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Many of us will have been in a situation where we come home from work, or meet a new pup for the first time, and the dog gets so excited they start leaving puddles left, right and center.
This is a common occurrence in dogs when they get excited, and there are a number of reasons why this could be happening.
We are going to take a look at some of the top reasons why dogs will sometimes pee when they are in an exciting situation, the signs of submissive urination and ways to stop this behavior.
Remember, if you’re at all concerned about your dog’s toilet habits or behaviors, make sure to reach out to a trusted veterinarian for their expert support. They will be able to help point you in the right direction for your pup’s personal needs.
So why do dogs sometimes urinate when they’re excited? As we mentioned, there could be a number of reasons this is happening - even a mixture of the below factors could be contributing to this.
By becoming educated on the possible causes, this can help you to better understand your dog’s responses to certain stimuli and put the measures in place to manage this.
With that said, here are some of the main reasons why your dog may be exhibiting submissive urination behaviors:
Submissive urination is really what it says on the tin: an act of submission. A dog may pee when she sees you because they are trying to prove that they don’t pose a threat, that they can be trusted and just want affection or to play.
Sadly, for a number of dogs this can also be an indication that they’re experiencing fear in this situation.
Especially if your dog is a rescue, they may have experienced past trauma that triggers this response - so take note of when your dog is peeing and see if there are any “fear factors” contributing to this (e.g. are you standing/looming over them? Are you making too much direct eye contact? Are you invading their space? Are you touching them when they want to be left alone?)
Peeing due to excitement is most common in puppies and younger dogs. A puppy may pee when they get excited because they haven’t been fully toilet trained yet, and while this behavior is something that will take a bit of work to reroute, proper training tools such as calm greetings, redirecting your dog’s attention and taking them straight out to the toilet before greeting them properly can all be really helpful.
Try not to add to their excitement by approaching your dog with high-energy yourself (e.g. high-pitched/excited voice when addressing them) and discourage any excitable behaviors too.
If you notice your dog is failing to grow out of submissive urination or peeing from excitement, there is always the possibility it could be down to an underlying health problem. There are a number of conditions that could be causing your dog to pee frequently, from UTIs to diabetes to more serious issues. This is why it is always important to consult your vet to rule out any physical issues you may be concerned about.
Remember, on some occasions dogs peeing when excited can actually be an instinctual response - their body’s way of channeling their spike in emotions. Of course, if this is happening over and over, it can be an uncomfortable and unappealing experience for both you and your pup (not to mention all the cleaning products you’ll be getting through.)
As we’ve mentioned, there are also a number of possible health concerns that could be contributing to this behavior. Urinary tract infections, for instance, can irritate the lower abdomen causing your pup to feel like they need “to go” more frequently. Both kidney issues and diabetes can prompt an increase in drinking and therefore - logically - means your pup needs to pee more. Equally, if your pup has experienced any damage to the brain or is developing dementia these can contribute to a loss of bladder control too.
Surprisingly, a lesser known factor could be down to their exposure to certain toxins or drugs. Marijuana is known to cause dogs to become highly excited and again result in excitement urination from this heightened emotional state.
If there’s any chance of your pup coming into contact with this in your local area, we would caution you to avoid this exposure at all costs.
As previously mentioned, whatever the cause of your pup’s erratic urination behavior, it’s best not to guess at the cause and to instead seek a qualified veterinarian’s opinion - so they can physically examine and test your pup professionally.
Some good news is that submissive behaviors are fairly easy to spot in dogs, especially if you do some reading on these body language signs and are aware of what your dog is aiming to communicate to you.
Some of the telltale submission signs that your dog may be about to urinate include:
Dogs will often flatten their ears down or back as a sign of submission - this could be a sign that they might possibly urinate if not intercepted.
Another submissive behavior is when dogs lift up and offer their front paws, trying to show that they surrender themselves and are not a threat.
Dogs often tuck their tails between their legs as a way to protect themselves and to make themselves smaller - this is commonly seen in anxious or nervous dogs.
Excessive licking, particularly of their lips, can be a significant sign that a dog is in distress or feeling uneasy.
One of the most submissive moves a dog, or any animal, can do. By rolling over and exposing their belly, they are completely surrendering control, trying to show that they are friendly and unthreatening. Dogs will often do this around people or animals they trust.
One of the biggest mistakes we make when greeting dogs is getting them over excited; this is a one way ticket to pee-town. When we greet our dog we should remain calm, maintaining a soft voice and gentle energy to stop the dog from getting overstimulated, and thus, feeling the need to urinate. If your dog continues to be excitable, make sure not to reinforce or reward this behavior and instead wait for them to calm before you continue interacting with them.
Redirecting your dog’s excitement by throwing them a toy or taking them outside straight away are both excellent ways to reroute your dog’s attention and draw their focus away from an overstimulated greeting response. If you notice your dog ramping up to pee, try to use this moment to redirect their attention to something they perhaps aren’t expecting as this may help to break the trigger - response cycle.
Having a strong focus on proper greetings in your pup training programme can be very beneficial. Implementing this yourself and with others who enter your home will be a consistent lesson for your dog and hopefully minimize little accidents. For example, everyone should follow the rule of “turning away and not giving your dog attention” if they are becoming over-excited or jumping all over new guests.
Taking your dog outside regularly, for walks or even just to play and sniff around outside, is a great way to keep their senses stimulated and distracted. It also gives them the chance to potty outdoors - where ideally you want them to go. Dogs can easily get bored and fall into bad habits, but by keeping things interesting for them, as well as giving them lots of opportunities to relieve themselves, will help avoid indoor urination.
Potty training can be a tricky business, but is vital to your dog’s routine. From a young age, you should be implementing a clear toilet training routine for your puppy, taking your dog out regularly or using puppy pads, followed by rewards for desired behavior. Some dogs may get a little confused or take longer to learn, but with patience and encouragement, they’ll get the hang of it eventually.
This is perhaps one of the most important tips we can share with you; build a loving and positive relationship with your dog, to nurture their trust and confidence. Getting your dog to trust you and see you as a safe presence in their lives is top priority, and will make training and teaching a WHOLE lot easier for everyone involved. Dogs need to feel safe and understood in order to learn effectively…love is the key!
So, we know what we SHOULD do. But there are a few things that you should definitely AVOID when it comes to rerouting submissive urination:
By ignoring your dog or walking away from them, your dog can get very confused. If they are excited to see you and you simply ignore them, this can be very upsetting for them and won’t actually help the situation.
Shouting, reprimands and frustration facial expressions will only scare and confuse your dog. They are not behaving this way to be bad, and so they won’t understand why you are angry with them.
Punishment of any kind should not be implemented when it comes to submissive urination. Physical punishment is always a no-go, and punishment such as verbal cues or crating will only scare and confuse your dog further. Dogs, like all animals, do not respond to fear, and can only learn in environments where they feel safe and happy.
Remember, your dog WANTS to make you happy, they are not behaving ‘badly’ on purpose.
Everyone wants to see their dog happy and with their tail wagging, and by offering a calm, safe and structured environment, you should soon be seeing the tail-end of excited urination!
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