Submissive/Excitement Urination

SUBMISSIVE / EXCITEMENT URINATION

Your dog is housetrained and crate trained. So, WHY does he appear to "leak" or seem to pee in little spurts all over the house, perhaps even on bedding or furniture? This is a frustrating issue, but the good news is it is manageable!

Here are a few quick "to knows" regarding this issue:

1) More frequently, females in particular urinate as a sign of submission. Do not mistake this for a lapse in house training.

2) Submissive urination is a natural way a low-ranking dog appeases a high-ranking one (the human). This is why urinating when excited is more of a puppy than an adult problem. Most pups look upon us big humans as naturally high-rankers.

3) The good news is most pups outgrow submissive urinating as they mature & build confidence. Curiously, these pups are the easiest to obedience train because they concentrate so intently on you, but it is absolutely imperative to avoid scolding or anger during training. This only encourages the behavior.

4) Often the worst times for these "episodes" is when you come home from an outing. Consider using plastic sheeting or an absorbent towel inside the front door so you are prepared for mishaps during the training process.

5) If this is a "new" problem you've never noticed before, you should check with your vet to rule out any medical problems.

6) Scolding or hitting will only make this problem worse. Socialization, consistent training, rewards, & maturity will build the dog's confidence & cause the behavior to subside.