How can I stop my 17 week old puppy from peeing when he meets people or gets excited?

Hi All and this is my first thread on Dogsey.

I ahve a 17 week old sprocker pup, he is lovely toilet trained really quickly but the vet has said that he is nervous even though I don't feel this when he is at home and I have a 15 month old daughter who he loves. The problem I have is he wees when someone comes through the door or if they go to stroke him. I have tried the ignoring tactic but he still does this when he follows the person who is ignoring him. I know he is still young but I feel that he should have grown out of it by now. I used to have a cocker that did this but stopped after a week or so. Any suggestions or help?

Hi & welcome to Dogsey

you say 'you have tried'...does this mean that you aren't carrying on with the ignore? I would suggest that you do keep up with it. It may also be worth letting the pup see the visitor without being able to get too close - e.g. if you have a babygate across a doorway?

I'm not sure what else to suggest (other than getting people to meet him outside to save your floors!).

I've known a fare few to do this (mostly springers) but they have eventually grown out of it - though some still would do it when they were several months old.

If it is just excitement (not fear) the easiest way to stop it is for him to meet lots and lots of people who aren`t that interested in him. How about a stroll up and down the high street once or twice a day?

I agree with ClaireandDaisy he has to learn that people aren't that exciting afterall and the best way to do it is for people to be a very normal thing for him. Of course, if people show no interest then the chances are when someone does he'll get over excited and maybe have an accident.

Try not to compare progress, all dogs are different and I'm not big on spaniels but the springers I've met are far more excitable than the cockers I've met (limited experience though!) so the breed difference is likely to affect his ability to control himself!

Try to introduce him to people showing him interest by gradually increasing his interaction with people making sure he's never not able to control himself.

Other than that, I'd say it was something he needs to grow out of and just get used to these things happening... my neighbour's dog used to pee on my mum everytime mum fussed her, eventually she got used to being fussed by my mum and doesn't do it anymore!

Hi Sue , may I add a little to the suggestions already made...
..If you are expecting people to arrive take the puppy out first so that it has a chance to relieve itself and is 'empty' so there is less to leak .
I agree with the ignoring the puppy, no word no eye contact until it has had time to adjust to the visitors, then ask if they will crouch down (so they are less intimidating) and call the puppy to them to receive a small treat.

Try to praise your puppy in a bright voice whenever you get the opportunity to help build its confidence.
Puppies usually grow out of submissive urination as they become more confident.

Hello Wenty!

Some dogs just continue to do this througout their life. Don't think bad of your dog if he is one of them. It usually means the dog is so glad to see people he just can't help himself. These dogs are extremely social and really nice dogs in every way..

It can be an appeasement behaviour or simply a dog who hasn't yet got full bladder control(these are the most common) & simply a dog who gets so excited when he meets people that he loses control.

We have one or two dogs at our dog club that do this the are mainly puppies & do grow out of it.

You've had some good advice re ignoring etc & rewarding when it doesn't happen

Hi, my dog is 2 and still occasionally does this. I have rules for visitors - don't touch, look at or talk to the dog. I trained him to go to his basket with a chew when visitors come and he can't approach them for at least 10 mins. He now only wees when people make too much fuss of him and he gets over excited. It really annoys me though when you tell someone the rules and they just come in and make a huge fuss. Father in law does it everytime and then complains that Loki has peed on his shoes!!!

Hi.

My Tilly is over 2 years old and still does it. We are now ignoring her and visitors do the same, so she is learning not to get too excited at visitors...its slowly working.

When we come in, we ignore and take her straight to the garden where she will relieve herself THEN we fuss.

And as I said before, its working.

Hope it helps,

Leeza.

I know what you mean! My mum does this every single time without fail ("Helllooooo Flaaaaame!!! Oh look, she's peed on my shoes again!") even tho I've had to get quite stroppy in the past with her and everyone else charging in and saying hello to Flame and leaving behind a huge puddle of wee on the floor for me to clean up (the dog, not the guest ).

To the OP, my girl is 9 months old and she still does it, but less and less as time goes on. She displays very submissive behaviour to visitors (rolling over, ears down) and I guess the submissive urination is part of that. She absolutely loves people and loves a fuss. She seems to be growing out of the peeing as she gets to know more people and they become less amazing to her. Ignoring it and asking people to ignore her for the first 10 mins has helped a lot. Just have spare towels to hand and don't worry too much.