Dogs urinate on the floor for a wide variety of reasons. It can often be frustrating for the owner and prove destructive to the home environment. There are several training tips that can be utilized to control the problem and retrain the dog. An owner must remain patient and try to see things from the canine point of view to be effective during the retraining process. All reasons for the dog's behavior need to be analyzed in order to correctly rectify the situation.
Things You'll Need
- Dog urine neutralizer
- Leash
- Crate
- Dog treats
Instructions
Take the dog to the veterinarian for a complete physical. Many adult dogs begin to urinate in the house due to a medical reason or a hormonal imbalance. Illness needs to be ruled out quickly by a doctor.
Fix your dog if it is not spayed or neutered. Intact dogs often begin to mark their territory when they reach sexual maturity. Many people are surprised to learn that this is a common problem with both males and females equally. Neutering and spaying the dog will help the territorial urine marking to eventually stop.
Play with your dog for 30 minutes prior to leaving the house. Many dogs urinate in the home because of separation anxiety. The owner leaves and the dog becomes upset emotionally. The dog feels alone, left out and unsure. Reinforce time with your dog and let your dog know how much you care. Leave the dog a special toy to play with while you are gone.
Leash your dog at home if he sneaks off to urinate. Young dogs often think it's all right to go into the other room and urinate while the owner is home. Correct this problem by not allowing the dog out of your sight. Hold onto the leash while the dog is in the house and closely monitor its every move. If the dog appears to need to go potty, promptly take him outside to do his business. After he has successfully urinated outside give him a tasty treat and a great deal of praise.
Place your dog in a dog crate during the night or while you are away from the house because dogs will normally not urinate in a crate and then lie in it. By using the crate you can control when your dog goes to the bathroom. Promptly take your dog out each morning or when you arrive home to urinate. When the dog does his business outside, offer lots of praise and a treat. Do not return to the dog to the crate right away but allow the dog freedom when he has successfully urinated outside.
Move slowly around your dog and always use a calm voice when addressing the dog. Many dogs suffer from submissive urination problems. This is a common situation where the dog will urinate when it sees the owner because the dog views the owner as the pack leader. This can be overcome by reassuring the dog with a quiet demeanor, low voice and no sudden movements when you first arrive home and the dog is excited.