Why does my dog always pee when I pet her?
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This is called submissive urination. Submissive urination is normal canine communication. When a dog submissively urinates, she’s trying to convey that she’s not a threat. Dogs who submissively urinate usually do so when greeting people or animals, during exciting events, while playing, during physical contact, such as petting, or when scolded or punished.
When in a situation that seems to trigger submissive urination, a dog will tend to display submissive postures, such as cowering, lowering the body, raising the front paws, tucking the tail, flattening the ears back, licking the lips or displaying a submissive grin.
Submissive urination is most common in puppies, but some adult dogs submissively urinate as well, especially those who seem to lack confidence.
If your dog urinates indoors or at inappropriate times, it’s important to visit his veterinarian to rule out medical causes before doing anything else.
The following suggestions might help you manage, minimize or stop the behavior.
If possible, greet your dog outside.
Toss a handful of small treats or a few favorite toys in the direction of your dog as she runs up to greet you.
Ignore your dog when you first come home and walk through the door. Wait until she has completely calmed down before interacting with her. When you finally greet your dog, do so calmly. Look off to the side instead of straight at her. Sit on the floor or squat down—and avoid looming over your dog as you bend toward her.
Teach your dog to perform a behavior, such as sit, when she greets people. First, practice the sit behavior outside of the greeting context, in a calm place, without other people around. When you pet your dog, touch her under the chin or chest, rather than on top of her head or ears.
Keep play sessions with your dog low-key and play games with her that focus on toys rather than bodily contact.
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