I know this has been addressed before, but not in as much detail as I would like. My 11 week old pup (female GSD) has begun submissive peeing. There've been only 2 instances that I can think of, but at what age should she outgrow it? Is there anything I can do/not do now to nip this thing in the bud?

< In his best Barney Fife voice >
NIP IT IN THE BUD!!

Sorry, couldn't resist......ok, from previous discussions, it sounds like submission peeing clears up in a lot of dogs around age six to eight months.
You can help prevent this by doing a couple of things:

First off - *NEVER* punish the dog for doing it!! It's submission peeing to show you that you are the Big Kahuna, so take it as the affirmation of your pack rank.

Next - don't loom over your dog, it will intimidate and bring on the submission peeing. It's actually better to greet your dog when sitting down in cases like this. Also, approach your dog in a circular route - heading straight for the dog tends to trigger this behavior.

Be patient, it'll usually clear up on it's own.

In Katja's case, AKA Priscilla spawn of Fetz, it cleared up as soon as she left Will. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Some people are just intimidating to dogs period.


Like Will said, divert eye contact, don't bend OVER the dog, etc.

Keep dog on tile until it clears up.

Actually, in neither case was it I who caused it. for lack of a better term. The most recent was an older gentleman, a stranger, who she approached first. She's very outgoing, social, etc., not afraid of much, if anything. Certainly not people. He didn't "loom" over her. I NEVER scold her for it, just am a bit concerned. It may have just been a case of excitement on her part.

I also wanted to ask about this, to try and determine whether or not my 3 month old female is being submissive, or just excitable.

She seems to have a very stable temperament, not afraid of anything or anyone. She charges (well, tries to, anyway) everyone we pass in the park in an effort to kiss everyone.. Everyone wants to pet her, and I let them for the most part because Czechs really love dogs..

She only pees when people bend down to pet her, and only some of the time. She's very excited, jumping all over them and I have to pull her back. She cries when they continue on their way and wants to try and follow them.

She's only ever peed once like this with me, and that was recently when I had been gone most of the day, and she was playing her 'dad' when I came home. She ran up to me and peed at my feet while jumping up on my legs.

(yes, I need to learn a way to get her to stop jumping, I know.)

I can assure you this dog is NOT submissive to me.. ever.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Does that sound like excitability? Or submissiveness..?

Out in the park it happens less and less every week..

 Quote:

I can assure you this dog is NOT submissive to me.. ever..

submit...1. to give over or yeild to the power or authority of another...2 to subject to some kind of treatment or influence...3 to present for approval or consideration...etc

i hope your dog is submissive to u and you are the pack leader....also 3 months they still have a very small bladder and depending the amount of time between potty breaks ...well it could be just being excited with a full bladder.....

Heh. Well, I was just kidding there, mostly. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I dont know her bladder capacity at this age, so its hard to know if its full..

She seems like a very confident puppy to me - though Im by now means an authority.. thats all I meant by not submissive.

She does indeed listen to me very well, my baby does. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

 Quote:

She seems like a very confident puppy to me - though Im by now means an authority.. thats all I meant by not submissive.

She does indeed listen to me very well, my baby does.

If you are an authority why has she learned that she can dictate when and where you take her for a walk? And she is jumping on you too?

I think some study on pack dynamics and the alpha role may be warranted.

Dealing with the Dominant Dog

I didnt say I was an authority.

Though there is a typo there.. it says now instead of no.

But it certainly does not say 'am'.

She does jump.. and I havent tried to teach her not to really, because she wasnt doing it except for the rare times she gets taht excited. I was hoping it would fade out..

I also am nervous to overdiscipline.. I have a hard time trying to decipher when she needs it and when shes just being a puppy..

Everytime I read something and think she needs discipline, I read something else that says 'this is just a puppy, what are you thinking?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Also: I did read that article, as I was concerned I had a dominant dog - but then somewhere else I think I read somewhere that Ed said puppies this young are not usually dominant - and that females rarely are..

So I figured she probably wasnt.