Why Dogs Pee When Excited or Scared
How to Stop Submissive Peeing in Dogs You will need to change your behavior and also train your dog to become desensitized to triggers. Change How You Approach Your Dog For pet parents and other humans, this means not leaning over your dog, making direct eye contact, reaching toward your dog (especially over their head), hugging them, or approaching them head-on. Instead, sit on the ground to make yourself appear smaller. Look to the side or at the dog’s hip to avoid direct eye contact, and allow them to approach you. Entice them with treats, and if they do approach, and pet them gently under the chin, not on the top of their head. Desensitize Your Dog to Certain Triggers The next step is to desensitize your dog to movements that trigger submissive peeing. First, you’ll need to identify the situations that trigger your dog. Then in those situations, start making smaller movements and rewarding your dog for not peeing. For example, if your dog pees when you reach for their collar, begin by moving your hand a few inches away from your body and rewarding them for not reacting. Once your dog calmly accepts small movements, gradually progress to larger ones. Continue rewarding your dog when they don’t react or pee in response to the movements. Over time, you can work up to being able to touch and handle your dog’s collar without a drop of pee on the floor. Another method to discourage submissive peeing is to have your dog wear a canine diaper while you work on the desensitizing. The diaper will make getting into the submissive squat more difficult. Do not use negative reinforcement such as spanking, yelling, or rubbing their nose in it, as this will make the submissive peeing worse. If training fails to correct submissive peeing and your dog is submissive in all social settings, you talk with your veterinarian about using a mild anti-anxiety medication.,Why Does My Dog Pee When I Pet Them? If your dog urinates when you reach to pet them, you most likely have triggered a submissive pee. Submissive dogs are trying to send the distress message, “Please don’t harm me; I’m no threat.” Submissive dogs need gentle encouragement and a calm environment. It takes time, patience, and a lot of positive bonding and engagement to help submissive peeing dogs stop this behavior. Try to avoid actions that trigger submissive peeing. Allowing your dog to come to you for petting and interaction will greatly decrease submissive peeing. You can also try the desensitizing method. Calm, slow movements give your dog time to process what is happening, read your body language to make sure you’re not a threat, and react in a way that feels comfortable. Environment management is also key. One common trigger for submissive peeing might be when strangers approach your dog. If this happens in your house, try asking visitors to ignore your dog until they approach on their own. Another option is to keep your dog contained in an area where there is a barrier (a crate or a baby gate) that allows them to see the stranger but also feel safe in their own area or den. If you are out on a walk and a stranger asks to pet your dog, simply decline politely, and tell them your dog is in training and needs to be focusing on you right now.,If you have an older dog that suddenly begins urinating inappropriately (or cannot seem to hold their pee), make an appointment with your veterinarian, as there could be a medical cause. Have you ever been greeted by your hyper dog when you get home, and then noticed a puddle of pee by your shoes? Or perhaps your new puppy flopped onto their back to greet your friend, and then peed a little on their own fur and your clean rug. This could be excitement peeing or submissive peeing. Both are common in dogs, but what separates the two are your dog’s state of mind and their emotional triggers. Some dogs pee because they are excited and submissive at the same time. For example, a dog that excitedly pees when their pet parent comes home may also submissively urinate if they are sternly reprimanded or overcorrected for the initial excitement pee. So how do you know which one you’re dealing with? Here’s what you need to know about why dogs pee when you wish they wouldn’t. Why Does My Dog Pee When Excited? Excitement peeing is most often found in happy, hyper, young dogs that may not have full bladder control. Dogs frequently outgrow this form of peeing as they mature and emotionally calm down. It can become worse if your dog is suddenly awakened or startled, and then gets very animated (such as when you come home while they’re taking a nap).
