By Heidi Clayton
Whenever I meet a new puppy coming to me for training I never greet them with excitement and most often don’t talk to them at all. The reason I am very neutral is that I have been peed on just enough times to know that making a big fuss or stink during introductions can be a problem.
Excited or submissive urination in puppies is a fairly common issue. Excited peeing looks like exactly what the name implies. The puppy gets excited when people come over to meet them and pet them. Then, they spray pee all over the place. Submissive urination is when the puppy will squat down somewhat hunched or even go as far as to roll over on their backs peeing the entire time. There is also a chance your puppy could have UTI, so the first step I recommend to people is to get their urine checked to rule out a medical reason.
Let’s address excited peeing first. Most puppies lack impulse control, and some have less bladder control than others. They get excited by someone talking to them in a high-pitched voice while bending down to pet them. They simply don’t possess the impulse or bladder control to not pee.
You should first take note of what level of excitement gets the puppy to pee. For example, if it is meeting new people or being pet, then the treatment will be that when first meeting someone, the puppy is to be completely ignored. When the puppy calms down, continue to not talk to them in a high-pitched voice and remain monotone. You can also pair the approach of a new person with a super yummy treat.
Once the initial excitement is over I suggest slow, calm petting sessions. Teaching your puppy self-control games like not barging out of crates or through doorways is also very helpful. Don’t use the word stay. Instead, reward them for staying still when you reach for the doorknob or crate door. I ask a puppy to sit and then slowly put my hand on the doorknob. If the puppy stays in a sit and doesn’t jump up to plow through the door, they get a treat. If your puppy gets excited when you approach their crates and pees, try not talking to them at all and walking right by the crate when you come home or into the room. You can start impulse-control training right at the crate door by asking them in a neutral voice to sit. Most puppies outgrow excited pee easily when you teach them to control their excitement.
Submissive pee is a touch trickier in my experience. Most of the puppies I have worked with who pee out of fear have other temperament issues that need to be addressed. A fearful puppy, in my opinion, who struggles with everything, will need to learn how to be more comfortable in their own skin, which can be tricky. Most of the dogs I have worked with that submissive pee have what I consider to be poor social temperaments. When dealing with this issue, it is important that you don’t let people hover or hunch over your puppy. Start teaching the puppy confidence-building skills with silly tricks like climbing inside a box or even stepping onto something scary like a piece of plastic that makes a crinkly noise. Teaching a fearful puppy to be comfortable in their own skin and exposing them slowly to positive experiences that you pair with an amazing treat will help them gain control of themselves.
One cardinal rule is that you never yell at or punish an excited or submissive pee problem. If a fearful dog gets yelled at for something they simply cannot control, you will never give them the confidence needed to overcome it. If your house is getting destroyed by pee, I suggest getting absorbent underpants for the dog to wear inside while you are working through this issue.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
