Help! My dog pees in the house
Normally, every dog learns to be house trained as a puppy. This may take longer with some dogs than with others, but most of the time, every dog will eventually become toilet trained. From that moment on, a dog will no longer pee in the house unless there is a reason to do so. When unwanted urination behaviour, such as urinating in the house, occurs or when the dog has never been toilet trained, there is always a cause. Indirectly, they send out a signal that something is wrong. We can roughly divide the causes of unwanted urination into two groups; a medical cause or a 'behavioural issue.
Medical Cause
Medical causes can be, for example, bladder problems, kidney problems, diabetes or incontinence. There are also several other possible causes. If you suspect a medical problem, it is best to contact your veterinarian. If you notice that your dog is unable to urinate or has a continuous urge to push, it is necessary to contact your vet immediately, this is an emergency!
Peeing in the house as a result of a ‘behavioural problem’
Submission/uncertainty
One of the causes of peeing in the house is due to submission or insecurity. This often manifests itself in a dog that has a low attitude and shows this behaviour against a higher rank. This is common in young puppies. Insecurity causes the dog to pee to inhibit or prevent possible aggression from the other individual. As the dog gets older, it will usually gain confidence and the behaviour may go away on its own. In addition, it is important to approach the puppy calmly and not too dominantly. When greeting, bend your knees and do not stroke the dog on the head (dominant), but for example between the front legs. When that goes well, you can expand your contact with your dog.
Excitement
Excitement can cause dogs to lose control of their bladder muscles and pee. This excitement can consist of enthusiasm and joy, but also tension. We see this mainly in puppies and young dogs. They sometimes become so enthusiastic during a greeting or while playing that they can’t control their bladder. Try to make a greeting as calm as possible and stay calm yourself. If this does not work, you can first ignore the dog on arrival and only pet it again when it has calmed down a bit. In addition, it is wise to give the dog the chance to pee before and after playing and keep playtime short. This reduces the chance of unwanted urination.
Marking behavior
Some dogs may be inclined to start marking their territory. This can occur when the position of the dog within the group or family is not clear. In addition, the presence of another dog in the house or seeing another dog walking by can also lead to this behaviour. In this case, peeing is usually done against vertical objects, such as the sofa or a door. In some cases, a (chemical) castration can offer an improvement. It is good to put clear rules in place and to show leadership towards the dog.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety can also be a cause of unwanted urination. Because of the fear and stress that is experienced, the dog no longer has control over its bladder and he/she may pee in the house. It is important to address separation anxiety through behavioural therapy. This takes a lot of time and is not always easy, but it is necessary to improve the well-being of your dog and also to tackle unwanted urination.
There are also products you can use to support your anxious dog . The products from Pet Remedy contain calming ingredients, like Valerian, to support your anxious dog in a natural way.
Kennel cleanliness
Dogs that are in shelters for a long time and rarely go outside or dogs that are alone at home a lot can develop urination issues. Normally a dog will not soil its own place, but if there is no opportunity to relieve itself outside, this can still occur. At some point, this can become a habit. So if you have to leave your dog at home alone, make sure that someone can walk him several times a day.
Caution! Punishing is useless and can only make the problem worse!
In general, when peeing in the house due to a behavioural problem, the dog should not be punished. This can actually make the behaviour worse. After all, there is a reason why the dog pees in the house. It is important to address the cause of this. In some cases (behavioural) training is necessary. This training can be supported by: dietary supplements.
Use of dietary supplements
Various supplements are available to support stress and tension that may cause unwanted urination, such as the Adaptil, Zylkene, and Telizen. Fore more information, please contact our vet.
Remove odour and stains
When a dog urinates in the house and the smell must be removed to prevent the dog from continuously urinating in the same place, you can use specially developed products for this. For example, we have Urine Off, All Friends Animal House Cleaner and Ecopets Urine Odour & Stain Remover .
