and jelly right out of W’s hand if she doesn’t eat fast enough.

But they are no longer marking, which is a HUGE victory.  Elavil 10mg QD FTW.  Less than $10 for 30 pills at your friendly Rite Aid.  It was either them or me.

Anyone else been through this or going through it now?  I hope not…but if so, you’re welcome! ?