Excitement Piddling in a Dog

It can be quite annoying and embarrassing if your canine piddles every time she gets excited. But you’re not alone. Many dogs lose a little urine when they’re overly stimulated. While you can work with your pooch to limit or stop the behavior, take her in for a checkup first, just to rule out any medical issues.

Your canine buddy can lose just a trickle of urine or empty out her entire bladder if she doesn’t have strong bladder control. Puppies and younger female dogs are more likely to have excitement piddles, although any dog at any age can display this behavior. Most dogs outgrow the quirk, but for some dogs, it’s a lifelong habit.

Always remain calm when approaching your furry friend. If she starts getting excited, back away until she calms down. She’ll start to learn that she won’t get any attention from her human until she holds still. This might mean that you have to completely ignore her when you first walk in the door after work. You’ll also want to take her out for potty walks as frequently as possible -- especially if you know that you have other people coming over that may trigger an excitement piddle.

You should always have fresh water out for Bella, although if you’re planning a gathering at your home, pick up her water bowl for a bit. Limiting the amount of water she drinks before she comes into contact with other people or dogs lessens her chances of making a wet mess. Just don’t forget to put her water bowl back out when your guests leave.

If you do catch Bella emptying her bladder on your rug, just clean it up and move on rather than punishing her. She didn’t mean to upset you; it was just an accident. Scolding her, yelling at her or shoving her nose in it can sometimes worsen the problem and make it last a lifetime.

Submissive urination is different than excitement piddling. If your dog is feeling like a weaker member of the pack -- either human or canine -- she’ll lose her bladder control. During submissive urination, she’ll hold her ears back, avoid eye contact, lower her body to the ground, crawl or possibly roll over onto her back to expose her belly. She’s letting the potential threat know that she doesn’t want a confrontation and is backing down with no hesitations. You’ll have to boost her confidence by approaching her from the side, instead of from the front. Scratch her under the chin to raise her head up and talk to her calmly.