I have a question that some of you may be able to answer about an 18 month old neutered male who urinates when excited. This is my mom's Shi-Tzu (hey, big dog in a little body). My mom has been wonderful with teaching him obedience using positive training methods (correction when needed). He is a very smart dog and so eager to please but no matter what my mom has done so far, including taking him out before company comes, &/or placing him in his crate until calm, & training everyone of her friends to ignore him until he calms down. The very few times he hasn't urinated, he has been calmly rewarded. He has been vet checked for any possible health issues (healthy dog). He doesn't submissively urinate and is a dominant dog when it comes to other dogs and it shows in his body language (mom has been working on manners around other dogs and it seems to be going well). He is a very wonderful dog except for this issue. I would welcome any info, ideas, anything to pass on to my mom. She is getting tired of cleaning floors and it is getting very cold to take him out when company arrives to get his urinating out of the way. Once he does it, he is good the rest of the visit. Help

Forgot to mention that I have no experience with this as none of my GSDs have ever done this and my trainer has given me ideas which were unsuccessful. He is a really great dog and he is a "working" dog in his mind with certian jobs like cleaning up his toys before bed, walking around the perimeter of the yard at night, and trying to bring the paper to dad, which is commical as the paper is bigger than he is. Again, any ideas would be appreciated.

Hi, Heidi,

Exactly what is happening when he urinates? Is he in the same room with the company, in his crate? Is he barking?

Also, QUOTE: it is getting very cold to take him out when company arrives to get his urinating out of the way.

I'm a little lost on that one. How else would he urinate? Isn't he taken out for it whether company is coming or not?

Sorry Connie, after re-reading it, I am rather unclear. My parents are in their mid 70's and live in Southern Florida so during winter, taking Odie outside to greet company is a bit difficult on everyone (I laugh when they complain about how cold it is since I live in Michigan)many of their friends have moderate arthritis. Yes Odie gets to go outside, is taken for regular long walks by my parents and actually loves the colder weather. To answer your other question, he urinates when he first sees company and is out of his crate, he never messes in his crate (this was one way my mom solved it but she wants a long term solution that doesn't keep him crated during company). Once he has greeted everyone, he never urinates again during the visit. It just occurs in those initial minutes of greeting, no matter how long he was crated before and even if he was taken outside to go potty before company is scheduled to arrive. I am hoping he outgrows it.

 Quote: Heidi Moen

he urinates when he first sees company and is out of his crate ....

I'd try leaving him in the crate longer, until their (the company's) presence has become less exciting.

Is this the only situation? I mean, there is no evidence otherwise of urinary incontinence?

Heidi,

Are you sure it is not submissive urination? Does he urinate when visitors come over to pet him? Does he roll over on his back to be rubbed? Does he urinate when they speak to him or make eye contact? Does he approach them on his own or do they come over to greet him?

Try teaching him the place command when company comes over and like Connie said, do not release him from the command until he is calmed down. If you are not familar with the place command it is on Leerburgs Basic OB video.

 Quote: lisa harrison

Heidi,

Are you sure it is not submissive urination?

Nice catch, Lisa.

Heidi, is "not submissive urination" your own call, or something you were told?

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Heidi Moen

he urinates when he first sees company and is out of his crate ....

I'd try leaving him in the crate longer, until their (the company's) presence has become less exciting.

Exactly, I would leave him in his crate until he is calm and not paying attention to what is going on....ie: he is resting or sleeping or chewing on a toy or something like that.

Once he is not alert as to what is going on, I would then let him out and keep a line on him so that he can be controlled while greeting the company.

Company should not make a big deal out of him being let out either. All humans should go on like he is not even there, no matter what he does.

Then, once he calms down around the company and is just hanging out, they can greet him.

Connie, Carol - he is usually calm in the crate, watching but relaxed (i.e. laying down, or even stretched out on his side half asleep but still aware)and that is when he is let out to a sit or down, when he is calm again, he is given a release command. My parents' friends are all pretty good about not making eye contact or bending over to pet him on top of the head (he hates head petting)or making a big deal out of it. All they have to do is say "hi Odie (calmly)" and that is all it takes. He never urinates any other time around comapny, just the first contact so to speak. He rarely ever has accidents in the house any other time.

Lisa - I don't know now that you mention it. He is never submissive to other dogs or really even people. He has tail up, head up, makes eye contact fine, detests top of his head to be petted, no one but family can pet his belly and that is on his terms, when he feels like it and only when he is on his side, never his back, kind of like my dominant male GSD (I have 3 GSDs). I've seen other dogs submissively urinate and it didn't look like Odie, but I am no expert.

I have had mom take him out on his leash in a heel and sit for the "hi Odie", but that didn't work either, he would still let a few drops out. I wonder if his young age has anything to do with it? Mom is great with him, rarely raises her voice, is very calm with him, works with him regulary in obedience, Odie was a working dog in a former life, I swear, very smart and driven.

You have good questions and have given some good ideas. I hope he out grows it soon, if you come up with any other ideas, my mom and I would be grateful.
Thanks )

 Quote: heidi moen

.... My parents' friends are all pretty good about not making eye contact or bending over to pet him on top of the head (he hates head petting)or making a big deal out of it. All they have to do is say "hi Odie (calmly)" ...

I would say, then, that they need to have a hard-and-fast rule (not forever, but for now) of not greeting the dog.

The dog will (or will not) eventually greet the human. I have never seen a dog urinate during his own action of approaching the human to sniff, etc., and being ignored.

Perhaps the visitors believe that it's not polite to ignore him, or that they are bound by manners to greet him. I'd clarify this on the phone before their arrival.