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Is your dog urinating while wagging their tail each time you return home? Although you may be tempted to think that your dog is just difficult to potty train, this problem is more a behavioral one. In some dogs, especially small dogs, urination can be triggered by an overly excited state.
This usually happens when the dog is happy beyond limits and appears to forget how to control their bladder. Whether it is your return home, the visit of your friends, or any other factors that can make your dog excited, they can all make your dog pee in an unexpected manner. This can be quite frustrating and embarrassing, especially if it happens on someone’s shoes or pants.
It is an episode that usually happens all of a sudden. You will see the dog wagging their tail and even jumping around, filled with excitement. The next second, you will typically see them peeing on the ground or even as they move. Yes, some dogs don’t even bother lowering their bottom, as they pee standing or while playing.
So, if the peeing episode is always accompanied by states of joy and exhilaration, then we are definitely talking about excitement urination. Thus, don’t assume that your dog is just behaving badly. They simply need to learn how to calm down before they are unable to stop their bladder.
The bright side of excitement urination is that it may go away as soon as your new pup matures. When they are young, they find it difficult to control their bladder anyhow, so excitement only makes it worse. While it can be unpleasant, be patient as your small puppy will soon grow out of it.
If you find that your puppy gets excited rather easily, then this could definitely be the reason that they tend to pee often inside the house. This is something that can happen even in the case of mature dogs, due to the fact that the muscle controlling the bladder relaxes completely when the dog is relaxed. As you can assume, things are even more difficult for a pup that doesn’t have full control over their bladder in normal and calm situations.
Whether we are talking about small puppies or mature dogs, excitement urination can be quite unpleasant for you. Most certainly, you would like to know how to deal with it. Or, at least minimize it until your puppy grows older.
First of all, you need to bear in mind that it is exciting episodes that trigger urination in your dog. Therefore, you will have to reduce the occurrence of such episodes or their intensity as much as it is possible. When you return home, for example, don’t give your pup any form of attention. Don’t talk to them or look at them, and, above all, don’t touch them.
Do not feed their excitement by giving them the attention they crave. Besides this, maintain a calm state of mind and behavior. Act like your return home is nothing to jump about, just another normal event. Even if your dog jumps all over you, simply ignore it and do what you would normally do.
In case your dog pees on the floor, do not yell at or punish them. It is very easy to trigger other behavioral issues this way. For instance, your dog’s excitement urination can turn into submissive urination if they see you as a very intimating. Simply clean the area with adequate cleaning products, while keeping a calm state of mind.
You can also use some tricks to keep their mind occupied. For example, teach your dog to sit or lie down. Both of these positions will minimize or prevent the dog from urinating. Also, you can train your dog to perform some tricks in order to be rewarded. If your small dog loves belly scratches, work on training them to roll over so you can reward them that way.
The best way to get rid of this problem is to teach your dog to be calm. For this, you should be the inspiration. It is very hard for a dog to calm down when their owner has the wrong attitude. Remember to stay calm and remove all negative thoughts or show any signs of excitement. It is easy to calm a pet down with a gentle scratch behind the ear when you are in a calm state of mind.
It may take a while until you will obtain the desired results, especially in the case of small breeds. Still, it isn't impossible. Be consistent about your dog’s training, which also involves praising the dog when they do their duty where they are supposed to.
Kate Washington is a Marketing Specialist for Charlotte Dog Club. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Behavior and understands that having a happy life alongside your companion is more than training it for obedience