The Right Way, and The Wrong Way to Deal with the Situation
Regardless of why the dog is peeing, whether it be due to attention-seeking behaviours or is breed-specific, there are certain things that you do not want to do when attempting to fix the issue. When your dog seems to be acting out by peeing in inappropriate places for attention, it can, understandably, make the most laid-back human angry. The problem with that is, your reaction to the situation is critical when figuring out how to fix it.
Getting angry, and acting on that anger, is likely going to be counterintuitive and, simply put, will probably back-fire. When we show anger, it teaches them to fear us. That fear tends to take over and can result in any possible lessons being lost in translation, so to speak. It can also cause the dog to submissively urinate, which obviously, defeats the entire purpose.
Can dogs pee to get attention?
If your dog is house-trained and starts making little puddles at random times, this may be a form of getting your attention. It’s hard to figure out a dog’s thought process, but it is safe to assume that if your dog has managed to get your attention once by soiling the house, he’ll use the trick again.
Let’s have a look at the most common reason your dog might do this.
Many dogs, including large fearsome ones like German Shepherds, can suffer from separation anxiety. It’s not just that they hate being left alone, your dog has no way to know you’re coming back. A dog doesn’t understand the concept of going to work so they might be genuinely afraid you’re not coming back.
When your dog sees you getting your morning coffee and dressing up for work, he’ll know you’ll be away for a while.
If he pees on the floor just as you’re putting your coat on, you don’t have to assume it’s a conscious act. Like acting out of spite. He may simply pee because he’s afraid of you leaving the house. In other words, he may not be doing it on purpose, but because he cannot help it.
Or, a clever dog might figure out that you will have to clean the puddle so you won’t be leaving in a hurry. A sensitive dog may risk a scolding just to keep you around some more.
If that is the case with your dog, you should look up separation anxiety and learn how to deal with it.
The general idea is to train him by progressively increasing the duration of your separation. For the first few days, leave the house at the usual hour but pop back in five minutes later. The dog will be reassured. Next try leaving the house for 15 minutes, 30 minutes and so on. You need to reinforce the idea that he has no reason to worry.
Do not scold or punish the dog as this may only increase his anxiety. Now he knows you’re angry and he has all the more reason to believe you might not come back.
Your dog may be peeing to get your attention even if you work from home and separation anxiety is not an issue. But, if you sit in front of your computer for hours, your dog will get bored. And he knows that letting go in the middle of the room will make you get up and attend to him. Once again, do not scold the dog and don’t rub his nose in the puddle. He doesn’t know that your tapping away at the keyboard is important and he may resent you for not paying attention to him instead.
Since you cannot spend your time entertaining your dog, to stop this type of unwanted behavior don’t give him what he wants, and that is attention. Clean the puddle, but ignore the dog. Remove him from the room if necessary.
However, you need to consider the underlying issue and find ways to relieve your dog;s boredom.
One way of doing that is to increase the duration of your walks together. Instead of taking him out in the morning for a quick pee, take a 30-minute tour of the neighborhood. Give him time to sniff around trees and lamp posts to see who was out and about, or interact with other dogs. This will give him something to think about for the next hours and, also, a brisk walk might get rid of the excess energy so he’ll nap for a couple of hours.
Another way to relieve your dog’s boredom is to provide entertainment in the form of a toy filled with treats. Working out how to get to the juicy treats will keep him busy for a while and all the excitement might make him sleepy afterwards. You can also give him a large bone to chew, but only if the dog is in the same room with you and you can keep an eye on him. Remove the bone after 20-30 minutes at any time if it gives signs of splintering.
Dogs do not like to share the attention and love of their favorite human with anyone, two-legged or four-legged. If there are any changes in your family life, your dog might resort to peeing to get your attention.
At the same time, experts qualify this sort of peeing as territory-marking.
For instance, if there’s a new baby in the house, your dog may suffer a lot, especially if it’s the first child and he used to be the center of attention before its arrival.
Your dog may pee in the baby’s room or on its toys as a way of announcing the house is his. To reassure your dog of your love, make sure to offer a nice treat whenever the baby’s around or make a point of sitting down on the floor and give him a good belly rub while your partner tends to the kid.
This may happen if you have a new partner. Don’t be surprised if your dog urinates on your boyfriend’s new shoes. The message is clear – this is my house, get lost! Do not punish the dog as this will only reinforce his conviction that he’s losing you and make the peeing situation worse.
Also, you can expect some sort of attention-seeking peeing if you bring home a new pet. If you’re fussing over the new pet, a quick pee is a sure way of getting some attention. It’s also a way of letting the newcomer know this is his territory.
Peeing in the House When You Are Home
Sometimes dog owners forget that a pee-walk is much more for the dog than only a time to relieve itself — dogs experience it as a time of special attention.
When your dog “asks” to go out, it is not necessarily only to pee or relieve itself. In human terms, we could say your dog is longing for your sole attention. After the walk, your dog is normally relaxed and satisfied and takes a nap.
When you don’t act on your dog’s signals to go out, it can easily regress to urinating in the house again. This will happen mainly when you are also in the house as your dog will experience the reprimand as attention. So, yes, your dog could use peeing in the house to get your attention.
To rectify this behavior, try to take your dog for a walk every time it signals that it wants to go out. If time is a factor, cut the walk short, and don’t worry if your dog doesn’t even pee. If you don’t have the time to go out and are sure your dog does not have an urgent need to pee, just cuddle and play with your dog for a few minutes.
Do dogs pee for attention?
Often, a house-trained dog will urinate unexpectedly in the home. Dogs urinate for many reasons besides the simple need for elimination, including submissive peeing, territorial marking, and in response to extreme excitement. While this behavior is instinctive, there are several training methods you can use to curb the occurrence.
In a pack, dogs are expected to show the alpha that they accept their role as the leader. To avoid confrontation, dogs will roll onto their backs and urinate. This is a typical behavior puppy’s exhibit, which is usually outgrown before they enter adulthood. But some dogs remain timid and their habit of submissive urination can become a problem in the home.
If your dog pees when any of the below take place, there is a good probability it is due to submissive urination:
Dogs that behave in this manner are usually anxious, shy, skittish or have a history of mistreatment. A dog that is unclear of the rules and how they should respond to cues will be insecure and resort to submissive peeing as a way to avoid punishment and appease whomever they perceive to be the leader.