It’s embarrassing. You were crouching down to lace up your shoes, and Fido lifted his leg and let a spray of urine douse your hands, the cuff of your pants, and your socks. Gross! You aren’t sure how to deal with behavior, so you call them a bad dog. You refuse to allow this to become a habit, but how can you stop this from happening again? This brings up a question; why does my dog pee on me?
Dogs pee on you as a sign of submissiveness. In some cases, dogs also pee on you as a sign of dominance. Other reasons dogs pee on you include uncontrollable bladder, excitement, poor training, and anxiety.
This article will teach you how to identify why your dog is peeing on you and how to prevent the behavior.
Reasons Why Your Dog Pees On You
Below are five important reasons why a dog might pee on you and an explanation for each!
Your Dog Needed To Pee
Here’s the most straightforward answer: your dog needed to pee! On average, dogs need to relieve themselves every 4-6 hours.
Although the holding-it-in window varies among individuals, dogs shouldn’t be forced to wait longer than 6-8 hours before their next pee break since that can increase bladder-related illnesses or infections.
If you are away from the house for long periods, it is important to ask someone to take your dog out for a potty break while you’re away.
Your Dog Is Displaying Submissiveness
Yes, that’s right! Peeing is often a sign of submissiveness and rarely a sign of dominance. When a dog pees due to submissiveness, they’re not aiming for you; it was just an accident that you got in the way.
A submissive dog will duck his head, curl his tail between his legs, and avoid your eyes. It’s essentially your dog’s way of saying: you’re in charge here. While you should be the alpha in your pack, submissive urination is a sign of anxiety or stress.
Make sure to stay calm around your dog. Talk softly and only pet him if he approaches you. If your dog’s submissive behavior continues, it’s time to take him to the vet or a professional trainer for a consultation.
Your Dog Is Excited
Some dogs get so excited that their bladder releases. This is especially common in dogs under a year old, who usually lack coordination in general. You can tell your dog is excited if he’s whining, barking, jumping around, and wagging excessively.
While it can be frustrating that your dog pees on you every time you return home after a long day of work, be aware that your dog isn’t doing this intentionally.
You can curb this behavior through a few simple steps: firstly, figure out your dog’s triggers. What makes him so excited? Secondly, make sure your dog pees before encountering a trigger.
For instance, if you have friends coming over and excites your puppy, then take him outside to pee just before your friends arrive. Thirdly, stay calm. Don’t raise your voice and don’t reciprocate the excitement because that will only encourage the behavior.
Your Dog Is Displaying Dominance
In rare instances, dogs will pee on their resources to show that they belong to him. They may do this because they haven’t been fixed/altered. If your dog hasn’t been fixed, take him to a vet.
At the very least, you should discuss the surgery with a professional. Some dogs grow out of this behavior, but others need behavior training. If you believe you fall into the latter category, act on your belief! If your dog benefits from training, then that’s excellent news. If he doesn’t, then no harm, no foul.
Your Dog Can’t Control His Bladder
Due to old age, injuries, or illnesses, some dogs lose control of their bladder, called incontinence. This is marked by a constant presence of urine around the dog’s private parts, and he may begin licking his groin excessively.
He may also drink more or express pain through whining while peeing. It is essential to take your dog to the veterinarian if you believe he suffers from incontinence. This may be an early sign of any number of illnesses or disorders, and if you can catch them early, you will make life much easier for your dog.
Is It Normal For Dogs To Pee On You
While it may be considered normal for puppies to pee on their owners (it’s all a part of their development, and they’ll likely grow out of the behavior), it is not normal for adult dogs to pee on their owners.
It is a sign of inadequate training, illness, or improper social development. In some instances, you can train your dog out of the behavior, but in others, it’s a sign of an illness that needs to be addressed by a professional. It is essential to watch for any other changes in your dog’s behavior.
Is he drinking more now? Is he licking his private parts more? Does he whine or cry out when peeing? Does he seem to have a constant stream of urine wetting his belly? Any of these could be a sign of a dangerous medical condition, and you should take your dog to the vet immediately.
If you’ve ruled out illness, then it is likely a social problem. Usually, dogs will pee to show submissiveness. While you don’t want an aggressive, dominant dog, an excessively submissive dog can be a problem as well because it means your dog is constantly anxious.
How do you fix this? An excellent place to start is avoiding aggressive behaviors. When greeting your dog, stay calm and do not touch him. Look at his tail or paws since direct eye contact can be a sign of aggression.
Never yell or attack your dog. Punishment only teaches more fear. A professional dog trainer can give you instructions tailored specifically for your dog to prevent behavior like this in the future.
Why Does My Dog Pee On Me When I’m Sleeping
Dogs rarely mean to pee on their owners, so it’s likely that your dog was peeing on your bed, not you. Your dog likely had an accident in the middle of the night while in bed with you, and so it seems like he peed on you. When was the last time you took him out?
You should let your dog pee just before you go to bed and just as you wake up. Dogs with weaker bladders may need to be taken out in the middle of the night, just like those of us who need to blearily stumble to the bathroom at 3 AM.
Some dogs also have health problems that cause them to lose control of their bladders. If your dog has been licking his private parts, expressing pain as he urinates, drinks excessively, or trickles urine constantly, then he has probably developed some illness or condition and should be taken to the vet immediately.
Some dogs urinate on their owner’s bed to express submissiveness or anxiety. Is this a new thing with your dog? If so, have there been any changes in your life recently?
Considerable shifts in routine or location? Change feels overwhelming for sensitive dogs, which may come out as peeing on your bed. Be gentle. When your dog urinates outside, give him treats and praise him. If the problem persists, contact a trainer.
Beds are also popular marking spots because they absorb scents easily; a dog will smell his urine on the sheets or in the mattress and believe that he can pee here indefinitely.
Why Does My Dog Pee On Me When I Get Home
Your dog pees on you when you get home to express submissiveness or excitement, which are both behavioral issues that have different solutions.
Although many owners believe dogs peeing on them is a sign of dominance, it rarely is, and dominant dogs will display other obvious signs (snapping, growling, or biting) on top of peeing on their owners.
The actual cause of the behavior is often the opposite: your dog pees on you out of submissiveness. A submissive dog will duck his head, tuck his tail, and avoid eye contact.
Punishing your dog for the behavior will only encourage him to pee on you. A submissive dog tends to run anxious, so make sure to keep your voice low and your movements controlled. It is a good idea to take your dog to a professional trainer to help socialize your dog more effectively.
Other dogs pee out of excitement, but this behavior is common mainly among puppies. If your dog is under a year old, don’t worry about the behavior too much since they will often grow out of it.
Even if your dog is a puppy though, you should not encourage the behavior. To train your puppy out of peeing on you, take him outside frequently and praise him when he pees outside. If your dog is an adult, you may want to consider enlisting the help of a professional trainer.
How To Stop My Dog From Peeing On Me
It is essential to understand what’s causing your dog to pee on you. Dogs pee on humans out of excitement, sickness, or submissiveness in most cases.
If your dog pees on you during an exciting event (like a return home from work, when you have guests over, or when you’re about to take him on a walk), then it’s likely due to that event.
If he is licking his groin more often, expressing pain when he pees or seems to leak urine all the time, then he’s sick. If he pees on you seemingly at random, and ducks his head, avoids your eyes, and tucks his tail between his legs as he does so, then he’s peeing on you out of submissiveness.
Overall, taking your dog outside more frequently is a good idea. Dogs should be taken outside every 4-6 hours to maintain a healthy urinary tract.
In the case of an excited dog, you should try to minimize the exciting event to relieve any stress your dog might feel. Keep things quiet and slow. If guests come over, tell them not to pay attention to the dog and keep their voices low.
In the case of a sick dog, you should take him to the vet immediately since it could be an early warning sign of a disease that will be very troublesome down the line.
In the case of an overly submissive dog, you should maintain a routine and a calm household. Keep your voice low and avoid behaviors that could be misconstrued as aggressive (such as excitedly greeting your dog or making direct eye contact). It would help if you also considered hiring a dog trainer to help your dog overcome its submissiveness issues.
Remember: never shout at your dog, hit your dog, or shove his face in his urine. Doing so teaches your dog fear and nothing else. Positive reinforcement is always the way to go: when your dog successfully pees outside, praise him and give him a treat or a pat on the head.
Other Factors
Although many owners believe that their dog pees on them out of aggression, that’s rarely the case. Dogs pee on their owners because they’re excited, anxious, or sick. While many dogs pee on their owners, it’s not “normal” behavior and should not be treated as such.
Examine the circumstances in which he urinates. Is it during an exciting event? Well, then he’s peeing because he’s excited. Does he tuck his tail and avoid your eyes while doing it?
Then he’s trying to show submission. Is he licking his private parts more frequently, whimpering or whining while urinating, or constantly dripping urine? Then he’s sick.
After determining the cause of behavior, it is essential to take steps to address the problem. Most of the time, the solution comes down to one of three things:
Taking your dog to a vet.
- Taking your dog to a trainer.
- Waiting for your dog to grow up.
Remember, it is never okay to hit or yell at your dog. Reward good behavior, but do not punish your dog for bad behavior. Dogs, while intelligent, are not as smart as humans and will not understand why you are treating them poorly. If you treat your dog with patience and respect, you will eventually solve the problem.
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