Submissive Peeing
Why does my dog pee when I pet him after I
return from being gone for an extended period of time?
Dawn Littlefield
Why does it happen?
It is a submissive gesture (sometimes it
is a fearful thing that they just can not control.) You can not punish
them because it is something that they are not doing on purpose and they can not
help it. If your dog is young she will most likely outgrow it.
How do I work on stopping it?
Move slowly, and build her
confidence. Walking sideways or backward, with your hand held out with a
treat, and stopping when you see her start to squat and let her come to
you. Keep the praise to a minimum. You can talk sweetly, but do not
bend down toward her, or look at her in the eyes. When you walk into the
house and she runs to you, do not stop and reach down to pet her. Go to
the bathroom or do something besides greeting her immediately. Have a
treat, one that will last awhile, in your pocket and when you walk in just toss
it (not at her) on the floor. Or even better, if she will take it from
your hand while you are standing, so she can't sit down. Then go do
something until she calms down. Do not get on the ground with her and do
not lean over her. Try not to face your dog head on.
| A little later, let your dog come to you
and just stroke her slowly and speak to her in a calm voice. It may take awhile,
but it can be done. |
|
|
You can gradually adjust your motions as
you see her confidence building. We have rescued many dogs with that
problem and we have been able to adjust the behavior in most cases. I had
a little Pomeranian that we were fostering and
nothing was working. Finally I taught her to jump into my arms when I
walked in the door. So, when we placed her with her new home they were
tickled to have her jump in there arms every night. That is not the answer
for some, especially if you have a big dog. But in the Pomeranians case it
was the best thing to do so she could go to a loving and permanent home.
Do not do that if you think it will
irritate you. Think of the long run when you come in tired, but you
know you have to catch that little rascal and love on her before you can do
anything else. But, it does save the Carpet and your patience.
