Submissive Urination Training

Submissive urination is when a dog urinates because it is anxious, excited or frightened. It is a common problem even when a dog is fully housebroken, because it is an act of submission rather than true urination and is triggered by a different set of biological processes.

  1. Punishing

    • Never punish a dog for an act of submissive urination. Because it is an act of submission, scolding will often make a dog urinate more, worsening or continuing the behavior.

    Petting

    • Dogs who are submissive urinators should not be petted on the head or the back. These areas are attack zones in a canine fight for dominance and will cause a submissive response.

    Posture

    • Standing over a dog is an act of dominance, so simply standing upright can trigger an act of submission. When interacting with a submissive dog, calling the dog from a crouched posture at a short distance away may prevent urination.

    Approach

    • To prevent submissive wetting, dogs should be approached with the hand held palm up and from an angle where the hand is always visible to the animal.

    Time

    • In many cases a dog will out grow submissive urination. The behavior is often abandoned as the animal matures and becomes more secure in its surroundings.