How to Stop Your Dog Urinating Inside
There are a number of reasons that could be causing your dog to urinate inside the house. It could be anything from a small bladder to kidney issues.
The usual "go to" in training a dog to not urinate inside is to rub their nose in it. However, this method is actually very counterproductive. Rubbing their nose in it doesn’t' help them to understand that urinating inside is a bad thing. This method only makes your dog think that urinating in front of you is the bad thing. So next time your dog has to potty, they'll just find a new place that's hidden instead.
Another thing to keep in mind are potential health issues that could be causing your dog to have accidents in the home. Health issues, that if left untreated, could result in an unfortunate circumstance for your dog overall.
Establishing a Routine
The main thing to remember when house training your dog is to be consistent. This is a key factor for successfully training your dog to go out at certain times. For example:
- Take your dog outside to potty when he/she wakes up in the morning.
- Take him/her outside after a meal.
- Take him/her out at least a half hour before bedtime.
During this training process, keep in mind that puppies cannot hold their bladder for long periods of time. On average, a puppy can generally hold his/her bladder one hour at a time. So while your dog is still a pup, plan to make trips outside more frequently than you would if the pup were older.
Designate a Potty Area
Designating a certain area outside for your dog to use the bathroom will help to stop your dog urinating inside the home. It can be an area inside your fence, a certain tree in the yard, etc. Your dog will become accustomed to this area being their go to spot, and will eventually prefer to potty there instead of other places. Keep in mind that rain and snow will deter your dog from going outside, so if you can designate an area that is covered you'll be a step ahead of the game when the weather acts up.
Have Treats On Hand
When training your dog to stop your dog urinating inside, it's important to reward them when they go outside to potty. Give your dog a verbal praise as well as a treat when they finish urinating. Just make sure to keep the treats hidden until after your dog is finished. This way it won't distract them from the mission. Training with treats is always a win win for your pup.
Hang Out For A While
When your dog finishes using the bathroom, take a few extra moments to hang outside. Dogs are smart and if they realize that once they potty they'll have to go back inside, they may begin to drag their potty time out. Your dog will learn to hold some of its urine in, thinking this will prolong their play time outdoors. Then when you go back inside, they will end up having an accident in the home because you will be thinking your dog already fully urinated. However, if you hang outside a bit longer with your dog after they urinate during the training process, they won't have to worry about play time being cut short. So your dog will be more apt to get all of his/her potty business out while they're already outside playing. That said, if the weather is bad out, that goes without saying that you can limit play time outdoors. Your dog will probably be happy to rush back in under those circumstances.
When to Seek Medical Attention
As mentioned earlier, the cause of urinating in the home can sometimes be a sign of a medical issue your dog is having. Since they can't verbally speak to tell us of their symptoms, it's important for us to know what to look for. Medical issues like diabetes, weak bladder muscles, and kidney problems (just to name a few) can also be the cause of accidents in the home. Your vet will need to examine your dog to determine what the health issue is and get your dog started on medications to correct the internal issue going on.
