There is nothing more frustrating than coming home to a house smelling of dog pee. Inappropriate elimination remains one of the leading behavioral problems in dogs. Some dog owners cannot put up with this behavior and end up giving up their dogs to shelter. But can a dog be stopped from peeing in the house when he is mad?
Well, dogs are emotional creatures. However, dogs cannot pee to revenge something you did. In fact, they do not think about what they are going to do next. They are all about the now, the current moment.
If your dog is peeing in the house, you must find out the reason behind it. However, do not assume that he is doing it out of spite or revenge.
Reasons why Dog Peeing in House When Mad
Inappropriate elimination is frustrating but can also indicate a serious problem. Several circumstances can lead to a dog peeing in the house.
Well, now that you know your dog is not acting out of spite, you must find out why he is doing it. It can be a behavioral problem or even medical. Therefore, you will need to pay attention to your dog. Take note of any recent change of behavior, look further into it.
Some of the causes of a dog peeing in the house include the following:
- Separation anxiety
- Inadequate training
- Submission
- Over excitement
- Drinking a lot of water
- Urine marking
- Fear and stress
- Illnesses
Separation anxiety
separation anxiety in dogs is likely to happen when you leave them alone for some time. This is especially when they are used to being with you all the time. For instance, if you have to go to work after spending a few weeks at home, your dog could develop separation anxiety.
As a result, he might start peeing in the house whenever you’re about to leave the house. In addition, dogs are very good at routines. However, whenever there is a change, it could trigger him to develop separation anxiety.
Do not punish your dog for peeing in the house. Instead, observe him for signs of separation anxiety. For instance, your dog will act out when you are about to leave the house. He will observe signs such us you picking your things. Besides, a dog will note the time you leave the house and when you come back. Every morning, you can notice your dog’s anticipation.
And because he is all alone, he will develop anxiety. This goes hand in hand with boredom. Now, when you are away, your dog has very little to do and all he can think about is that you are gone.
Luckily, you can adjust a few things to treat separation anxiety. For instance, avoid the obvious signs that you are about to leave. For instance, do not say goodbye or wave when leaving. Also, spend a lot of time with your dog to assure him of your love and presence. Ensure you play and exercise him every day.
Purchase interesting toys for your dog as well. Keep him as occupied as possible to avoid boredom which often results in separation anxiety.
Inadequate training
Now, puppies may have more accidents in the house. However, when an adult dog is peeing in the house, it is because he wants to annoy you. Not at all as dogs are always looking to impress us. Maybe your dog keeps peeing in the house because he was not adequately trained.
It takes some time before a dog is fully trained. Some puppies take several weeks while others could take months. However, if the training was discontinued or inconsistent, your dog might still have inappropriate urination issues.
If so, you have to re-train your dog. You may use the crate training method for puppies but you will need a bigger space for your dog. Also, use the laundry room or bathroom if you have some space. You will need to initiate potty training all over again.
Now, even with intense training, your dog could still have accidents. Do not get angry with him as they tend to feel our energy. Also, your dog can notice that you are upset but he cannot relate that to his actions. Therefore, understand that your dog is not peeing in the house because he is mad.
He just needs some training and patience while in the process. Do not forget to increase bathroom frequency for him if he is still peeing in the house.
Make the confinement place as comfortable as possible for your dog. The training process could take time. Thus, you must be patient and consistent. If you do not have the time to follow up on proper training, you can always hire a dog trainer.
A professional dog trainer will help you train even the most difficult dogs.
Submission
It is a common habit in puppies. Usually, they will exhibit this behavior because they are afraid or anxious. Unfortunately, you can trigger your dog to pee in the house. It could be because your approach is not appropriate for meeting the dog. A good example is when you or a stranger tries to reach out to your dog.
While he might be comfortable at first, if your body language is threatening to him, he could pee out of fear. Peeing is a sign that a dog is submissive and is trying to avoid confrontations.
If you are experiencing this problem, try approaching your dog in a friendly manner. Also, if he has not been socialized, give him some time to get used to meeting new people and even other pets. You must socialize your dog which will also curb aggressive behavior.
Adult dogs rarely exhibit this behavior. Puppies under one year might urinate as a result to show submissive behavior more often.
Over-excitement
. A good example is when his favorite person comes home after some time. Maybe you went to work and your pup is genuinely excited to see you.
He might jump, wiggle, circle around, and even urinate. In most circumstances, this will end up spraying urine due to the movements.
Well, some training such as how to stop a dog from jumping as well as desensitizing him from over-excitement might also curb this behavior. For instance, when you get home, refrain from entering the house immediately.
I am sure he knows when you get to the door and he is probably waiting for you on the other side. When you open, he will start wiggling and wagging his tail. He is happy to see you. However, once he starts jumping, close the door for a minute, and try again. Do this until he calms down and rewards him by petting him and offering him a treat.
Once again, training a dog out of a habit can take a few weeks. Remain consistent and patient until you stop the over-excitement leading to urinating in the house.
Urine marking
Urine marking can be territorial or sexual. When your dog attains sexual maturity and has not been altered, then he could urinate in the house. At the same time, if someone or another dog is crossing your dog’s boundaries, it could trigger him to pee in the house.
Well, if you have more than one dog, urine marking might happen especially before two dogs get along with each other.
To stop a dog from urine marking, get him altered. Also, ensure that there is a proper introduction between two dogs, especially if you are dealing with in-house territorial marking.
Illnesses
Peeing in the house can also be as a result of medical problems. Well, if your dog has suddenly started peeing in the house, observe for signs of illness. For instance, watch out for symptoms such as frequent urination and urine spraying. If a dog is spraying small amounts of urine in the house, it could as a result of an infection, or even a serious medical issue.
I suggest you check with your vet if you suspect that your dog is ill. They will examine your dog based on the symptoms presented as well as a lab test. If your dog has any medical problem, your vet will be able to treat your dog.
Conclusion
Dogs are sensitive and emotional creatures. As I have described above, a dog is capable of identifying the times you are upset, and when you are jovial. The only problem is, they do not associate themselves with your anger, even when they have peed on the floor.
While your dog might be aware of the potty area, several factors can lead to house soiling. However, you must understand that your dog is not doing all that out of spite. Even when you left him all alone and he is frustrated, he cannot relate his emotions to peeing in the house.
The above factors might influence your dog to start soiling the house even when you have potty trained him. Instead of getting mad or frustrated, I suggest you find a solution to this problem.
