Urination frequency

Question
My 5 1/2 mo male toy poodle is trained to "go" outside, but now stands by
the door every half hour or so, when I am home.  He doesn't bark and
sometimes when I take him out he doesn't seem to need to do anything.  
HOWEVER, if I don't take him out, he squats randomly -- often for a very
small amount of urine.  I can't make any sense of it.  Other times he urinates
quite a bit even without having had much liquid.  He doesn't seem to do it out
of spite - I live in a city, so maybe he likes to see people.  He hasn't figured
out the marking thing yet -- and he is also neutered.  Is there something I am
doing wrong?

Answer
Hello Marla,
Sounds like you are going to re-train him to go potty by getting him on a schedule of going outside every few hours.  When you get home, take him outside and praise him when he goes potty.  Leave him loose for a little while (less than 30 min), then put him in his crate and take him out in no more than an hour to go potty.  When he comes inside, leave him loose for a short time, then back in the crate for no more than an hour, then back outside.  Praise him when he potties.  Try this for a few days, then see how he does.  You are trying to re-train his bladder to go for an hour or more before having to go potty rather than just going when he feels like it.  Work him up to going at more spaced intervals.

Also, limit his drinking giving him some water every hour or so, but not letting him have free access to the bowl.  Get on to him when he goes inside and be sure to clean the mess up with a Pet approved pet cleaner that has enzymes that will "eat" the odor out of the floor.  That way, he won't be encouraged to come back to that spot.  

You might also take him to the Vet for a check-up just to make sure there isn't something like a Bladder infection that would cause him to squat but not go very much.  That would put your mind at ease that there isn't anything medical causing him to potty inside.

Remember lots of praise when he does potty outside.  Try taking him to the same spot outside because its scent recognition, he will go to that same spot because he has gone there before.

I hope this has helped you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.  
Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim