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First, rule out medical problems. This is especially important if your dog has suddenly started to eliminate in the house after being housetrained.
- Certain medical conditions which increase thirst and urination, or in which the bladder or gastrointestinal tract are irritated may contribute to house-soiling,
- Bladder stones or infections.
- Diabetes.
- Cushing’s disease.
- Cognitive dysfunction in older dogs.
- Gastroenteritis, intestinal parasite and pancreatic problems.
Examine your dog’s behavior.
- Has anything changed in your dog’s life or environment? Has there been a change in your dog’s routine?
- Has a new pet or baby been introduced to the family?
- Does the inappropriate elimination only occur when you are away from home?
- Does your dog/puppy urinate when greeting you or visitors?
Submissive urination:
- Dog squats or rolls over and urinates while greeting owners or visitors. This is a gesture of appeasement.
- Problem is often temporary, occurring mainly during puppyhood, primarily during the first year of the puppy’s life.
- Occurs more frequently in certain breeds of dogs and is more common in females.
To help reduce this behavior and train your dog/puppy, avoid making any dominant gestures toward your dog and work to build your dog’s confidence. When greeting your dog, do not look directly at, talk to or touch your dog. Allow the dog to approach you once you are seated. Do not use harsh, confrontational training methods. Instead, encourage your dog. Do not tie food rewards to behavior, or performance of tricks. Have a variety of toys available for the puppy to enjoy at all times and compliment good behavior.
Separation Anxiety:
- If inappropriate elimination only occurs when you are away from home, anxiety may be triggering the behavior.
- Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety usually have a dysfunctional history.
To help this behavior, make your arrivals and departures low key and calm. Interact with your dog on your terms. Play with, pet and feed your dog when you are ready to do so, not when the dog asks for it. Develop behaviors to give your dog clues that you are leaving, such as picking up your keys and putting on your jacket. Repeat this behavior several times when you are not leaving, to demonstrate to your dog that his negative, fearful feelings are not necessarily associated with your leaving him alone. Give your dog something to do while you are gone, such as toys or a bone. Make sure you provide plenty of exercise, including mental exercise as this calms the dog. A tired dog is a good dog!
Steps to Training Your Puppy
Make sure your puppy goes outside:
- Immediately after waking up
- After exercise
- 20-30 minutes after eating
- Right before bedtime
Create a schedule for the week. Feed, exercise and take your puppy outside at the same times every day so that your puppy gets used to a routine and knows what to expect. Keep the diet consistent in terms of the amount, type and timing of food and mealtimes. At other times, try to have someone observe the puppy to make sure that the puppy does not eliminate in an inappropriate location.
In training your dog or puppy, it is important to remove odors and evidence of inappropriate elimination:
- Dogs are attracted to the scent of urine and feces and will often return to the same location to mark territory or repeat the behavior.
- Use Urine Off to destroy odor and stains from urine, feces and other body fluids.
