How To Eliminate Submissive Urination Problem

Just the other day at the veterinary clinic waiting to do lunch with my friend while he was consulting his last patients, I bumped into my childhood playmate. She is the last person I would think of meeting in a veterinary clinic—Shan was never a fan of furry creatures. She would disappear like Roadrunner at the sight of any dogs; even my rabbits and turtles were not spared. She wouldn’t play with me until I bathed with dettol soap. Anyhow, when I saw her holding on to a Maltese dog, I was flabbergasted.

While chatting with Shan, Mr. Maltese was pacing restlessly around her, I saw a few puddles of urine on her tennis shoes and on the floor. She was very embarrassed when I pointed it out. Nervously she wiped off and excused herself to the restroom, leaving Mr. Maltese with me for seconds.

What Is Submissive Urination and Why Do Dogs Do that?

There are some dogs, especially puppies or submissive individuals, urinate when excited, frightened, scared, or even patting them. Do not mistake this with urinary incontinence—a medical condition in senior dogs; whereas submissive urination is a behavioral problem.

Dogs with this behavioral problem are often worried about pleasing their owners who are not dominant in nature. Excited greetings, loud talking, yelling, or even angry and unhappy emotions can trigger submission urination. By piddling a little, these dogs are displaying complete submission, accepting your authority without question—similar to lying on its back exposing its belly minus urinating.

What Can You Do to Correct Submissive Urination Behavioral Problem?

Clearly in this case, you already establish yourself as the Alpha dog in an overpowering way. What you could do is to build up his confidence by giving him some extra privileges and letting him begin to lead yet without stripping your alpha status.

Ignore the Sign. There is no point yelling or fussing at your dog when misfit already happened. Doing so will only result him to piddle more. Just clean up the mess and carry on as usual. Do not try to calm or sooth your dog afterwards, as you will only reinforce his behavioral problem.

Adjust Your Tone. I know of some folks who have thundery voice even when they speak causally. Often times we mistaken them for quarreling even though we understood the content of the conversation. Unfortunately, dogs do not understand our language. They can only detect our mood by the tone of our voice. Won’t you think you look more sophisticated and articulate if you speak softer? Your submissive dog will appreciate greatly!

Get Down on Your Knees. I’m not intimidated by BIG people despite my petite size, however when they show exuberant gestures within my arm length it does scare the heck out of me. Likewise for submissive individuals and puppies. There is no need to get to their eye level but narrow the gap when you want to communicate with your dog.

Avoid Head and Back. One of the ways a dominant dog displays his status in the pack is by using his forelegs to pin down another dog’s head or back. So avoid patting your dog’s head and back, instead gently stroke him along the sides of his body or under the chin.

Pat More. While we use therapeutic canine massage to calm aggressive dog, submissive dogs can benefit greatly with frequent touches too. Crouch next to your dog during his mealtime. Pat him and talk in calm voice while he is eating. Share your TV time with Fido and give him few soothing strokes.

Be Monotonous. Similar to separation anxiety behavior and desensitizing loud noises, keep all greetings be it coming or going, low key. Do not show any excitement in your emotion or tone either.

Reverse Roles. Instead of you patting him on his back or head, allow your dog to put his forelegs on your shoulders momentarily. Do not hug your dog tightly while he is doing so, because you may send him the wrong message—entrapment.

Avoid Eye Contact. Just before two dominant dogs engage in a fight, you will notice the two dogs lock in a very intense eye contact. Initially, avoid any eye contact when you greet, feed, or play with your dog. Complete avoidance is impossible, I know, but you can give him a nonchalant look no more than 2 seconds if both you and your dog’s eyes meet.

Sign up Obedience, Agility, or Conformation Show. If you ever watch any reality shows like American Idol, Miss/Mister Universe, or Apprentice; you know what I’m about to say. From a nobody suddenly turns a celebrity—appears on talk shows, tabloid magazines, or charity organizations. Before you know it, s/he has his/her own albums, books, or stores in his/her domain. While signing your dog in those classes or shows may or may not bring you fame and fortune but I dare guarantee it will boost your dog’s confidence a hundred fold.

As you raise your dog’s self-confidence, you will notice less of the submissive urination within a few short weeks. Very soon you will have a well-balanced—mentally and physically sound—dog for years to come.