Without a lot of drama, immediately take them to their outside bathroom spot. Praise your pup and give a treat if they finish there. Don't punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, just clean it up.
Ignore the behavior.
When your dog submissively pees, pretend that it didn't happen for a few minutes. Scolding or praising at this point will only reinforce your dog's belief that he needs to submit to you by peeing.
The problem with punishing a dog for urinating in the house is that it doesn't help to solve the problem, it may make your dog fearful, and it can even make the problem worse. If there might be a medical issue, it's important to see a vet first.
Take your dog outside to help them make a connection with this being the place to pee. If you're returning home, give your dog a treat to distract them and give them something productive to do with their excited energy. Keep your greetings modest and calm so your dog doesn't interpret them as acts of dominance.
Avoid using puppy pads, since they can sometimes lead to confusion and teach him that he is allowed to pee in the house. Don't yell at him when he has an accident, but if you catch him in the act, you can use a loud noise like clapping to let him know that it's not OK. Housebreaking an adult dog is a similar process.
Punishing your dog by rubbing their nose in urine is an ineffective and outdated method that can cause more harm than good. Dogs are much more likely to learn and respond to positive reinforcement, rather than punishment.
The reason puppies hold on outside and then pee immediately once they get back in is that the house is their happy place and the yard is not. As soon as they come inside, their parasympathetic tone increases and only then do they feel the urge to urinate. Your job is simple in theory: make outside a happy place too.
Peeing while excited is a behavior that your dog may do to show submission or other feelings they are trying to convey. This behavior is more common in puppies and luckily most dogs will outgrow this phase of submissive peeing on their own.
The top 3 best potty training sprays we reviewed:
Bodhi Dog Potty Training Spray – Best Attractant For Pee Pads. Gold Medal Pets Housebreaking Aid – Best Attractant For Outdoors. PoochPad Potty Training Attractant – Best Attractant For Grass Pads.
Many (but not all) dogs hate the smell of citrus, so using citrus smells like citronella, lemongrass, lemon, and even bergamot can repel some dogs from an area. You can use these smells in scented candles or sprays to see if it keeps your dog away from an area where you don't want them peeing.
Like much of their body, a puppy's bladder isn't yet fully developed. Many puppies can only hold their urine for short periods. Frequent accidents could be the result of an overly full bladder, especially if your puppy doesn't yet recognize the importance of going potty in a designated spot or area.
Housetraining is one of the most difficult processes new puppy owners face, and the majority of puppies still have the occasional accident until they are over 6 months in age.
Your Pup Still Doesn't Have Full Bladder Control
If your puppy will only pee inside the house, you need to remember that young pups don't have complete control over their bladder. Most puppies aren't able to hold it until they are about 4-6 months old, and this is the time most accidents happen.
Treatment: Things to do:
When the dog submissively urinates, ignore it. Scolding will make things worse, as well as acknowledging the dog with praise may confuse it. Use treats rather than physical praise, such as petting.
If your dog urinates when they are playing or being greeted, but doesn't exhibit submissive postures, it could be excitement urination. If your dog does not display any of these symptoms, they may be urinating to mark their territory.
He might be stressed by a current or recent occurrence. There may be a problem with the dog's urinary tract. Or there may be a deeper, more systemic issue. A dog may urinate in his own bed if he is experiencing stress, anxiety, fear of abandonment, or grief, such as for the passing of another dog in the family.
It happens because overexcitement or fear may cause the pup to momentarily lose control of the muscles that close the urinary bladder, which allows a small amount of urine to escape. This is a physiological response to excitement and is not under the pup's control.
It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a predictor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside. Your puppy's previous living conditions are another predictor.
These include sniffing around, fidgeting, and beginning to circle before squatting. A whining or pacing dog may also be indicating that it needs to go to the toilet, as well as a dog that has been chewing on something for a while and suddenly moves to do something else.
Sometimes dogs use urine to mark objects, including your bed. Studies have shown dogs don't mark to claim territory, it's more like graffiti that says, “I was here.” So, they aren't telling you the bed belongs to them but are more likely adding their scent to a communal space.
The “sniff test” is common advice that we have probably all done, but is no longer the advisable way to introduce yourself to a new dog. Extending your hand towards a dog you don't know could be seen as a potential threat, and trigger a defensive bite.