# Submissive Urination?????????



## GruvMM (Jul 31, 2011)

We have a 6mo old named Ruger. Over the past few weeks he pees whenever I walk in the door go to give him a treat get up off the couch or even speak sometimes. His ears go back and he pees as hes walking away and goes and hides. He never did this when he was younger, and he is never physically reprimanded, usually we use a stimulating collar(shock) or just tell him bad! he will follow me around and play outside just fine but as soon as we enter the house he does this, also if he approaches me he wont pee. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!:help:


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you're usuing a shock collar to correct him. maybe you're
usuing the collar incorrectly or over doing it.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Were you trained to use the shock collar correctly? Sounds like something went wrong with that training and he associates the physical correction from the collar with you.

I would ditch the shock collar and start over with lots postive training to rebuild his confidence and your relationship. All good things come from you. 

6 months is very young to be using a correction collar. Did you take the time to teach him what you expected or just corrected him when he did something wrong?


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## GruvMM (Jul 31, 2011)

he will be 7mo in a week. we started the collar at 6mo which is what was recommended. The collar is used opposed to a choker and is used on a low setting. He is not vocal when stimulated and he listens excellently to me and my wife. He heels sit stays comes and stops on our command. The collar was used 2 weeks ago and hasnt been used since. It seems once we stopped the use and training this occured.


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## tsteves (Jun 7, 2011)

How can you tell if it is submissive urination or just excited urination? Kona is 17 weeks old and she tinkles a bit when we come home. She gets so excited and bounces around like a crazy beast and tinkles. That is the only time she does it so we assumed it was due to excitement. She had also done it twice a PetsMart, she got super excited and tinkled.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I'd concur that something went wrong with the collar training and he now has a negative association with you in the house. You are going to have to start from square one in the house to gain his trust again.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

So you started the shock collar training at 6 months and he randomly started doing this submissive urination at 6 months too...

My guess is this is not a coincidence. 

Who taught you how to use this collar? What settings is the collar on? Do you have a trainer? From your brief explanation, it doesn't sound like your using it right if your shocking him after he urinates. Doesn't seem like the best training method for your dogs temperament.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Try starting over and put the shock collar away for a few months. You need to win back his trust.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Lucy Dog said:


> So you started the shock collar training at 6 months and he randomly started doing this submissive urination at 6 months too...
> 
> My guess is this is not a coincidence.
> 
> Who taught you how to use this collar? What settings is the collar on? Do you have a trainer? From your brief explanation, it doesn't sound like your using it right if your shocking him after he urinates. Doesn't seem like the best training method for your dogs temperament.


*There is absolutely a correlation with the e-collar and submissiveness.* It's why I NEVER recommend an e-collar until AFTER all the obedience classes cause THOSE are the classes that teach the HUMAN how to teach a dog.

Only once WE know what to do and need to refine the training WITH and e-collar AND AN INSTRUCTOR would I ever recommend the e-collar !!!

I have a dog that's an excitment urinator and she's done it since the day she hit my house and got better as she aged. Not suddenly at 6 months.

Other huge issue you accidentally stumbled into by inappropriate use of the e-collar at 6 months is all the FEAR stages our pups go thru the first year so if your pup was in one and you added the collar..... bad news.

Developmental Stages

Puppy Development

The only training you should be doing with a young pup is FUN and interacting training to encourage your pup to WANT to listen, WANT to learn, WANT to be with you using treats/toys/praise. Our puppies ATTITUDE towards us and training is #1 because once you have that (and a well socialized puppy outside the home) you can do ANYTHING with that dog!

THIS should be your mental picture of a training session with your dog:


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## we4elves (May 11, 2010)

My Matty (1 year 4 months) is a submissive pee'r and has never had an ecollar used...She stopped for awhile, but has started again...Mainly with my husband....He has never physically touched her, he has yelled at her a few times, but that is about it for him disciplining her...He usually calls me to correct "my dog"...

Anyway we have noticed with her that she does it when he gets home from work...(I think she is highly sensitive to his stress)...so now when Dad pulls up we put her outside and he goes outside to greet and visit with her (and talk in high happy pitch)...just keeps the house cleaner...we are hopeful that over time this will resolve itself.

She doesn't do it any other time he gets home...We'll see....


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## jmoney (Jul 21, 2010)

you really have to know what your doing with an e-collar before using it. I agree with everyone above, after using one for 7 months now I really do understand why they are for advanced training/trainers, because so many people screw their dogs up with those things.

How do you know you are using it right?
What is your dogs reaction when you give it a stim?
Are you using it for corrections or for every command?
What model are you using? If dogtra do you have a tester to ensure that it is giving a stable stim? I have had issues with a 280 that was not consistent at all (dogtra replaced of course)


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## GruvMM (Jul 31, 2011)

The shock collar is (was) mainly used outside. The stim is on a low setting and when we correct a behavior with it we can see a twitch of his ear or his head will go up, etc. (he is never vocal with the stim)

The problem is inside. If my wife has him outside when I come home from work, he will approach me and urinate. After that, he will play with me (fetch, run around the yard, etc). Once we come inside it can start all over. If I even have a treat in my hand and ask him if he wants a treat he will look at me and urinate. I also try to get on his level (sitting on the floor)...but it does not help at all.

I would really like some suggestions on how to correct this behavior. I do not yell at him when he pees because I am afraid that this will make the behavior worst. Usually after he does urinate inside, he will come up to me with a toy and want me to throw it (which I do because I want to only have positive interaction with him). 

It seems like if I approach him first (at any time) he will urinate, but if I allow him to approach me then he will be fine.

Thanks for your help!


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## jmoney (Jul 21, 2010)

if he is twitching the stim is too high, back it down a bit. Vocal means WAY to high, which is nice to hear you are not using. 

for the peeing, my pup did that for a bit, still don't know why. I just stopped letting people petting her for a bit until she ignored them completely. Solved the excitment/nervous peeing. All my house guest ignored her, and the problem went away within a couple weeks. Now she can meet new people and it isn't a problem. If your dog is nervous, try agility training or something like that to help build some confidence up.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

> I would really like some suggestions on how to correct this behavior. I do not yell at him when he pees because I am afraid that this will make the behavior worst. Usually after he does urinate inside, he will come up to me with a toy and want me to throw it (which I do because I want to only have positive interaction with him).


You can't 'correct' this. But maybe I'm misreading that you just mean how can you fix this to make your puppy love you and not overly fear you. 

Did you bother to read any of the links I posted about fear stages. That may be a huge part of this but if you refuse to read and learn you won't be prepared.

Did you watch the videos I posted of how we want our puppies attitudes to be with us with 'engagment' (not e-collar corrections) and how we need to go outdoors and take the hours to work with them to build a partnership and be a 'team' when training.

Socializing outside of the home with tons of new people help put you in the leadership role, how many hundreds of people has your puppy been exposed to up to this time?

Do NOT use the e-collar or even take it out. 

I can post more links with great information, but it's not enough for me to post them, you must click on them and read them 


8 Ways to Stop Submissive Urination in Dogs

Submissive Urination | www.cesarsway.com

Submissive & Excitement Urination in Dogs

submissive urination in dogs


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

I have a fear aggressive/submissive peeing 2 year old that the E collar was a godsend with. All emotional and personal correction during training and every day living has been removed. Barking in the back of the truck at non threatening people and animals was drastically reduced. Yard barking-way down. Fear charging from behind the fence at arriving or passing people-immediately stops with a low level nick. Submissive peeing-greatly reduced. Of course it's not just the e-collar but it was an invaluable tool while the pup matured,bonded and learned to relax with us and we learned other strategies to avoid triggering peeing and removing all emotion. 
All greetings are kept low key,no excited voice,no bending,no reaching towards him,no extended eye contact,recognize signs of pre peeing submission. Use distractions such as a ball or a treat to initiate interaction or to apply frontline or remove collar. I say "collar" and he knows what's happening,I say "ball" and give it to him when examining ears etc. I lay on the floor and play with him regularly and he'll lay down right next to me and I'll constantly touch his paws etc in a very non threatening manner.Socialization is a must,this dog walked with a pack of 6 or more 5 days a week,now walks with another dog every day and plays with other dogs on a regular basis. He's always out in public,always walked near busy roads,busyparks. The E-collar is insurance for me against any unwanted behavior that may show itself due to his underlying weak nerved temperament and his behaviors have greatly improved,not deteriorated.


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