little dukey likes to wee wee

Question
our little dukey gets a little excited when people try to pet him and sprays like a super soaker all over everyone. it's kind of embarressing. what can i do ???????

Answer
Hi Claude!

You didn't say how old Dukey is. Excitement urination usually effects dogs under a year old and will clear up (or should I say dry up) on its own as the dog matures, if it's not made worse by punishment. Punishing will reinforce the dogs feeling of submissiveness. This may cause the dog to urinate even more.

The first cousin to excitement urination is known as "Submissive Urination". It has some similarities to excitement urination, such as the dog urinates when he's being greeted or when someone approaches him. The big difference is if Dukey is older than a year. Many times a dog with submissive urination has a "self ego" problem, and has a somewhat shy, anxious, or timid personality.

The key to curing a dog's submissive urination problem is to remove the excitement that causes it, and by building up a dog's confidence, since confident dogs don't urinate when they get excited. When you come home, do not greet your dog with excitement. In fact, it's better if you ignore your dog completely for the first few minutes. Nonchalantly, let your dog out to urinate or have another family member take the dog out. It is very important not to get your dog excited. Don't make direct eye contact with him since direct eye contact is a sign of dominance, and don't talk to him, or talk to him in a low monotone voice. When the dog urinates, lavish excessive amounts of praise upon him. The goal here, is for the dog to get excited about urination outdoors.

Obedience training is a GREAT way to build up a dog's confidence and it also provides socialization with other dogs which is good for confidence building. Playing fetch or having Dukey do something constructive for which he receives praise is another way to help build Dukey's ego.

Here are a couple of web sites where you can read more about this behavioral problem, and how to correct them. Go to:

http://www.waysidewaifs.org/tips/tips_submissiveurination.html

http://www.ahshc.org/behav/suburination.htm


I hope this has been helpful and I wish you the best of luck!Please keep me posted and give Dukey millions of kisses for me!Sending wagging tails your way!
Nicole.D.