Help! My Puppy Pees When Excited or Out of Fear
Are you facing a situation where your puppy pees when it’s exciting or in fear, and can’t seem to control it?
Every dog is different like we’ve said several times on the blog, and training methods and responses should be adapted keeping in mind your own puppy’s unique persona.
On the same note, some puppies, and indeed grown up dogs, tend to have an excessively submissive or excitable nature. So much so, that at times, they lose control of their bladder if agitated beyond a point.
Puppy Peeing Can Be Tricky to Handle But Are Not Uncommon
So there’s no need to worry or despair!
It just means your beloved pooch needs a little more care and patience to help him or her through a difficult phase. This behavioral quirk in dogs is technically known as “submissive urination”, and it usually occurs as an instinctive and initially uncontrollable response to what the dog perceives as a dominating or intimidating presence, whether it’s another dog or animal, or human.
Submissive urination can be triggered by something as simple as approaching the dog, reaching out for it, putting on its leash, or even focusing attention on it for too long.
Simple, seemingly harmless situations may seem to get to your pup, and bam! Your puppy is peeing out of excitement or fear again.
This normally occurs due to over-excitement or anxiety in the dog due to a variety of reasons, which can range from incorrect body language on the part of the owner, trauma from an event in the past, excessive punishment, or a general lack of confidence, fear or sensitivity of the dog itself.
The Solution Never Lies in Punishment
This can only be resolved through patient training, and eventually teaching the dog that there’s no reason to become so anxious or excited.
After all, no one really wants to intentionally soil themselves! Even your excitable little pup!
So, in this post, we’ll help you help your pup in overcoming these situations and mastering his or her anxiety and reactions. These tips should eventually lead to a behavioral change over time, and a healthy and happy attitude in your pup.
1. Reacting Calmly and Without Threat
How do you react when your dog seemingly pees around the house for no good reason?
Anger may well be your natural instinct. But with submissive urination, this is perhaps the worst possible way to react and will make the situation worse.
It’s best to relax, and not engage your dog in any manner. Don’t reassure, console, or try to calm him down.
Just leave him be.
It would likely make him more nervous or agitated if you show anger, or even keep eye contact for too long.
In fact, your body language during this entire phase of training is perhaps the most important thing from your dog’s point of view. Keeping a calm and unconcerned body language is the the best way to comfort and calm your dog.
Just clean up the mess calmly and without a fuss, and ideally when he’s not present, and carry on as if nothing has happened.
2. Regular Walks for Relieving, Without Triggers
Having a bladder that isn’t full most of the time will only help your situation, won’t it.
Regular walks are thus a great idea, but make sure that you don’t take routes that present situations which will trigger your dog’s excitement or agitation all at once. These can be certain people or dogs or any other thing.
When you walk your dog, don’t force her to relieve herself, but wait patiently, and calmly give the command for relieving. When she does, praise her quietly and calmly, and move on.
When introducing triggers that make her urinate, be sure to do it gradually and calmly, so she eventually learns that there isn’t really anything to fear or get excited over.
3. Introduce Triggers Slowly, and Very Carefully
It’s important to take it very slow and gradual when it comes to getting your puppy used to things that trigger his urination. Don’t overwhelm him, or it may well undo progress you’ve made up till then.
Ask your family members and visiting friends to join in, and not touch, talk or even keep eye-contact with him until you know he’s comfortable.
4. Hangout Together Quietly
Sometimes, this can be the best way to bond with someone, especially when you’re looking to make them comfortable. Take the time to sit with your dog, quietly and chill-out.
Doing this can really help with other forms of training, for instance, getting your dog used to a leash or to a crate.
Hanging out with him when he’s leashed or crated will calm him down and “normalize” the situation in his mind.
5. Using Crates and Pads
Crates and pee pads can be extremely useful in situations where you can’t supervise your pup constantly, or if your pup is especially sensitive.
Make sure to keep your body language calm, open, and friendly, so your puppy doesn’t take crating to be a punishment.
Also, maintain that manner while you’re letting your pup in or out of the crate, too, as those are the points when he or she is likely to be most excited or agitated.
Using a pee pad inside the crate, or around the house in these situations can be a real help with the cleaning up, too.
Bulldogology’s Premium Puppy Pads, for instance, are excellent for training your puppy out of submissive urination, considering multi-layered highly absorbent material, odor-blocking, and how quick they are to dry out.
The convenience and ease in cleaning up help soak up any frustration you might feel during this phase, in addition to all the pee!
So make it easier on yourself, and take all the help you can get.
Have any experience in submissive urination with your dog? What did you do to help ease this problem? Comment below!
Check out the offer on premium puppy training pads here:
