# 7 month old peeing when scolded



## Smoktya (Jun 8, 2010)

Hi all, 
recently Sarge (7 month old czech male) has been peeing when scolded. His is trained in basic obedience and doesn't actually get scolded too often, but he likes to play a little rough somtimes with the kids, so when i tell him "off" or "no", he starts peeing. Now i do have a deep voice so when i say it, you can definitely tell I'm not joking around, but by no means do I inflict any type of harm to him. My girl, Echo, doesn't have this problem, but since she is 18 months now, she rarely has to be told that stuff. Is this something he will grow out of, because I am getting a little annoyed?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

He is feeling intimidated by you big time. Do the kids ever stop his rough play, instead of having you step in?
Submissive peeing usually is outgrown, but many dogs that lack confidence will continue to do it after they mature. 
I would not be _annoyed_ by this, but work on my personal relationship with Sarge. 
Strengthen your bond with him thru fun training/tug, etc. 

Just because you don't inflict harm physically, your tone and presence alone can defeat his confidence.
I'd lighten up on him, redirect instead of correct.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

He will outgrow it. Try to take a little of the edge off your scolding. His reaction suggests that he understands your mood and if you want less peeing you will have to moderate your reactions. Unfortunately, we have to adapt to our dogs' 'weaknesses' so that they can cope with living with us.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

PaddyD said:


> He will outgrow it. *Try to take a little of the edge off your scolding. His reaction suggests that he understands your mood and if you want less peeing you will have to moderate your reactions.* Unfortunately, we have to adapt to our dogs' 'weaknesses' so that they can cope with living with us.


For our dogs that are a bit softer, THEY GET IT when we use much less to step in to give them a heads up on a behavior we want stopped. 

You may just need to step between the dog/your kids to break up the crazy. Or just get his attention and call him out of the room to give him a treat.


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## Smoktya (Jun 8, 2010)

thanks everybody for the information. He definitely doesn't lack confidence, but i guess i will have to cool down on my tone. I think sometimes i just get a little over-protective with the kids and want him to make sure he knows who the boss is around here. I love the little bugger and i am just trying to instill in him that certain things aren't tolerated. We already train and go for walks every-day, but i will make sure i put more play in the whole training thing and let everyone know how it goes. Thanks, Mike


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## Smoktya (Jun 8, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> He is feeling intimidated by you big time. Do the kids ever stop his rough play, instead of having you step in?
> Submissive peeing usually is outgrown, but many dogs that lack confidence will continue to do it after they mature.
> I would not be _annoyed_ by this, but work on my personal relationship with Sarge.
> Strengthen your bond with him thru fun training/tug, etc.
> ...



To be honest with you, when Sarge gets going, Sarge gets going. You know what I mean. He is from czech working lines (actually one of Cliff's breedings), his grandpa is Frankie Anrebri, along with a bunch of other distinguished dogs from Aritar Bastet. He is an all around wonderful dog, listens well, but it is hard for the kids to stop him when he gets going in full work mode. He does not intend to hurt anybody, but just his big clumsy self gets him in trouble. I just believe he doesn't know how big he is. My 18 month old Echo I thought was big, but he is as big as she is with a lot bigger bone, head, all that stuff. He absolutely loves my kids, lays with them all the time and can tolerate anything they dish out (and yes there are ground rules, and they respect him), no piggy-back riding, pinching, hitting. They are 12, 9 and 6, and never once has he done anything to actually harm them. He loves to play fetch with them with tennis balls and rolley balls, some tug,and he listens to them well, but sometimes he just doesn't stop and that is when I intervene. I will work on this with my kids, as they adore him, I just don't think they understand everything like I do. We will work more as a family with training (as my 12 year old son is really the only one who helps out most of the time). Things will work out and I will try a different tone with him and see how that goes. He definitely isn't afraid of me, I just think he knows he is in trouble and then pees. He is only 7 months old so we have a long life ahead of us. thanks everybody, i appreciate the input.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

You have an r in his kennel name, that is a typo, right?


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> I just think he knows he is in trouble and then pees.


No, that's not really how dogs work.
He does know, however, you are unhappy and he's appeasing you to avoid more "trouble".

Either he lacks confidence and you're shattering what's left, and/or he's extremely submissive.

As others said, _do not_ "get irritated" because you could turn this into a lifelong problem.
And believe me, as a rescue, we've worked with dogs who were over 5yrs. of age and still tinkling out of fear/submission. 

Can We Help You Keep Your Pet? Submissive Urination Great advice here.


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## Smoktya (Jun 8, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> You have an r in his kennel name, that is a typo, right?


thanks for letting me know. i had it wrong


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## Smoktya (Jun 8, 2010)

msvette2u said:


> No, that's not really how dogs work.
> He does know, however, you are unhappy and he's appeasing you to avoid more "trouble".
> 
> Either he lacks confidence and you're shattering what's left, and/or he's extremely submissive.
> ...


Thanks for the link. I have read a few of them and think I may try some things with my voice to hopefully make him think that i am not mad. His confidence is very high, the little bugger is always happy and is not easily intimidated. We have actually gone to a few schutzhund classes and if I had more time I would go as much as I could. I have been told that he is the fearless type with some of the testing they have done (believe me, if you met him, you would understand). My life just doesn't allow me to do that right now with the 3 kids and all their individual sports, as well as having a full time job. As I am writing this, i have just walked in the door and he couldn't be happier to see me. He also pees when this occurs as well, so according to the links, this hopefully is something that will just go away with age. I have a very confident dog on my hands, I just think either my voice was playing a role (obviously it was, but I don't scream, I just have a deep voice when i raise it). It isn't like he cringes with fear when this happens, he just pees. I will work on my voice raising and just make things more fun. We have a great relationship and I don't want people to confuse the fact that I am some type of abuser because I am not.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Smoktya said:


> I just think he knows he is in trouble and then pees.


He doesn't know he's done wrong, he just knows a big powerful human with a big Godlike voice is angry with him, and submissive urination is an appeasement gesture. It's a way for a dog to communicate "You are big and powerful, and I am only a little puppy, please be merciful!" Most dogs grow out of it. 

As the others said, just moderate your voice a bit. Or scold him outside.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Male submissive pee is far worse to clean up than female...I use to go to a house where a male Bernese Mt pup lived and he squirted everywhere out of excitement. Much rather clean up a puddle than a whole floor/walls/furniture/cabinets/whatever he was near when the waterworks went off.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

My oldest (non GSD) was a submissiver pee'er. I can't really remember when it finally stopped, but I know it did improve a lot once I got more informed and trained the people around her. 

All I can say is don't get annoyed. It'll make it worse. The dog is absolutely not doing it on purpose, or to spite you. Not at ALL. When he wizzes, ignore it and clean it up and go on.

I could be stepping out on an uninformed limb, but just because his confidence is high might not mean he isn't intimidated by you. You boys have such deep, scary voices.  He wants to please you oh so much.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Wow... One of cliffs pup submissive urinating? Have you talked to him about this?


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Submissive peeing is not the end of the world, folks... just because a pup does that, doesn't mean he's insecure or weak-nerved, it means he's a PUPPY, which is in almost all cases going to be submissive to a human. The peeing is just an expression of that. Some dogs are more, um, expressive with their feelings than others. I have known many dogs that continue submissive urination into adulthood, they only do it in very specific circumstances and these dogs are not neurotic, insecure dogs... they are just highly expressive. Some dogs are extreme in everything they do--extreme drive, extreme energy, extreme excitement--and when they need to show submission, they do it in an extreme way as well.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Well I've never owned a dog who did this, but have been around a few dogs that have. One was so submissive that you couldn't even touch the dog without it urinating everywhere. Another that just did it when new people would come in and it was just so excited that she couldn't hold it.

In all the cases I've been around, you just ignore the behavior completely. Don't even acknowledge it for a second. Basically pretend it never happened. 

They do eventually grow out of it. Just give it time and be extremely patient. I mentioned to speak to cliff so maybe he can give some specific pointers. He knows his dogs better than anyone.


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## Smoktya (Jun 8, 2010)

once again, thanks for the info everybody. I have not talked to Cliff about it yet, since I really didn't think it was a huge deal. I mean, it's not like the dog is cowering everywhere, he is a bundle of energy and happiness, and very outgoing. Just ask my other GSD Echo, all he does is play and annoy her like any male does to a female . Like I said before, he is just a wonderful pup, I think my voice really got to him and I am going to control that. Also, I am not a constant yelling type of person, it was just when things got out of hand, know what i mean. Sometimes you just have to step in. I have learned from all of you, and I appreciate all the input. Thanks, Mike


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