Hello, my 5mth old pup came from a breeder that did not play with puppies.3 siblings were bought at a younger and she was with 4 other siblings at the age of 4-5mths old who also had that problem as well because no one socialize them I guess..When a person or dog comes near her she pees! I need to get her out of that because it happens inside the house and outside as well as in the crate and out door kennel. Any suggestions? I dont want her to do that I undetstand she is submissive but needs correct training on this matter.

Does she do it with you, too? With other family members? When playing or just when meeting new people?

You can start by instructing visitors to the house to not make direct eye contact with your pup or to talk to her or pet her.

If you know people are coming over to your house, make sure the puppy is given a potty break before they arrive, then put her in her crate and tell your visitors to ignore her. Once they've been there awhile, if she is calm let her out and remind your guests to ignore her, even if she is curious about them. If you do this every time she meets people, she will become more comfortable and will be less likely to pee.

If you can enlist the help of a friend that will follow your instructions, you can practice this multiple times to desensitize her.

She does it with everybody including me, sometimes she wont do it but then she'll go back peeing again. She is shy of people when they come over but then warms up a little. She is still nervous with my family members and she will run and just pee. She always wants to be with me and will go crazy if she isn't with me. I leave her with my sister she starts jumping on the doors, barking, and then you correct her and say no she will pee even with children she is scared but is ok after a while. She is sweet, smart, and she obeys but would rather only play with me than the other dogs or family members. We dont get alot of visitors over so when they do come they dont have to ignore her she ignores them and runs to her safety zone. When I first got her she didnt pee at all but the third day she started to pee. I know to ignore her but how can I ignore her if she is constantly looking for me or would rather be in her safety zone we had her for 2 weeks now.

It is like she pees when she sees me in excitement or just because I tell her no. I do praise her when she potty's outside so she understand that is a good girl. When she sees others she is on the run or just pees. With the older dogs who want to play with her she pees right in front of them as well.

Hi Naeema, I've got the same problem with submissive urination in my ~3 yr old BC/Lab. She was absolutely impossible when we first got her in 03/08 but she still does it on rare occasions. I've been advised not to encourage any kind of overly submissive behavior in her: she gets all flat on the ground, ears back and tail under - walk away from her and call her in a calm voice, do not try to comfort her. We haven't done much of this yet so I cannot tell you if it works. What I noticed on my own is that too much excitement or babying her only made things worse. I hope the experts on this forum would give their advice.

Seems to me that the problem stems from a perception of reward during this submissive urination, as Ana said - too much excitement or really any kind of attention can be viewed as a reward.

Lynne's advice is sound - and I'd really love to hear more input from people with such expert advice.

 Quote: Lynne Barrows

Does she do it with you, too? With other family members? When playing or just when meeting new people?

You can start by instructing visitors to the house to not make direct eye contact with your pup or to talk to her or pet her.

If you know people are coming over to your house, make sure the puppy is given a potty break before they arrive, then put her in her crate and tell your visitors to ignore her. Once they've been there awhile, if she is calm let her out and remind your guests to ignore her, even if she is curious about them. If you do this every time she meets people, she will become more comfortable and will be less likely to pee.

If you can enlist the help of a friend that will follow your instructions, you can practice this multiple times to desensitize her.

This is great advice.

Don't loom over the dog or allow others to do so, have the dog out to potty often (a full bladder is much harder to control), calm the situations that trigger it, calm your own demeanor towards the dog .... basically lower the levels of all the usual triggers like people crowding around, looking and touching, full bladder mixed with hectic play, and so on.



QUOTE: When a person or dog comes near her she pees! END

Don't allow her to be accosted by people and dogs. You are her protector and her leader, and when she perceives that you, her calm leader, are always there and will not allow amped-up situations near her, she will become trusting, calmer, far less prone to submissive peeing, and bonded to you.

Corrections, remember, or really any big attention paid to it, are counterproductive.

Desensitizing is what works, as Lynne says. Keep the excitement at a distance and only very gradually, as you can see that she is ready, allow slightly more proximity. Let her approach and retreat. Even when she approaches a visitor, have the visitor sit calmly, continuing to keep eyes on you and talk directed to you (not the dog). Let her observe without being a center of attention at all.

Put yourself in the situation. You are small and anxious, but interested. What would help you? Being ignored, no pressure, and allowed to investigate at your own speed? Bingo.

All I can really do is echo Lynne. It's right-on advice.

Wow, I have heard about this problem before and never thought I would have to deal with this situation. She is getting better but its more of the people and dogs. When a lady who got her sister she was fine didnt pee that much but as soon as her sister left she went again peeing places she wouldnt even use the bathroom unless I sat in my car but her puppy sister got her to pee and poop on a comfortable level. I dont know if she miss the comfort of her siblings because she was so happy to play with her but when she left went back into a submissive stage... I am saying words in a calm voice now... I know it is not a medical problem but a submissive and excitment problem...

 Quote: Naeema White

... I know it is not a medical problem but a submissive and excitment problem...

Well, I assume that you have ruled out a UTI. This is only in situations of anxiety and overstimulation, right?

 Quote: Naeema White

Wow, I have heard about this problem before and never thought I would have to deal with this situation. ... I am saying words in a calm voice now...

It's really not a big deal; it's not uncommon. The calmer your own demeanor and the more you follow Lynne's suggestions, the sooner the dog will outgrow it.

The calm voice is a GREAT start.