Australian Shepherds (and many dogs) pee when excited due to submissive urination, an instinctual reflex where intense emotions like joy or anxiety cause temporary bladder control loss, common in puppies and energetic breeds, often outgrown as they mature, but can stem from excitement, fear, or feeling overwhelmed. It's a sign of being overstimulated or showing submission, not defiance, often easing with calm greetings and maturity, though ruling out medical issues with a vet is key.
When dogs pee at inappropriate times, it is sometimes known as submissive urination or excited peeing. For instance, they might urinate when someone greets them or simply when they get really excited. It can be a few drops to a full bladder expression. Dogs can submissive urinate or excited pee in any body position.
Practice sit/mat and mock arrivals daily. Increase exercise and use toys/chews at arrival. Clean accidents with enzymatic cleaner. Follow these steps consistently; the combination of preventing arousal, teaching an alternative calm behavior, and addressing bladder needs usually eliminates excitement urination.
Most dogs begin to outgrow excitement peeing during the adolescent phase, typically between 6 to 18 months. During this stage, continued reinforcement of calm greetings is essential. Some dogs regress slightly during hormonal shifts but with consistency, you'll usually see big improvements.
Take note of any patterns of behavior or stimuli that are related to the submissive or excitation urination. Please see your veterinarian to begin discussing these clinical and/or behavioral signs and to design a treatment plan.
Treatment involves addressing the emotion related to the social interaction. Submissive and excitement-related urination are most common in very young, socially inexperienced dogs. To prevent the behavior from occurring or escalating, it is important to manage the greeting.
Submissive and excitement urination are separate from typical housetraining issues and dogs who display these behaviors simply cannot contain themselves. However, with some patience and understanding your dog can learn to stop.
The 777 Puppy Rule (or Rule of 7s) is a guideline for puppy socialization, suggesting that by seven weeks old, a puppy should experience seven different Surfaces, seven different Sounds, seven different Objects, seven different People, seven different Locations, seven different Containers, and seven different Challenges, all in positive, short, and safe ways to build confidence and resilience. It helps prevent fear and reactivity by creating positive associations with novel experiences during the critical socialization window (around 4-16 weeks).
The most common symptoms of a UTI in dogs include frequent urination, straining to urinate, blood in the urine, foul smelling urine, and urinating in inappropriate locations. Other signs may include lethargy, loss of appetite, licking at the penile or vaginal area, and a fever.
You could also look into "belly bands". They're basically nappies for dogs. You shouldn't leave them on for too long but if you know someone is calling over you could stick one on him to deal with the excitement piddles. Hopefully that and the increase in potty breaks will solve the issue!
Dogs don't pee out of spite. Accidents usually happen due to stress, anxiety, or medical issues. A veterinary checkup can help determine the cause.
Why Does My Dog Pee When Excited? Excitement peeing is most often found in happy, hyper, young dogs that may not have full bladder control. Dogs frequently outgrow this form of peeing as they mature and emotionally calm down.
When dogs get excited, they'll likely wag their tail. They might also leave behind a small puddle of pee. It's an instinctual, physical response called submissive urination, and it's normal in young dogs. Submissive urination typically happens whenever a dog feels excited, shy, anxious, or scared.
Try to keep your interactions with your pet calm and relaxed (even if you're excited on the inside). Keep it positive — Never reprimand your dog for inappropriate urination. Instead, provide treats and plenty of praise and affection when she urinates where she's supposed to.
Aussies are a bit more prone to developing painful bladder stones or kidney stones. If your pup shows signs like bloody urine or struggles to urinate, seek emergency medical help.
10 minutes in the yard or designated spot. 10 feet of potty area, not a strict spot. And 10 minutes of supervision (stay with your puppy while they go).
Before giving your dog a natural remedy for UTIs, contact a veterinarian. UTIs often require medical care, especially if there's an established bacterial infection. In this case, natural remedies will cure the UTI, and only prescription antibiotics and veterinary treatment will remedy the infection.
UTIs can occur at any age, but they are more frequent in adult dogs above 7-years. Dog breeds like Bichon Frise, Yorkshire Terriers, and Shih Tzu are more prone to getting urinary tract infections. Dogs with predisposing conditions like bladder stones and diabetes are more susceptible to getting UTIs than other dogs.
Why PetTest - Our UTI Strips are specially formulated for accurate and early detection of a UTI in your dog or cat. They give you accurate results at home, fast, using urine test strips for infection detection. Then see your vet to treat early and help prevent health complications.
Red flag puppy behaviors signal serious issues beyond normal puppy antics, including aggression (growling, snapping, biting, lunging), extreme fear/anxiety (intense cowering, hiding, refusing treats, constant escape attempts, shutting down), resource guarding (guarding food/toys with aggression), and severe separation anxiety (destructive behavior when alone). Recognizing these early and seeking professional help from a trainer or vet is crucial, as these often stem from trauma or lack of socialization and won't just disappear with age.
The 3-second rule for puppies (and dogs) is a guideline for positive greetings and interactions, suggesting initial meetings or petting sessions last no more than three seconds before pausing, allowing the dog to choose to re-engage, which helps build confidence, reduce overstimulation, and prevent negative reactions like fear or aggression. It teaches dogs that social contact is on their terms, using short, controlled sniff-and-greet intervals (3 seconds), then disengaging, and repeating as needed, while also being used for petting to let dogs signal they want more.
The hardest months with a puppy often center around two key periods: 3-5 months (teething, regression, lack of impulse control) and 6-12 months (adolescence), when hormone surges bring boundary testing, stubbornness, and increased energy, making training and housebreaking challenging as they become "teenagers". Expect frustration with accidents, nipping, chewing, and defiance during these phases as their brains develop, requiring patience and consistent training.
7 Proven Ways to Calm Your Anxious Dog
Approach them from the side, rather than head on, and/or present the side of your body to them. — Eliminate odors wherever your dog submissively urinates, especially if they aren't completely house-trained. — Don't punish or scold them for submissive urination. This will only make the problem worse.
If you're feeding your dog certain foods with high mineral content, it can make the situation worse, or in some instances, possibly be the cause. If your pet is suffering from urinary incontinence, bladder stones, or other types of urinary issues, speak to your veterinarian about the mineral content in their food.