Submissive Urination
Some dogs will submissively urinate when people approach them. This behavior is often observed in puppies, young females, insecure dogs, or dogs who have experienced frequent corrections. The cause of this behavior is that the urinary sphincter relaxes during times of stress.
If your puppy or dog urinates when approached, consider the following steps:
Keep all greetings and departures calm and brief.
Maintain a non-threatening body posture during greetings. Squat down and turn sideways.
Allow the dog to approach you instead of you approaching them.
Avoid prolonged eye contact during greetings (as this can be perceived as threatening to the dog).
Refrain from petting the dog on the head or back during greetings. Instead, pet them under the chin, behind the ears, or on the chest.
DO NOT ADMINISTER ANY FORM OF PUNISHMENT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!
Use an enzymatic cleaner to eliminate the odor where the dog has urinated.
Build the dog's confidence by utilizing clicker training to teach them basic commands (sit, down, stay, come, watch me, etc.) and maybe even some tricks. Then, encourage the dog to perform a behavior to earn special treats and access to various resources (food, outdoor time, playing fetch, belly rubs, etc.). When dogs realize that performing a behavior is the key to obtaining what they need and want, it boosts their confidence in their ability to control their environment.
Train an alternative behavior – Teaching your dog to "sit" when they greet someone effectively addresses this behavior because they cannot urinate while concentrating on sitting.
