Expert: Alan J Turner, SATS LL1 - 2/23/2008

Question
4 Months ago I adopted a 4 year old pomeranian.  Chloe has gotten along very well with me and my daughters.  At first she was fine with my husband until she peed in the house and he flipped out.  This happened about 3 months ago and since she has been terrified of him.  Every time he tries to call her over she pees, and acts sheepish and scared  Even when he offers her a treat, she pees.  The hardest problem is when me or my daughers aren't home and it's time for her to go out, she will not go out with him.  When he tries to get her off the couch or out of her crate she rolls over and pees everywhere.  We can't leave the two of them alone for too long because eventually she's going to have to use the bathroom.  

Number 1, how do we handle it when she pees for him like that?  Do me or my daughter yell at her?  Or my husband?  Or do we completely ignore her?  We have been told so many different thing and we don't know what to do?

Number 2, how can we avoid this?  How can my husband take her out with out her peeing all over the place and refusing to move?

I wish my husband could experience the sweet side of her so please help us!!

Thank you!

Answer
Dear Angela,
Thanks for writing. I can help. She has no idea of why your husband scolded her, but she did learn that he is unpredictable and might attack. The dog is scared and that's why she urinates.

It's called submissive urination and in this case, it's the result of miscommunication. She is not choosing to urinate, it just happens because she is terrified (as you correctly wrote in your header). Scolding or yelling at her when it happens will only make it worse.

Here's a excerpt from my book that will be published in April or May, Pup Start I.

Submissive / Excitement Urination
Sometimes dogs seem to leak urine. This could be a medical issue or a behavioral issue or a combination of both.

Here are some instructions for dealing with Submissive Urination.

•   Teach him to perform a behavior that will focus his attention on something other than the approach of people. Fetch is a good one.

•   Ask him to perform this behavior when you or others approach.

•   During this treatment period, always approach him with a couple of balls. Before he reaches you and before you touch or greet, toss the ball for him to chase/retrieve. This will physically orient his attention away from you and focus his attention on a task that is incompatible with submissive greetings.

•   Make your approaches less challenging. During your initial greeting turn sideways to him, don't bend over him, don't pat the top of his head, don't touch him, don't speak to him, don't make eye contact - just toss a few tasty food treats on the floor, a bit away from you and turn away. Repeat a few times every time you come home.

•   He will begin to associate your arrival with food treats and he will focus on the treats. After several sessions, ask him to perform an easy task like sit or spin.

•   Do not scold your pup or talk to him in a tone which triggers submission.  

•   Start whispering commands - this will take all the harshness out of your voice and will shift his focus from fear to listening well.

•   If you are using corrections or a training collar such as a slip, choke, pinch, martingale, to teach behaviors, discontinue this method of teaching. He's too soft for corrections- based training methods.

•   Use a clicker and a reward system to communicate and to motivate.  

•   Start a training program. Teach your pup some tricks / skills / commands that will engage him  to perform confident actions (as opposed to tricks like down-stay-rollover) - I already mentioned fetch, spin is another good one, find the xyz is another, touch or target training are other good skills to teach.

•   After his confidence builds, you might introduce him to "shake" where he seeks the touch of your hand with his paw.

•   Speak is another good one to teach. He may like "herding" a large ball with his nose / muzzle - sort of like playing soccer. This would be relatively easy to teach using a clicker.

•   Enrich his environment - scatter feed - toss his kibble on the patio or on the kitchen floor - let him hunt for each piece.

•   Each person in the household should teach him, spend active time with him and work with him.

•   Review the quality of his diet.

•   Begin a massage program. Buy the book, Canine Massage: A Complete Reference Manual by Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt.

Good luck with your dog. Thanks fro writing.

Alan J Turner
http://howsbentley.com
http://animalnewsnetwork.org

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