This blog was inspired by someone who asked a question on a totally unrelated post called “Why is my New Cat Hiding From Me?”
The person — who went by the screen name of “Concerned Pet Owner” — shared with the Humane Society of the Nature Coast that his family “recently adopted a 7-year-old dog named Sadie” and it was their first time adopting a dog. They love their new dog but are frustrated by one thing. My New Dog Keeps Urinating in the House! Help!
Oh… and none of the photos in this post are of Sadie. But pictures make any story better!
“She is a very sweet dog who is kind and sweet and loves to cuddle,” Concerned Pet Owner shared, adding that “when she goes for a walk she does not pull.” But when Sadie sees a “another male or another dog,” he said “she starts to cry and whimper.”
“This is strange and I can only assume it is because she was abused or mistreated as a puppy and as a young dog,” he shared further. “I also have a new issue with her, and the issue is that she keeps peeing all over my house. She only pees in my upstairs living room and it is starting to become a real issue. We took her to the doctor a few days after we got her, and the doctor said she has nothing except an ear infection. Is there a proper way to reprimand her without hitting her or making her afraid of us? That is the last thing I would want to do to a dog that has gone through that already. Please help me!”
This is not the first time a new dog owner has experienced this problem and researching this issue inspired me to think others might need similar advice. So… Concerned Pet Owner, this blog is dedicated to you.
First, please don’t give up on your dog or give your dog away. I promise, you can work through this! It’s just going to take some consistency and patience.
1 – Make Sure it isn’t a Medical Issue
If your adult dog is urinating in the house it may be a sign there is a medical issue. A urinary tract infection is one of the most common reasons for inappropriate urination and one of the most frequently seen health problems in dogs. Urinary incontinence is another possibility. While it is often associated with senior dogs, it’s possible for a dog to develop incontinence as a young adult. Medications can usually solve these problems.
2 – Don’t Hit or Yell
Punishing or screaming at your dog for urinating in the house will usually make things worse rather than better. Dogs have very short-term memory so if you reprimand a dog after you discover it has urinated in the house, it will have no idea why you are angry. Such action from you will be more likely to teach the dog that people are unpredictable or unsafe to be around rather than teaching them they did something wrong. Punishing your dog when you catch them in the act, especially one that has been abused in the past, may actually make it afraid to urinate in front of you (even outdoors), which could lead to more indoor accidents. If a dog has been abused in the past, some additional patience and effort on your part may be required… which brings me to the second suggestion.
3 – Back to School
You may have to re-potty train your dog. Maybe the new surroundings has the pup a bit confused and they aren’t sure what the program is for going outside for potty breaks. Maybe the previous owners didn’t provide adequate or consistent training for the pup at all so they might not be sure of what they are supposed to do. I have two dogs, both adopted and previously owned. One barks when he has to go out. The other just sits at the back door and waits. If I don’t pay attention and see the second dog at the door… she will eventually let it go, right there at the back door. Remember. The best ingredient for successful training with a dog on anything is consistency and patience.
4 – Increase Potty Breaks
Take your dog outside to pee first thing in the morning when they wake up and don’t let them back in until they complete the task… even in bad weather. Also take them out right after drinking, eating and especially right after they wake up from a nap. Again, make them stay outside until they do their thing. When they do, praise them and offer a treat immediately. This way, they will associates praise and treats with peeing outside.
5 – Clean up Properly
If you pay attention when a dog goes to the bathroom, they start by smelling the area. They are creatures of habit and will usually go in the same places for #1 and #2. If the dog can smell where it has urinated before in the house it will come to believe that is “the bathroom.” Thoroughly clean up each accident as soon as possible with an enzymatic cleaner that eliminates the smell. Resolve Urine Destroyer is a very good product. Another thing to do is block off the places where your dog keeps using as a bathroom. If you see the dog going there, take it outside and wait until they to the bathroom. Eventually, they will figure out… “Ohhh… this is where I do that!”
6 – Get Professional Help
Another possibility is that your dog might be exhibiting submissive or excitement urination. This can occur when a dog feels intimidated by someone or something. This can be especially true with a dog that has been abused by a previous owner or attacked by another dog. Dogs may also urinate in inappropriate places when they feel anxious or afraid. An animal behaviorist or a qualified trainer may be able to assess the cause of the problem — sometimes in a single session — and can provide you with ways to help your dog past their fears.
If you are having problems potty training your dog, or if you have successfully helped your dog learn the bathroom is OUTSIDE and you have some tips to share, please feel free to tell us about it in the comment section below!
My dog I had for 8 years we go outside though out the day. He don’t like the snow, or cold. I am tired so when I moved I put mast down ,sometimes he will Pees on the side sometime more on the carpet He had pers out my son carpet at the other houses . Please help me Oh I try vintage be for carpet Help
Hi firstly thankyou. I have a new rescue dog I’ve only just got her So I know it’s very soon but I’ve noticed she poos outside in garden or on walks (brill). She’s also done two weeks on walksim Im still only leaving her for 5 mins then 10 mins etc She wees straight away when I leave
Also wees at night
She sleeps a lot in the day as just come to UK Obviously the travelling is long so she is decompressing If it continues when leaving the house (albeit) in the future. Any ideas to help her. Thank you loads
Recently my adopted a 9 year old dog from the humane society. Ijust spent $1,000 cleaning up all areas where she has urinated, and when I call the adoption center, they act oblivious. This is so frustrating as all I want is the truth. The expense is not sustainable, and had I known, I never would have allowed him to bring her home.
Why the secrecy? And why won’t anyone talk to us now? Or at least divulge her history?? When adopting everyone said how much the loved her, and what a great dog she was. But now that she is in our home, she is ruining it.
I understand they want to place as many pets as possible, but to what end? I don’t wsnt to be forced to put her down,m, and her behavior mixed with severe hip displasia is pointing to the obvious fact that she quite possibly should have been been placed in a therapeutic setting or put out of her misery. She can barely walk. And it is just getting worse. And there is no support from the county where she was adopted from.
What is anyone supposed to do with this? Because emotions are involved, children have become very attached. Why didn’t they tell us before any of this haoooebed? And what can we do besides react to dog urine in every room, we can’t even have carpet in our home because she ruined that. Help!!!
My dog refuses to pee outside. Comes in and pees in house on carpet. She is 5 years old. What can I do?
Our one dog pees outside but poops inside and of course it’s on a carpet! My son had a dog that did the same thing. He had to be outside with the dog and whenever it did it’s business he gave it a treat. This needs to be repeated until you see your dog consistently doing the peeing and pooping outside. It takes time and patience.
Recently I just got a puppy that’s 5 months old and we are working on trying to potty train her. It’s been rough because she hasn’t once went outside since we’ve had her. I take her out every hour for over an hour sometimes it feels like we spend majority of our days outside trying to get her to go but it never happens. We’ve taken her to the vet to make sure nothings wrong with her and they said everything was normal. Please help we don’t know what else to try at this point.
Take her out more often and limit water in the evening…. This helped Bigtime with my 9 year old beagle female.
I just got a elderly dog maybe around 5 years old from the human society and they said that he was house trained and never mentioned that he has something wrong with his back end. While I was giving him loves I noticed a hump in his spine and I felt like possibly broken ribs while rubbing his chest. I have taken him outside at least every 1/2 hour but he’s still Peeing in the house even though he is also Peeing outside several times. He paces continuously and seems to be deaf. I’m at a loss on how to train him. I am making him a vet appointment asap. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
See a vet first to make sure no UTI INFECTIONS.
Hi there.
i have a dog that pees at home yet my grandma’s caretaker does nothing to solve it other than yell at her or sometimes smack her for it any advice to fix it? it would be much appreciated.
Smack the caretaker & yell at her, or get a kinder one, because if she does this to the dog, I can’t imagine how she treats your mother!
well mom did suggest it in the first place… as per punishment to the dog. that is peeing or pooping inside the house.
Well your mother is wrong. NEVER EVER hit, smack or do anything punitive to a dog. Would you do that to a baby for peeing in his or her diaper? If your relatives can’t be kind to a dog, then please rehome it immediately to people who are kind. People are unbelievable! It takes lots of time and patience to potty train a dog. If they don’t have it, then give the poor dog to someone who has the time and will treat it with kindness.
well to be honest its mom who suggested to smack the dog when she misbehaves…
Help help help. I have a puppy that is 14 weeks old that does his business first thing in the morning outside has held his urine in a crate for over eight hours. Take them out for a walk. He doesn’t do a thing comes in and pees on the floor Over and over and over take them out for walks half a mile a time why is he doing that?
Hello, i dont have an adopted dog. I have a bramd new puppie. My daughter & her boyfriend had a male American Bully/Bulldog & then a yr later got a female one & then an aother yr later she had 11/12 puppies. All adorable. Im already a dog mom of a 13 yr old chihuahua & hes been by himself this whole time. Im doing a trial run with the puppie before i decide to give her back. I wanted to wait before getting another puppie. I have my hands full with my chihuahua even tho hes a very good & well behaived dog. Potty training him was very easy. I lived on the first floor & i took him out immediately after esting & drinking bit with this puppie its so different & difficult. All i do is clean up her messes on my carpet its exhausting, even diapers & pee pads arent much help. Im on a third floor & i tried taking her outside & she just wont budge. She will not go, not even move. She gets scared & i cant keep picking her up either. At 3 months old shes alot heavier then my 13 yr old chihuahua is since hes only 5-7 lbs. When i tried picking her up she peed all over me. I try to let her out of the cage once in a while but i find myself always cleaning up her messes & i cant no more. Its draining but i dont want to give up on her. Please help me.
Great article, love the photos too!
I HAVE I DOG THATS IS 3 YEARS OLD NOW BEEN TRAINING HIM SICE A PUPPY IN PADS IN HOUSE N OUTSIDE . HE GOES IN BOTH BUT HE STILL DOES ALL OVER THE HOUSE . DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO . HELP!