u/Altwhore18

My little mini aussie, Thea, is very fearful. She jumps at the slightest noises and HATES squeaky toys because they scare her lol. I've had issues potty training her since I adopted her. I first had her in a carpeted apartment, and trying to get her to grasp that carpet is not grass was the toughest thing ever. I'd have to keep her leashed to me so she wouldn't sneak off to pee. I eventually moved to a new apartment that was hardwood floors, but I had to travel longer for work so I resorted to using pee pads with her since she was home for so long during the day (I used to have someone check in on her but that made her more anxious and she never peed for them). I'll be moving again, this time to a carpeted place again, so I've been attempting to tighten up the reins on potty training more. My hours are also shorter for work, so I'm not gone as long (the drive is still horrible though). Yesterday is a good example of what she has been doing. She is fine all day, I took her out before I left, she didn't have any accidents all day, and when I came home she was fine. It was when I fell asleep, she snuck off and peed in the kitchen. I probably should have kept her in the bedroom but she had done so good all day, I didn't think it was needed. This issue with sneaking off to pee has happened at my bfs apartment too, she'll even pee on top of trash or on my bathroom mat because I think she thinks she's hidden it. I'm not sure how I address this habit of her hiding her pee?

I recently went no contact with my older sister. It’s been a long time coming, and while her and I have our own issues it’s mainly due to the fact that she still has a relationship with our mother. The woman is a diagnosed narcissist and one of the most selfish people I’ve met. She refuses to acknowledge any harm she did to us as kids, even abandoning me when I was 6. I was estranged from my older sister as a result, my dad didn’t want any contact with my mom and that included any family members. I recently got back into physical contact with my older sister a few years ago, though we’ve been communicating over Facebook for at least 10 years (I’m 26).
The issues started last year when my sister left her husband for a new guy she met online and chose to rely on our mom for housing and financial support (she was a sahm and continues to be despite her circumstances). When she moved in with our mom that was kind of the final straw. I know it was only meant to be a temporary thing, but it made me realize that she will never cut off our mom and she will continue to make excuses for her relationship with her. I also saw her as a just completely different person when she refused to work and chose instead to rely on our mother, the most unreliable person ever.
The issue comes to my sisters 4 girls. I love them to death, I really do, but I really don’t want anything to do with their mom or grandma. It’s affected my mental health since the moment I met my older sister as an adult, I’ve literally been on antidepressants since. My dad just passed too, so I also think the support I had from him being, well, my sole bio parent (I love my stepmom, but my dad was my rock) makes having a relationship with my sister hard. But I just got a message request from one of my nieces and I just feel so guilty. But I can’t help wanting nothing to do with my mother and that just extends to my sister and her kids for how close they are to her…