Why is my dog peeing in the house all of a sudden? It can certainly come as something of a shock when your well house-trained dog suddenly starts peeing in the house. Certainly, all types of things run through your mind about whether your dog is being naughty, trying to communicate, getting lazy or is perhaps ill. Here we give you the low down on what could have caused your dog to start peeing in the house.
Why is my dog peeing in the house? Main Reasons.
Have you recently moved house?
If your dog has started ‘leaving their mark’ around the house and you have just moved house, the reason they are doing this is because they are feeling stressed by all the unfamiliar smells around them. A dog’s sense of smell is far greater than a human’s and the new array of scents could make your dog feel insecure and uncertain. The way dogs deal with this is to claim the new ‘territory’ as theirs by ‘leaving their mark’..
Is my dog being naughty?
Even if you have successfully house trained your puppy, there could be moments when they forget all their good training and accidentally pee in the house. They are not actually being naughty, it is just that in a moment of excitement they just forgot what they were doing! If you remain calm, clear up the ‘accident’ and reinforce their toilet training over the following few days, life will soon return to normal.
Occasional accidents can also happen in moments of stress for your dog. These can include a change in their daily routine, their diet or even other people staying in your house. It is important not to react harshly as your dog could be as upset as you. Mop up the mess and spend some time with your dog so they regain their confidence.
Is your dog fully house trained?
Fully house training your dog can take a number of months and is something some dog owners try to speed up. Unfortunately, when this happens, the result is usually a puddle in the house somewhere – with shaggy bath mats being a favourite spot! To avoid these accidents, it is important that dogs are not left unsupervised for long periods and must be encouraged to regularly go out into the garden- at all different times and in all types of weather.
If you are wondering if this could be the problem, a leading Vet suggests that a dog is not properly house trained until there has been not pee or poop in the house for six months – that is a long time.
Is your dog scared of going out in the garden?
A nervous or anxious dog may just have got themselves suddenly scared about being outside in the garden. If this is the case, your dog may look anxious, start panting and try really hard to get back indoors speedily.
To get over this hurdle you will have to check that there is nothing negative in the garden like a large barking dog on the other side of the fence. If there is not, you will have to teach your dog that all is fine and that there is nothing scary in the garden. Go out into the garden together, spend a few minutes patting your dog and rewarding them with a dog biscuit. If you do this for short periods repeatedly each day over a period, your dog will successfully get over their fear and regain their confidence.
Does your garden have the right surfaces?
Dogs are quite choosy where they do their toilet and it all comes down to texture. Most dogs prefer grass and dirt and this is known as their ‘substrate preference’. The reason they like these surfaces is that they absorb their odour which is important as dogs are territorial.
Unfortunately, if your dog has started peeing in the house, they will have chosen your bathroom rug or carpet because the texture is the closest to grass or soil. Dogs from rescue centres often prefer concrete for their toilet as this is what they are used to.
The answer to this problem is straight forward, if you don’t think that your garden has the type of surface that your dog needs, you will have to take them out regularly for a walk to s suitable grassy area that they will like.
Is weather bad weather to blame?
Believe it or not, just as humans do not like rainy or snowy weather, many family pooches feel the same! There are many dogs of all different breeds that really hate getting their paws wet. Snow can be equally unpopular as it tends to stick to dogs’ paws and be very uncomfortable.
The only way to solve this situation is to teach your dog from a very young age that they must go outside to do their toilet in all kinds of weather and you may need to bribe them by going outside with them and taking a dog biscuit as a reward.
Could it be a medical reason?
One of the main reasons a dog starts peeing in the house is that they have developed a medical problem. There are a variety of problems that can lead to your dog peeing in the house and the most common one is a urinary tract infection (UTI). Your Vet will be able to diagnose this speedily and within a few day’s of treatment, your dog will be feeling much better and normal life will resume.
If your dog has developed kidney problems, these too can lead to puddles indoors as can a variety of gastrointestinal problems. Sometimes, the problem is indicative of a hormonal problem such as Cushing’s Disease. In all of these cases, a visit to your Vet will soon reveal what is triggering the problem.
Could your dog’s odour be lingering?
If you have explored all the above suggestions, without success, there is one final possibility- has the odour of your dog’s pee lingered? Even though you have cleaned the area if your dog is still returning to the spot, it suggests that they can still smell their odour. Many dog owners recommend washing the fabric or floor with lemon juice to eradicate all the smell or you can invest in a professional strength stain & odour eliminator. Either of these will act as an effective deterrent and ensure that your dog stops peeing in your house.
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