Help! He's peeing and he won't stop!

We adopted Baxter from animal control. He was a stray dog found in a county 2 hours south of my house and the animal shelter grapevine took all of 24 hours to find this beautiful goldie mix. (I told a local shelter director I was looking for a goldie or goldie mix, and next thing I know, I get a call at work about the 'perfect' dog for me). He was due to be euthanized the day the animal control officer drove him to my city (the whole 2 hours no questions asked!!!). Problem is, we have no prior history on him and he's scared to death of my hubby. JR only has to look at him or say his name and poor Bax pees in fright! JR has never done anything to him!
Occasionally he'll be fine and play around with JR, but more often than not he worries around JR and does that crouch and run away move before he starts tinkling. JR is threatening to find him a new home with all females, but Bax and I built a strong bond almost instantly! I couldn't bear to send him away. But Bax is ruining the carpets and I'm sick of the arguments with JR. I'm going away for two weeks end of Feb. What can I do?!

I think your man's (JR?) attitude toward the dog is contributing a lot. Even if he hasn't hit the dog or anything, he seems threatening. Your hubby has to leave the dog alone and let the dog approach him. He also has to become way more aware of his own behavior- how he approaches, his tone of voice, his posture, etc. He is too dominant for the dog and is somehow repeating a pattern the dog has already seen. He has to step out of this pattern until the dog is more comfortable.

Have him sit on the floor sometimes, and if the dog approaches him, tell him not to do anything. Just let the dog investigate first. Your hubby has to mellow out for this doggy. He has to become predictably nice. No scolding or correcting from the hubby (only from you).

I'm sure others will have more to say.:)

Yeah, I've tried telling him that. However, even when I am the one scolding him, he gets scared of JR, not me...so I don't know...

Maybe lay off the scolding completely and find a new approach. Positive praise might work wonders on this feller... Whenever he does something right, praise.;)

Had a breakthrough tonight. I had JR sit on the floor while we were chillin' and watching TV (so he was relaxed). I sat on JR's left, up against a bookshelf so Bax couldn't approach me from the right. I handed JR a bag Woofycorn (doggy popcorn) and JR was offering him some. Bax came up and investigated, laying between his legs. We decided that Woofycorn would be a treat delegated only to JR. We'll see how well it works!

Yey! That's a great first step! Woohoo!:highfive: