Your dog probably wags his tail and jumps around when he’s excited. Your dog may also urinate when he’s excited, as you may have noticed. This frequently happens as a result of a physical reaction known as submissive urination. It’s completely normal in young dogs.
You must keep in mind that your dog views both of you as members of a pack. He recognizes that you’re the dominant figure in the pack. Submissive urination frequently happens as a sign of acknowledging dominance.
If the behavior is dominance-related, submissive postures and urination are frequently observed. The tail is lowered in these positions, and your dog may roll over on his stomach. and he will likely avoid direct eye contact. All of this conveys the message, “I know you’re the boss,” in dog body language. ”.
Along with being simply excited, your dog may also urinate in a submissive manner when they are scared or anxious. It’s equally common in both male dogs and female dogs. The majority of the time, puppies will outgrow this behavior, but it’s not uncommon for older dogs to urinate inappropriately after being reprimanded or being startled by something like a loud noise.
Let’s examine a few scenarios where submissive urination may be a sign of a problem you should be concerned about in order to answer the question of when you should be concerned.
There are some medical reasons for frequent urination if you believe your dog’s urination may not simply be a result of submissive behavior. Your dog’s urination is probably not intentional, but you should consider whether he is capable of controlling it.
Incontinence is a condition where a dog’s inability to control urination is concerned. It may be a sign of a more serious health issue. Your dog may have a weak bladder or a urinary tract infection (UTI) if he appears to have lost control of his bladder.
Since UTIs are a common issue, you should probably take your dog to the veterinarian if you notice him urinating frequently and that he lacks bladder control to make sure there isn’t a medical reason for his behavior. UTIs can be treated fairly easily with antibiotics.
Additionally, if you recently changed your dog’s diet, his behavior may simply be a reflection of a change in bathroom habits. Nevertheless, it’s better to be safe than sorry. You two are best friends, after all, and you don’t want anything to happen to him.
Excitement Urination Needs a Calm Approach
Despite the fact that your puppy should outgrow excitement-related urination, you can still manage the situation. First, take note of your puppy’s triggers. Whatever activities your puppy finds challenging—whether it’s interacting with people or playing with a favorite toy—are the ones you need to focus on.
First, if you can, take those activities outside. That will reduce your clean-up when your puppy piddles. Second, make these activities low key. Keep your puppy calm by remaining calm so as not to agitate them and cause an accident. Keep your body relaxed and your voice low if, for instance, your puppy pisses when you greet them. Your puppy might even need to be ignored for the first few minutes until they are sufficiently healed to handle your attention.
You can also teach your puppy to manage their emotions. Exercises that promote impulse control will help, such as waiting for a treat or toy or staying in the crate. So will relaxation exercises like lying down or using a mat be appropriate? Rewarding your puppy for remaining calm during training will promote a more relaxed outlook all around. You can train your puppy to sit or lie down during greetings rather than jumping up and down in excitement.
But not all puppies are excitement pee-ers. For some it’s all about communication. Keep in mind that poop has a different connotation for dogs than it does for humans. Just consider how curious dogs are about the urine deposits that are present on the surfaces of fire hydrants. Dogs use pee to communicate and not just by smell. Additionally, dogs will exhibit a behavior known as submissive urination in which they will urinate as well as display submissive body language to signal to other dogs to approach in peace.
The submissive dog will hunch down, tuck their tail, and occasionally even roll over and expose their belly where an aggressive dog might bare their teeth and raise their hackles. Then let the urine flow. Humans frequently fail to recognize that this is an appeasement gesture even though the other dog does. Your puppy is actually trying to tell you that you’re in charge by acting in a way that you might mistake for defiance or mischief.
Your puppy isn’t doing this on purpose, just like with excitement urination. It’s an uncontrollable response to the circumstances and an effort to maintain peace. When a dog feels emotionally overwhelmed, they are more likely to do this. If you don’t address the root of the issue while your puppy is still young, it may persist into adulthood. Once more, it’s a good idea to have your veterinarian rule out any physical issues before beginning treatment.
Submissive Urination as a Behavioral Issue
Due to their inability to control the urge to urinate, puppies and young dogs are most likely to do so. Because these dogs are acting instinctively, the problem is behavioral rather than medical. A few factors can contribute to this:
Urine marking is one closely related but distinct behavioral issue to be aware of. Dogs frequently urinate to mark their territory and try to express their dominance; this is the opposite of submissive urination. This signals to other dogs that the individual or place “belongs” to them.
Since instinct causes urination as a physical reaction, training your dog can help.
Why Do Dogs Urinate When Excited?
The good news is that puppies under a year old frequently experience excitement peeing, and they usually outgrow it. The bad news is that they won’t be able to break the habit right away. These are the dogs that urinate while you’re playing, when you get home, or whenever strange people come over. To teach a puppy to stop acting in this way, you’ll need to be patient and understand what she’s going through.
FAQ
How do you stop a puppy from peeing when excited?
- Try to limit all playtime to the outdoors or a designated area of newspapers and puppy pads.
- Similar to submissive peeing, don’t correct or punish your dog after an accident.
- When your puppy urinates in the proper location, reward it with treats, and limit your greetings.
Is it normal for a puppy to pee when excited?
When dogs get excited, they’ll likely wag their tail. They might also leave behind a small puddle of pee. Submissive urination is an automatic physical reaction that is common in young dogs. Dogs frequently urinate submissively when they are nervous, scared, shy, or excited.