It’s a classic puppy parent struggle: you walk through the door, or a friend bends down to say hello, and suddenly there’s a puddle on the floor.
To fix this damp problem, you first have to understand the two very different biological reasons behind it: submissive peeing and excited peeing.
1. Submissive Peeing: An Insecure Cry for Reassurance
Rooted in wild wolf DNA, submissive peeing is an involuntary reaction from an insecure puppy trying to signal that they aren’t a threat.
- The Triggers: Direct eye contact, loud voices, or someone looming over them.
- The Mistake: Yelling or rushing for a towel, which only scares the puppy more and worsens the habit.
- The Fix: Never approach a shy puppy head-on. Turn your back, lower a hand behind you, and let them choose to come to you. Build their confidence by enrolling them in fun activities like Puppy Agility or Scent Classes.
2. Excited Peeing: Pure Energy Overload
Unlike submissive peeing, excited peeing is a physical issue. Highly excitable puppies simply lose control of their underdeveloped bladder muscles when their energy spikes.
- The Triggers: Guests arriving or intense eye contact from strangers on walks.
- The Fix: Practice the “Ignore” Rule. Instruct guests to completely avoid looking at, talking to, or touching your puppy until they calm down. When walking in public, greet approaching strangers loudly to pull their eyes up to you, breaking the intense eye contact with your pup.
You Control the Leash
Remember, your pup is not “the world’s dog”. You have every right to politely tell strangers, “We’re training right now, so we aren’t greeting today.” If you do let people pet your puppy, enforce a strict “sit to greet” rule. A sitting puppy is a calm puppy—and a calm puppy keeps their bladder under control.
Take heart: as long as you set calm boundaries, most puppies completely grow out of excited peeing as they mature!