Few things can disrupt the harmonious bond you have with your dog like urinary issues. When your house-trained adult dog uses your house as his personal toilet, you may think he's doing it out of spite and that he needs to be scolded for his wrongdoing. But the truth is that inappropriate urination in dogs is often beyond their control and usually has an underlying cause that has nothing to do with bad behavior.
Why Your Dog Might Be Going in the House
A number of reasons could account for why your dog is peeing inside the house. It could be something as simple as he's drinking too much water and needs to go more often than he's able to go outside. It's possible that he simply hasn't been adequately house-trained. It's a tricky lesson to emphasize to your pet that he must do his business outside — and only outside! House training may be more difficult when you allow your dog to sometimes relieve himself in a designated area indoors, on a puppy training pad, for example. It's easy for dogs to become confused about what's appropriate.
It's also possible that your pup is marking his territory indoors. This usually happens with non-neutered male dogs, and sometimes the behavior stops once the dog is neutered. Neutered males and spayed females may engage in this behavior from time to time, especially if they feel threatened by the arrival of another pet.
It's not uncommon for urinary issues in dogs to signal a deeper psychological issue, such as anxiety. In addition to the above, the following possibilities could be reasons why your dog might be urinating inside the house:
- Over-Excitement: Although losing bladder control because of excitement is more common with puppies and is something that most dogs outgrow, some dogs retain this tendency well into adulthood.
- Submission: Some urinate as a sign of submission to other dogs or animals, and even sometimes to humans.
- Anxiety or Fear: Going indoors might be a response to any number of fearful stimuli or anxieties. If your dog is going in the house while home alone, this could be a sign of separation anxiety. There could be something in your dog's environment, such as a loud noise, that is making your dog fearful of going outside.
- Change in Environment: If you recently moved and your dog's environment has changed, he might not necessarily associate the new place with being off-limits to relieving himself. In this case, it might require some extra potty training to help him understand that your new place is still considered indoors, and he must do his business outdoors.
Health-Related Urinary Issues in Dogs
Of course, if a properly house-trained and well-adjusted adult dog suddenly begins urinating indoors, there's a good chance that the urinating is a symptom of an underlying health issue. Some conditions may cause a dog to involuntarily lose control of the muscles in his bladder, while other conditions, such as certain infections and diseases, may increase the frequency and urgency of urination. Here is a list of potential medical causes of urinary issues in dogs:
- Diabetes
- Pain when squatting or lifting the leg to urinate
- An infected bladder or urinary tract
- Bladder stones
- Kidney or liver disease
- Tumors
- Cushing's or Addison's disease
- Adrenal gland issues
- Intestinal parasites
- Cognitive problems caused by brain disease or dementia
- Age-related illnesses and conditions
What You Should Do
If your dog starts going in the house, the first thing you should do is have him examined by a veterinarian to rule out any potentially serious underlying health concerns. If it turns out that your dog is suffering from a health condition, chances are that once the condition is treated he'll stop relieving himself inappropriately.
However, if the problem is age-related or chronic and the urination isn't likely to subside, talk to your vet about compassionate solutions that will make it easier to care for your dog and make him comfortable. You may need to take him on more frequent walks or let him outside more often, or confine him to a small area lined with training pads when you can't be there to let him out. Dog diapers might help cut down on accidents.
As for behavior-related urinary issues, again, talk to your vet. For more serious issues like separation anxiety, she may refer you to a dog behaviorist who can help treat the underlying anxiety that's causing your dog to urinate indoors. It might also be a good idea to consult a dog trainer about reinforcing house training and helping your dog understand where he's supposed to go. You should use an enzymatic cleaning solution on spots where accidents occurred to completely remove all traces of urine and odor so that they won't attract your pup to keep returning to that spot.
Never punish your dog for urinating inside the house because dogs do not always associate bad behavior with the punishment, and it could actually make the problem worse for him. This is especially true if you leave him home and find the puddle rather than catch him in the act. Contrary to common myth, you should never rub your dog's nose in his mess because, again, he is not likely to associate the punishment with the behavior. Instead, focus on rewarding him when he goes outside with treats and lots of praise and love. You can even reward him when he signals that he needs to go outside by sitting by the door or ringing a bell by the door if you so choose.
It can be difficult to have patience when your sweet pup has ruined the rug or you're tired of mopping up puddles, but it helps to see your dog's urinary issues not as a sign of defiance but rather as a cry for help. Whether the issue is behavioral or medical in nature, getting to the bottom of why your dog is having accidents will go a long way toward putting a stop to them once and for all.
First, limit water and food at least two hours before bedtime. Remember: Intake dictates output.
No evening napping. Often dogs will deep sleep hours before we actually go to bed. If that is the case, then they will be well rested at 4am and will want to wake up and go potty. If they are kept awake until you sleep then they will sleep through those urges.
Make sure your dog goes outside to potty before bed-even if that means they have to go on a walk. Give HUGE praise when they do anything they are supposed to.
Create a nighttime routine: TV off, hallway light off, outside light off, etc. This will let them know that they have to go potty because you are headed to bed.
Try to wake up before they do. If they can wake you to potty, then they will learn that waking you up gets a reward of a bladder release. As they get better, set the alarm for later and later until they sleep through the night.
Tags: dog training
Inappropriate urination is one of the most frustrating habits that your furry companion can do. Things become even worse when your dog starts peeing (in the house) in the middle of the night. Keep reading to know about the causes of inappropriate urination at night and the possible ways to train your dog.
Why is My Dog Peeing in the House at Night?
Unfortunately, several reasons can lead to these irritating accidents. For instance, your pup may feel like marking his/her territory or his/her potty training is not complete. Other than these general issues, some of the most likely causes of these accidents are as follows.
Improper Routine
Dogs are a creature of habit and the systems of their bodies adapt to their routines. This is why it’s extremely important to train your pup with a planned schedule (from the beginning). If you are making continuous changes to your dog’s routine, he/she will get confused and accidents will happen.
Another thing that can lead to inappropriate urination at night is the skipping of the night walk. Even if you did take your pooch out for a walk in the afternoon, holding the urge to pee throughout the evening and night is a little too much. Therefore, you must spare half an hour or so for a short walk at night.
Bad Habit
In some cases, dogs instinctively learn to pee at the same spot while you are sleeping at night. For example, canines often use indoor plants for relieving themselves. They start considering it their “toilet” and won’t feel anything wrong with this behavior. To correct this habit, you should clean the area thoroughly and may even need to remove the plants.
Anxiety and Stress
Your dog can feel a lot of discomfort during the night because of his/her powerful hearing and smelling senses. For example, the sound of swirling wind or the movement of small animals can disturb the sleep of your pup. When the dog stays awake, he/she may feel like urinating due to fear or stress. Because the option of going outside is not there, he/she has to pee inside the house.
Other than that, some pooches experience separation anxiety if they have to sleep away from their owner. These dogs feel vulnerable and can also pee themselves out of fear.
Health Problems
Many medical issues can make your dog pee in the house at night, like urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence. Generally, incontinence in dogs is associated with older canines, but young pups can also suffer from this condition. Incontinence leads to involuntary loss of urine and your furry friend may not even realize what he/she has done.
What Can I Do If My Dog is Peeing in House at Night?
Once you have identified the underlying problem due to which your dog is peeing in the house at night, it’s time to implement the appropriate solution(s). Some of the most useful techniques to correct this inappropriate behavior are explained below.
Plan a Suitable Walking Routine
Make sure that the walking routine of your pooch is distributed properly throughout the day. This means that you must take him/her out in the morning, during the afternoon, and at night. As a result, he/she will get enough opportunities to relieve himself/herself.
The night walk is particularly helpful not only because it allows your canine friend to eliminate, but also because it makes him/her tired. This will enable you to get a good night’s sleep because a tired pup, usually, sleeps comfortably through the night.
Create a Safe Place for Your Dog
If your dog is suffering from separation anxiety during the night, make a comfortable personal space for him/her. Find a cozy and quiet area in your home and place your pup’s bed, toys, and food bowls there. Likewise, place one of your clothes in this area to make your dog feel safe (due to your scent).
Once everything is set, allow him/her to spend some alone time in this spot. Increase the alone time gradually because leaving a pup alone for a complete day will result in a negative association.
Train Your Dog
Dogs tend to follow a specific routine and you can use this good characteristic to your advantage. The following is an effective method to train your dog to not pee at night.
- Set an alarm for about 2-3 hours before the bedtime of your dog.
- Take away your dog’s water bowl as soon as the alarm goes off and don’t allow your pup to drink any more water.
- Talk your dog out for a walk so that he/she could relieve himself/herself.
- Make your canine companion sleep in your room so that you could know when he/she gets up.
- If your dog wakes up without an accident, immediately take him/her outside for a toilet break.
- Once he/she has finished the business in the right spot, give him/her a treat.
Visit the Veterinarian
If you are unable to figure out the cause of inappropriate urination at night, make an appointment with your vet. He/she will perform a detailed physical examination of your pet to find the problem. In the case of older dogs, urinary incontinence is a very common problem. However, several other diseases could also be responsible for this bad habit.