Chihuahua peeing on bed

Question
QUESTION: Our chihuahua sleeps with me in the bed, and sometimes she'll just randomly pee when I start petting her. This is starting to become a problem, and we don't know what to do about it. She's housebroken, and she's a rescued chihuahua.

ANSWER: It sounds like submissive urination, Stephanie. What do you do when this happens, and have you had a vet check her out just to rule out any health concerns? How old is she? When was she spayed?

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QUESTION: I usually go to take her out for walks, and its isn't the normal excited pee when I go to take her out. The tail goes between the leg, and when she starts peeing, I put her on the pad we have for her.

We haven't taken her to a vet yet, but we plan to soon. My work schedule is a bit hectic. She's between 3-5 years old, she's an SPCA rescue, and she was spayed back in January.

Answer
Yes, it definitely does sound like submissive urination. Often, this occurs in puppies, and if ignored, goes away on its own. Many people do not understand this, however, and will scold the puppy when he does it, which only makes the problem worse, and that's usually what makes it carry over to adulthood. Submissive urination is not a housebreaking problem.

Whatever you do, do NOT scold her when she does it. She's only trying to show you that she sees you as the alpha, and respects your position as her leader. One thing you can do to try and keep it from happening is to get down to her level and call her to you for attention, or to attach her leash to her collar, or whatever, rather than approaching and bending over top of her. That can be very scary for a little dog, even though you're not intending to frighten her.