Labrador Puppy Peeing When Excited?

[Sticks1977]

I have just had a phone-call from my partner who came home to our chocolate labrador 'Fraser' who was very excited to see her and subsequently had a pee on her work jacket and it also sprayed up onto her face and neck. He has recently turned five months of age and it sounds a bit 'taboo' but his 'nuts' have finally come down as well.

She was bending down to give him a belly-rub and in the process got a squirt from him. Is this something that Fraser will eventually grow out of?

I have also noticed when some neighbours come over or he meets some new people in his own home or even at our parents when we take him over that he also has a small pee here and there - funnily enough he does not squat like he will normally do in the backyard when it's time for him to go to the toilet...

His toilet training is very good - he will tap on the sliding door with his paw to alert us that he wants to go outside. At times it is for the toilet and other times it is to play outside, but at least he is letting us know. Over the weekend I was hanging out some washing and somehow he actually opened the sliding door himself and came out to see me!

Lastly, should we be disciplining him at all when he does the accidental pee inside, around new people or when we come home? I have heard some people have said that you never rub the dog's nose in it (and we have'nt at this stage). It seems that he does get over-excited and this is the main time that he happens to let go of his bladder - or perhaps forgets about it?

Any advice would be appreciated, we are both first-time puppy owners and this seems to be his only down fall. He is a delight to have around home and I'm proud to say that he is getting me out of the house on regular daily walks - I have even lost a few kg's in the process...

If any of you require more information just let me know, we are thinking of getting him de-sexed soon as well - will this perhaps improve the puppy peeing stage that he is going through?

Regards,

Shaun (sticks1977)

[Paganman]

My girl did this sometimes when she was a puppy and she grew out of it she just used to get overexcited wasnt her fault she was just a baby. You dont ever punish pups for weeing inside and you NEVER EVER rub their noses in it thats a real old outdated thing cruel and barbaric and nobody does that anymore, if puppy has an accident inside the owners should rub their own noses in it for not being more careful and keeping an eye on the pup LOL.

Edited to put LOL in sos it doesnt sound like Im being serious.

Edited November 7, 2007 by Paganman

[Sticks1977]

Thanks for the reply Paganman - just hope you are not a supporter of Denis Pagan while he was at Carlton F.C in the AFL. Glad to see the back of that man... anyway...

Glad to hear that your puppy grew out of it - I hope that Fraser is able to do the same. I think he just forgets about bladder control and is so happy to see certain people. I have never thought to actually rub his nose in it and never will - he understands at times what he has done.

On a side note, he knocked over a bucket of water in the lounge room the other day, it was sitting there from me cleaning the carpets earlier in the day. As he knocked it over he barked once at it (both me and my partner were in another room), it was like he alerted us to what he had done. Had no reason to discipline him as we didn't see him do it but he realised what he had done and took a keen interest in me soaking up the water with paper towel.

He seems to take an interest in a lot of things, when I was putting the washing away today into certain drawers he was absolutely fascinated watching everything I was doing - gotta love him!

[Working_Setters]

In my experience he'll grow out of the peeing. It's a nervous/excited reaction, not a dominance thing, so I doubt desexing will help (but it won't hurt either). There are things you can do to help, don't get him over excited when he's inside with a full bladder. Have him sit, then introduce new people to him that way.

No sense punishing him, it's a nervous/excited reaction, not something he's doing deliberately and not something he can stop "cause he knows it's wrong". Just love him and as he gains confidence and maturity the problem will sort itself out.

[Rebanne]

On a side note, he knocked over a bucket of water in the lounge room the other day, it was sitting there from me cleaning the carpets earlier in the day. As he knocked it over he barked once at it (both me and my partner were in another room), it was like he alerted us to what he had done. Had no reason to discipline him as we didn't see him do it but he realised what he had done and took a keen interest in me soaking up the water with paper towel.

Only discipline needed here was on yourself for leaving a bucket of water out for the pup to get into. He most likely barked at it because he was startled, not to alert you to "his mistake". Would you leave a bucket of water out for a baby to fall into?

[Erny]

On a side note, he knocked over a bucket of water in the lounge room the other day... he barked once at it ... it was like he alerted us to what he had done.

Be careful to not impose your own thoughts as being those of your dog's (anthropomorphism). More likely he barked because he was startled by the bucket tipping and pouring out the water.

Had no reason to discipline him as we didn't see him do it ...

You're right. And it could have been by accident anyway.

... but he realised what he had done ...

What do you think he realised about what "he did"?

... and took a keen interest in me soaking up the water with paper towel.

Probably thought your actions were simply that - interesting! He would have no association between "wet floor/you mopping up" and him urinating on the floor, if that's what you are thinking?

Sticks - for your dog getting excited (the most common times being when someone comes home), practice ignoring him on entry. Only give him attention once he's calm and no longer vying for your attention. And keep the greeting calm/low key. Many dogs do "grow out of" the habit of urinating through excitement, provided you're doing nothing to give him cause not to.

ETA: I am only presuming your dog's urinating is the result of excitement. Another possibility is urinating through extreme submission. Either way, the 'treatment' is the same (ie ignore) except that I'd also avoid bending over your dog anytime he rolls to his back in submission. If it is submission, someone leaning over your dog (even though the intent is to give an affectionate belly rub) is quite a dominant posture and this can have the effect of increasing the submission your dog is attempting to display.

I'm sure your partner won't be bending down to rub his belly for a while, anyway

ETA: NEVER punish your dog for soiling inside. This can lead to other very undesirable behaviours later on (eg. copraphagia; aggression). Notice his "pre-wee" signs and quickly usher him outside. Reward him for having gone outside. Clean up any 'accidents' in his absence. Make sure you don't use amonia based cleaners to clean up with as these will actually attract your dog back to that spot and encourage him to soil there again. Excitement/submission aside, if he is still having accidents inside, then his toilet training is incomplete and you need to keep a more vigilant eye on him to maintain consistency in his toilet training.

Edited November 8, 2007 by Erny