Submissive urination is a condition that is not uncommon in puppies, most especially those that are timid, oversensitive or shy ones. If this is not corrected, some of these puppies will carry this problem into adulthood.
Submissive urination is a dog behavior wherein it urinates indiscriminately as soon as it becomes excited, aroused or afraid. This behavior can become a problem because chances are your pet can do this on your carpet, floor, your shoe, your guest’s foot or anything that happens to be under your dog’s body when the urge occurs. Observations show that more female dogs have a tendency to display this behavior than males, and that dog owners who are very dominant and harsh make their dogs prone to submissive behavior.
There are several instances where dogs urinate because of excitement or fear. These are: overly affectionate greetings from its master, when its master arrives home, heated arguments between people and when it is scolded. There are also instances wherein the dog urinates because of loud noise.
You need to have a good understanding of the dog’s language of dominance and submissiveness in order to properly manage this behavior. For their part, little puppies get this understanding from their mother. Dog express submissiveness by avoiding eye contact and keeping its head low, rolling on its back, or by urinating. The response dogs tend to show when it is being intimidated is by drawing out a signal to show the other party that its dominance is recognized.
If your dog urinates submissively when it sees you, you should understand that it does not do the act deliberately. You should not get angry with your pet for acting this way. Instead, you should realize that your dog needs your help.
Firstly, have your pet examined by a vet for possible physical abnormalities that might be related to this problem, as there are maladies that can make it difficult for a dog to control their facilities. If your vet has some findings that lead your dog to urinate indiscriminately, your vet will surely recommend certain actions that you must decide on in order to address your dog’s problem, such as surgery, medication or coping mechanisms.
But if your dog is declared healthy, it certainly has a behavior problem. Finding real solutions to this starts by taking note of the particular scenarios wherein your get gets excited or threatened. Once you have established what caused your dog’s feeling of excitement or fear, it’s time for you to devise a solution that will help to eliminate your dog’s problem.
Dealing with Submissive Urination
When you are working with dogs with submissive urination issues, these very important reminders will surely help you to get very good results:
— Always remember that dogs are very sensitive creatures that always respond to the way they are being treated;
— Scolding and punishing won’t work on them, especially to the submissive type; you’re only making it feel more powerless;
— The most wonderful thing that can happen to a dog is when it receives praise for doing right. Praise reinforces good behavior and builds up self-confidence;
— When greeting your dog, do not put on a dominant position like hovering over it. Your dog could interpret it as a gesture of dominance and it might get intimidated;
— Controlling your pet’s fluid intake can help it control its facilities. If you are expecting a guest, you can schedule its drinking before your guest arrives, but remember that you can not remove your dog’s access to drinking water for a long time.
— If your dog’s excitement for a greeting becomes an urge to urinate, you can eliminate its urge by ignoring it for a few minutes; only greet it when its excitement subsides. Ask your guests to do this when they come to your house;
— If your dog responds to scolding by urinating, it’s you who needs to change the way you treat your pet. Deal with your dog in a constructive manner if you are not pleased with what it does. Firmly saying NO every time your dog does something wrong is often enough. Just be consistent with your rules to prevent your dog from getting confused.
Submissive urination will just normally disappear as the puppy grows. But it is equally important to help your dog feel confident to make it a happy and well rounded pet.