When dogs pee out of fear, it is usually due to a lack of socialization or a young age. However, in most cases this can be prevented with targeted distraction, the right greeting and a step-by-step approach.
Doctors speak of “submissive urination”, popularly known as “anxiety pee”. It tends to be most common in young dogs. Here is a brief overview:
- 3 – 5 months: Common
- 5 – 6 months: Every now and then
- 6 – 8 months: Rare
- > 8 months: Very rare [1]
This is primarily because, due to developmental reasons, dogs at this age do not yet have strong control over their bladder. This should be over by the 8th month at the latest.
In addition to urinating, there are usually other typical symptoms that you can use to recognize anxiety. Classic examples are here:
- Frequent yawning
- Stooped posture
- Ears laid flat
- Retracted tail
- Sudden tremors
- Quiet beeping
- Licking the lips [2]
Below you will learn what the typical causes behind the fear are and how you can get the problem under control.
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Causes
Young and very sensitive breeds usually pee out of fear for the following reasons:
- #1 Lack of socialization
If dogs are not accustomed to contact with other people and animals at an early age, they tend to become unusually shy.
You can tell if the dog pees when greeted, tucks its tail or even hides behind the owner's legs.
In individual cases, the fear is also triggered by other people greeting the dog “incorrectly”. What this means is that they unconsciously appear too dominant.
Approaching a dog quickly, leaning over him and then stroking his head from above is very threatening to young dogs. Stroking with both hands is also a taboo.
If dogs have experienced something bad in a certain situation in the past, then that situation has strong negative associations.
Similar situations can therefore trigger strong emotions and cause dogs to start peeing out of fear. This is particularly common with dogs from animal shelters. [3]
- #4 Low self-confidence
Some dogs are spoiled so much by their owners that they never had the chance to develop their own self-confidence.
This also applies, among other things, to dogs that have already changed owners several times and are left alone a lot. But this can also be solved with a few tricks.
Our four-legged friends react much more strongly to loud noises than we do. This is because dogs hear louder than humans. Your ear shape and ear length explains why.
It is therefore not surprising that dogs often start to urinate out of fear during heavy thunderstorms, a car honking or other noise.
- #6 Violence in education
Violence can take two forms – physical and verbal. Physical access is an absolute no-go in parenting and often has profound consequences.
Verbal violence in the form of shouting is also not a solution. If used regularly, this will only result in the dog becoming increasingly frightened. [4]
In most cases, peeing when anxious is caused by a lack of socialization, low self-confidence, or parenting violence. Dogs also often start to urinate when they hear loud noises, gestures of dominance or are traumatized.
Solution
The better you can identify the cause through the process of elimination, the easier it will be to break the habit. Best practices are here:
Probably the most effective method is to completely eliminate the trigger for fear. However, on the one hand this is not possible in all cases and on the other hand it does not always make sense.
In these exceptional cases, it is instead better to proactively and gradually accustom the dog to the perceived threat. Even if it seems completely harmless to you.
If your dog pees out of fear when greeted, I recommend training your visitors accordingly. A kneeling greeting is half the battle here. [5]
In addition, strangers should approach slowly, pet the dog from below with one hand and, if necessary, even avoid eye contact. The smaller the person makes themselves, the better.
Stopping a behavior is generally much more difficult than replacing a behavior. Any chain smoker can probably tell you this when trying to quit.
That's exactly why a targeted distraction with a command, a treat or even a toy can work wonders here. Attention alone is often enough.
The basic rule of any successful training is: dogs avoid behavior that will be punished and repeat behavior that will be rewarded.
Negative feedback should be used sparingly if fears exist. But why not reward your dog when he hasn't peed out of fear?
If you see a lack of self-confidence as a problem, then you need to build it up gradually. A fixed daily routine already makes a big difference.
I also advise focusing on positive feedback, practicing commands regularly and paying attention to it in the presence of others. [6]
If all the previous tips don't help and your dog still starts to urinate out of fear, then reusable dog diapers can be a real blessing.
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If fear is the cause behind the sudden peeing, then it is important to avoid the potential triggers or to distract them specifically. Constant feedback, building self-confidence and an anxiety-friendly greeting can also help here.
Other potential causes
In individual cases, illnesses can also be behind urinating. The most common causes include:
- Urinary tract infection
- Castration of female dogs
- Kidney disease
- Bladder stones
- Liver problems
- diabetes [7]
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