Dog pees when greeting | 8 causes + solution [2024] –

When young dogs pee when greeting them, it is usually a sign of excitement or submissiveness. Under certain circumstances, it can also indicate anxiety disorders, existing injuries or illnesses.

In puppies, a lack of training is usually the cause. Because they simply have not yet learned to voluntarily control their urethral sphincter.

In addition, when they are young, their bladder is about the size of an apricot. For anatomical reasons, they can only hold their urine for a short time.

Here is an overview of the most common causes depending on the underlying situation.

Situation:Possible causes:Master comes homeSubmissiveness, excitement, attentionVisitor arrivesExcitement, fear, attentionMeeting with dogFear, submissiveness, dominanceDog was previously house trainedUrinary tract infection, castration, dominance, other illnesses

Then let’s go through the individual causes and solutions together.

Are you worried or unsure? Then click here to start a live chat with a veterinarian.

Causes

When dogs pee when greeting them, one of the following 8 reasons is usually responsible. It can also be a combination of these triggers.

#1 Excitement

Very young dogs are often overly excited when greeting them. This is especially true for uncastrated four-legged friends.

In this case, the dogs release so many happy hormones that they can no longer hold their urethral sphincter at will. The result is a puddle of urine.

The effect is increased if the dog suffers from separation anxiety or has not seen his owner for a long time. [1]

#2 Submissiveness

When dogs perceive you as more dominant and therefore start to pee, it is called “submissive urination”.

It most commonly occurs in puppies and very young dogs. It doesn't matter whether it's a dog or a dog. Dogs usually stop this behavior within a few months:

12-18 weeks: common
18-24 weeks: occasionally
24-30 weeks: rare
> 30 weeks: never

Submissive peeing is most triggered by a person leaning over the dog. Because that demonstrates size and strength. [2]

Dogs inherited their submissive nature from their ancestors – the wolves. Wolves who do not submit to the alpha are often attacked or rejected by the pack.

#3 Urinary tract infection

A urinary tract infection is a bacterial inflammation of the urinary tract. This includes, among other things, a bladder infection.

According to statistics, around 15% of all dogs will have this type of inflammation in their lifetime. It is significantly more common in female dogs than in male dogs. [3]

Typical symptoms of this are:

Sudden pee accidents
Bloody urine
Constant licking of genitals
Whining when urinating [4]

The result of the inflammation is that even house-trained dogs can no longer hold their urine. They therefore leave a pee stain both in everyday life and when greeting someone.

A urinary tract infection is usually treated with antibiotics. The inflammation and all associated symptoms should disappear within a few days. [6]

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#4 Fear

Depending on the breed, dogs are more or less self-confident. Lap dogs, for example, are naturally more fearful, while Great Dane species are full of self-confidence.

Specifically, this means that for some smaller dogs, contact with strangers or dogs can be so frightening that they pee when greeted.

In addition to genetic predisposition, past experiences also play a central role here. Because dogs memorize emotional moments very strongly.

It is problematic when the dog pees in front of the owner out of fear. Because that could indicate a problematic upbringing involving violence. [7]

Loud noises can also trigger “fear pee”. However, this is relatively rare in greetings.

#5 Castration

If you have a castrated dog, the castration itself may be responsible for peeing when greeting you.

Removing the ovaries inhibits, among other things, the production of the female sex hormone “estrogen”.

The problem? Estrogen, in conjunction with other hormones, is responsible for controlling the urethral sphincter. [8]

In addition to castration itself, medications, kidney disease and diabetes can also be responsible for this. However, this is relatively rare in male dogs. [9]

#6 Attention

Dogs always repeat behavior that is rewarded. It becomes a problem if you have rewarded behavior in the past that you actually want to avoid.

Specifically, this means: If you have paid a lot of attention to your dog when he pees as a greeting in the past, he will do so again.

Typical behavior here is when the dog lies on its back when greeted, shows its stomach and wants to be petted. [10]

In addition to a cry for attention, peeing can also be a defiant reaction to boredom. You'll know this if your dog causes chaos when you're away.

#7 Dominance

While smaller dog breeds often pee out of submissiveness, larger dogs use their urine primarily as a way to mark their territory. This is more common with male dogs.

For example, if you smell like another dog or pet when greeting them, more dominant breeds will often pee out of spite.

If you will, it is a: “My master is mine. And I don't share with other dogs. Stay away!”

Since dogs, depending on their breed, smell up to 100,000 times better than humans, they can detect even the slightest odor particles. [11]

#8 Other illnesses

In rare cases, the following medical conditions can also be responsible for peeing when greeting:

Bladder stones
Gastrointestinal complaints
Liver disease
Spinal injury
dementia
Kidney disease
Diet change
Tumor disease
diabetes

If you suspect more serious illnesses, I recommend visiting the vet. This can check for all of the above diseases using a urine sample and an ultrasound.

prevention

To prevent peeing when greeting, you should first familiarize yourself with the typical signs:

Ears flat back
Loud whining and whining
Retracted tail
Spin circles
Front paws raised
Licking your hands [12]

It is also important that you have thoroughly cleaned the previous urine stains. An existing smell of urine signals to the dog that this is a suitable place to pee.

If you notice the above signs, the following measures can help:

Don't pay your dog any attention when greeting him – neither direct eye contact nor a friendly laugh. The same applies to guests.

Sounds harsh, but it is very effective. As soon as his excitement has subsided, you can greet him afterwards in peace.

Dogs tick like people. They repeat behavior that is rewarded and avoid behavior that is punished. And that's exactly what you can play out here.

From now on, always give your dog a treat when he pees outside and no reward at all if he pees when greeted.

This motivates your dog to save the pee for the moments when he is rewarded.

Instead of drawing attention to you and the greeting, you can distract your dog with a new toy. Old, familiar toys rarely work here.

Because in their euphoria to play, dogs often forget that they actually wanted to greet you. [13]

If a very young age or age-related incontinence is responsible for the welcome pee, then dog diapers are a great solution.

These reusable dog diapers from Amazon are among the international bestsellers with more than 30,000 positive reviews.

If all of the above measures don't bring any improvement or you don't mind peeing, you can simply greet your dog outside on the grass.

This saves you the “cleaning up work”.

Screaming, aggressive behavior or even violence usually only makes the problem worse. Because that only motivates the dog to behave even more submissively.