Peeing When Excited.

Hey everyone. Happy St. Patrick's Day!! (Well, almost).

Anyway, Blue and I have just hit the 8 week mark together and it's fantastic. She's a dote! Very placid, a total joker and has a fantastic range of expressions. My mother and father who were very opposed to me getting a dog, adore her, my best friend (and better half) drives 200 hundred miles to see her (not me, her- humpfh). Basically- she's great. She loves us and has been happily adopted by our very maternal mini JR terrier. She even loves our pet ducks so I'm trying to teach her to herd them!

One little habit she has developed over the past three weeks or so is peeing whenever she sees me. While I'm at work all day, she's at home with mom and has loads of visitors (I'm the youngest of six and she's become a family favourite with all of my nieces and nephews). However, when I get home in the evening, the first thing she does is scramble onto my lap while I'm still in the car (I've developed a very awkward way of gathering all my stuff in one arm while opening the door and sliding out before she can get in). Once or twice when she has made it onto my lap, she'll pee right on my leg if I rub her. If she doesn't get into the car, she'll make a little puddle as soon as I get out.

I thought it was just the excitement at seeing me after I'd been away all day but she does it when I'm around all the time, too. Like this weekend, we went for a walk. Then we played ball for a bit. After that, our terrier went for a swim in the duckpond and Blue walked along next to her (cute to see- the water's too shallow for her to get the legs up off the bottom!). When she came out of the water, she went for a pee herself and came over to me as soon as she was done. When I petted her- a puddle!

I asked my vet if she could have a kidney infection or maybe a cold but he checked her out and said she's fine- just a habit.

Has anyone any experience of this? (I did a search but couldn't find any threads with the topic). I'm not going to take disciplinary measures with her for this because I don't want her to get anxious about peeing. I know she's still young (three and a half months) but I don't want this to develop into a problem if there is a way that it can be prevented.

Does anyone have any advice or experience?

Helen
Respond to this topic here on forum.oes.org  
It is related to submissive peeing or she's still learning bladder control. Dogs "mark" their territory. So they all learn to save up a supply for marking. This is one of the reasons they can be potty trained, the dog becomes aware of how to control their bladder.
My Abbi used to puddle any time she was around my husband. Vic would get so upset. He saw it as an obnoxious habit, and she was just trying to please him. So we had her sit out in the grass whenever he was coming home. He would come out and pet her, give her a tibit and play with her a bit. We had a few more incidents, but by the time she was 8 months to a year old she never did it again. Not until she lost bladder control and had to start taking Proin.
There was a thread about submissive peeing or urintating ... let me have a look and see if I can find it. Sometimes we go off topic, so you have to search for inside the posts, not by topic.....
But I believe she is going through a transition, just don't reward her for peeing, which I am sure you wouldn't knowingly do. But even more attention can be construed as a reward. Better to either go YUCK! or ignore it. Don't clean it up in front of her if possible. Who knows how dogs think, but Abbi will defecate right in front of the lawn mower because she figured out that I will stop the lawn mower and pick it up. So now I just skirt around it and have one of the girls pick it up (how alpha can you get :D ). She did not do it once this last week when I was cutting grass.
I will go research that thread now ... with a quick search of this forum I turned up several old posts that may help. turned out the key words to look for was nervous and submissive
One was the 2nd part of Ron's Winston saga and I rwill try to quote:
Quote:
A lot has happened in the last three months: Winston adapted to us and vice versa. His nervous peeing nearly vanished but not quite completely.
http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?p=2689#2689
I though someone had gone over submissive behaviors here. But I haven't found what I was looking for ---yet. Somewhere I read about this ..... it gave advice on how to redirect the behavior. Like making sure she cannot jump in your lap, but give her something else to do, like go fetch her favorite toy for you as you are getting out. Then make her sit and give her lots of praise. You want her to come to you, just not puddle. I will go look at my dog books ... maybe it was in one of them.

I found another breed's site FAQ's (Chihuahua web site). Ok, they are smaller dogs, but the same things should apply ---overall.
I think this person's hit it on the nose, so I am going to quote from the above website (which is almost as good as this one)
Quote:
About Sumissive Peeing
Have you ever come home and fussed at her when you found a mess?
By "peeing" when you return home she is telling you shes so happy (and relieved that you came back) and "telling" you "I'm sorry... look! I'm being totally submissive by letting loose some urine ...I am totally yours! No need to fuss with me-I'm already apologizing!"
Try to make your coming and going from the house as uneventful as possible-when you leave, just walk out the door-no long "goodbyes" or snuggles. When you return do NOT look directly at her at any time! Enter, walk right past her, don't say a thing! If theres an accident ,put the dog up , and quietly clean up the mess. Go and put your things up, change clothes, get settled in and then, in a normal quiet tone (high ,squeaky voices excite dogs) invite her to come sit with you and then you can say your "hello's",calmly and quietly . It may take a few weeks and with a submissive pee'er I'd continue it throughout her life. Obedience classes will also help her to build her confidence and give her something to "do" besides peeing when you greet her ( ex. "Baby sit!" will distract her and make her happy that shes pleased you by sitting). Keep working with her and practice those "soft, quiet tones" and you'll be amazed at the improvement!
A puppy is just a BABY- if it were human it'd be in a diaper. Many people expect their puppy to be fully trained at 3 or four months. This is still a very young pup. A reader said "I'd like to time her bowel movements " -think for a second, can you "time" your own ? how hard would it be for a puppy to know when it has to go? No "timing" is foolproof-especially if she is having any bowel problems.
Don't wake a sleeping puppy to go out-puppies need their sleep, wait for her to wake and then take her out immediately upon waking if possible.
It helps to use a key word so there is no confusion between walks/play/potty time. Settle on a verbal command to do their business- this can be any word you choose but keep it simple. I use "go-go" and I use it only when I want them to go potty. When they were first learning I'd add "good go-go!" if they got it right so they would associate the verbal reward with the deed. Whatever you choose-use it throughout the dogs life.
Make the experience pleasant (but not "playtime")-if you act like its a punishment, they'll take it that way.
It is NEVER a good idea to let a puppy /dog have full run of the house while potty training. If you can't be home , confine it to one room where everything dangerous, chewable etc. has been placed out of its reach and one where an accident won't ruin the floor (no carpeting)-close it off with a gate -no, don't buy one of those "baby gates" they were made for Babies-not Chihuahuas. Most have spacing that a Chi can walk through (or worse, get stuck in with disastrous results!) the ones with plastic mesh can be chewed through . We have half inch solid wood, 26" high "Dutch" doors (bottom only)attached ( hinges and eye hook "locks")in front of existing doors to rooms we don't want the FurKids to get into without supervision. If you don't want something that permanent or your lease doesn't allow it-I'll tell you a trick, ¼ inch plywood, cut to the exact size of the doorway with an added ¼ inch and 24-26" high will very effectively block a room when bowed and pressed into the door molding on either side. Its firm enough that a puppy can't dislodge it and easily removed and stepped over. Whichever room you put your pup in and if you will be gone for more than 5 hours or so make sure it has; its "bathroom" and in another corner-its bed, water in a bowl that won't tip (and not deep enough to drown in), toys, something to chew on and food. And...leave a radio or TV going (low) to provide background noise and block out outside noise that may be frightening.
Hint;”talk radio/TV” is NOT a good choice as they often have people shouting or arguing-sounds that will upset a pup or adult.
A puppy needs food and water available at all times. Chihuahua pups can have problems with hypoglycemia and can "bottom out" very quickly ,they are so tiny that they just can't maintain their metabolisms the way larger breed pups can.
Signals;
Chihuahuas will give very subtle signs when they want to go potty-some claw at your leg, some pant ,some "circle", some just look worried. You may be missing the signals. Try to figure out the body language right before it needs to "go" keep a log of that and note the time when it does go-it will help you to pinpoint when it needs to go out.

Crate Training to Housebreak
Crate training can be a very useful tool if used properly. Most cages have wire that is spaced too far apart for the adult ,and especially, the Chihuahua puppy. If you can't find one with small spacing a converted rabbit cage (see building a puppy pen) or a cat cage works very well. Or you can use a carry kennel but they are harder to clean. Your pup or dog should have room enough to stand(head erect),turn around and stretch out but it shouldn't be roomy enough that your pup can relieve itself in one corner and still have room to avoid it.
Never use the crate as punishment! Don't scold your dog and then put it in its crate-its supposed to be its home away from home-a safe haven, not solitary confinement or something to fear.
Never put your dog or puppy in a cage or kennel with a collar on! The collar buckle can get caught in the grating and twist around the dogs neck as it struggles to free itself.
I don't think young pups, especially Chihuahuas, should be crated before they are at least 12 weeks old. And even then for not more than a few hours. A puppy, that doesn't have the capability to "hold it" placed in a cage or kennel with enough room (and newspaper) to eliminate and move away from it will learn one thing-"its OK to poop in my kennel".
The three basic things you need to remember when housebreaking to either outdoors, litter or paper
1. If your Chi has an "accident" pick it and the accident up and take them and "it" to where you want them to relieve themselves and then Praise! Even though the dog did not do it itself , it will soon make the connection that its "good" to go here.
2.Clean every accident throughly and as soon as possible.
3. PRAISE,PRAISE,PRAISE! and more praise.
dougal did it a couple of times but as he got toilet trained he has stopped.
by the way my daughter lives in kenmare.
luv pepe
Agin'- you're a gem!!

Pepe- I'm in Kerry too. About 20 miles from Kenmare. Small world!
Hi have been reading this thread and wonder if anyone has advice on this subject when it relates to an older dog. My boyfriends dog is beautiful but goes barmy when we come in she runs and jumps from chair to settee in excitement leaving a trail of pee behind her on both settee and carpet. We have tried ignoring her when we come in and letting her straight out the back but she still jumps up and pees or occasionaly will sit by our feet and pee. Although she does this with my boyfriend who has had her from a pup she is particularly bad around me. any advice greatfully accepted as one carpet has had to be pulled up and the other will be close to follow along with settee. We do not want to replace them for this to continue. Help please, Cleo is a lovely dog (age 2 1/2) and this is spoiling our enjoyment of her..........................!
Our dog is almost 7 months old and she still pees when she gets excited. :( The last time she was groomed and they brought her out to us after, she peed FOUR times on the floor!! And walked through it too, of course. :x When we come home we have to instantly take her to the backyard and greet her in the grass. (And we still try to not make it a big production.) We try to discourage people from talking to her in a high-pitched voice and acting overly excited towards her, but she pees anyway. Every time we go anywhere (Petsmart, someone's house, etc., even walking through the neighborhood-meaning the middle of the sidewalk), she just pees anywhere. It's very discouraging.

The only advice the vet and trainers have given us is, "She'll grow out of it." and "Introduce her to lots of people." Well, it's been 4 months that we've had her, and she still does it and she's met lots of people. :P Not sure when exactly they "grow out of it."

She is potty trained, meaning that she goes in the backyard most of the time. I'm interested in any other advice on this topic.

:plead:
1st Time OES Mommy wrote:
Every time we go anywhere (Petsmart, someone's house, etc., even walking through the neighborhood-meaning the middle of the sidewalk), she just pees anywhere. It's very discouraging.


My boys are just over 8 months. I took them to Petsmart last week (separately) and both left floods in their wake :evil: . They do it for different reasons: Jonah because he's nervous and Gabriel because he's so excited. I don't really have the magic solution but you're not alone :)
My dog is now a year and a half old. He used to not "submissively pee" until after we got him neutered which was about 3 months ago. My curiosity is why does he do it now that he is neutered? He is technically my girlfriend's dog but whenever I come over, he get's so excited that he urinates. I'm assuming it's because of the fact that my girlfriend has placed me as the enforcer and scold him whenever he's doing something wrong has something to do with it.
Make your coming and going a non-event. Don't be so excited to see him, and don't pet him until he calms down.

Until the peeing stops, have your girlfriend bring him outdoors just before you arrive. She should calm him and you shouldn't acknowledge him until he is calm.

If you've both been out, when you come in redirect from the greeting behavior to have him get his leash to go out for a pee. If that doesn't work, crate while out and calmly, quietly get the leash on him and bring him outside to pee when you arrive. You can also try this when you arrive and your girlfriend is home, instead of bringing him outside.

As far as the scolding issue, it is possible he sees you as the master and he's excited to see his master. You haven't described his actions much. Is he excited and jumping and happy and dancing, or is he cowering and squatting and shying away?
Ron wrote:
Make your coming and going a non-event. Don't be so excited to see him, and don't pet him until he calms down.


As far as the scolding issue, it is possible he sees you as the master and he's excited to see his master. You haven't described his actions much. Is he excited and jumping and happy and dancing, or is he cowering and squatting and shying away?


Hi, my dog (10 mo old Terrier mix) usually cowers and squats when I get home and let him out. Howe do I stop this submissive peeing? I can't stand having to clean up after him right when I've gotten home from work.

Art
South Carolina
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