Why Does My Dog Pee When I Pet Him?

You’re happily petting your canine companion when suddenly he starts dribbling urine. This unexplained behavior can be perplexing and frustrating for dog owners. But there are several possible reasons why your dog pees when you pet him.

In this blog article, we will share many reasons for dog peeing while being loved and petted. let’s start with common causes of pets peeing.

1. Submissive Urination

The most common cause of urination when petting is submissive urination. This involuntary release of urine occurs when a dog feels threatened or lacks confidence. The act of petting may make some dogs feel dominated or intimidated.

Submissive piddling often happens with excitable younger dogs but can occur in dogs of any age. Smaller breeds like Chihuahuas and Toy Poodles are most prone to submissive peeing. But any anxious or insecure dog may urine dribble when petted.

2. Excitement Urination

Overstimulation can also trigger your dog to pee when pet. If your dog gets overexcited when greeting or playing, he may accidentally leak urine. This excitement pee is common in puppies who lack bladder control. But adult dogs may also leak urine when they get riled up.

Medical Reasons

In some cases, a medical condition causes a dog to pee while being petted. These medical causes include:

1. Urinary tract infection:

A UTI can make peeing urgent and uncontrollable. So petting may stimulate an immediate need to void. Hormone imbalance: Abnormal hormone levels linked to endocrine diseases can increase urine production and accidents.

2. Bladder stones or tumors:

Any bladder abnormalities that create urgency or obstruction can lead to uncontrolled peeing. Spinal issues: Disk disease and other back problems may affect bladder innervation, making peeing unpredictable.

How To Stop A Dog Peeing When Pet

If your dog only pees when excited or submissive, try these tips to ease his mind and strengthen bladder capacity:

Remain calm and relaxed when greeting or interacting with your dog. Getting animated can further stress an anxious dog or overstimulate an excitable one.

Ignore submissive peeing rather than correcting it. Scolding can worsen a dog’s anxiety. But lack of reaction helps minimize the behavior.

1. Avoid petting around the collar, over the head or on the back near the tail. Slow gentle chin, chest or side scratches are less threatening.

2. Teach your dog to associate petting with rewards to make it a positive experience. Give treats, praise or play when petting him.

3. Take frequent short potty breaks to empty the bladder more often before it leaks. This helps strengthen capacity too.

4. Use puppy pads temporarily to soak up dribbles until bladder control improves. Place them in problem areas like doorways or on furniture.

5. Consider prescription medication if your vet rules out medical causes. Drugs like Proin can help tighten the urethral sphincter to prevent urine leakage.

When To See The Vet

Schedule a veterinary visit if your adult dog suddenly starts peeing when petted or during other normal activities. It could indicate:

1. Urinary tract or prostate infection
2. Diabetes resulting in excessive urine production
3. Loss of bladder control due to cognitive dysfunction
4. Spinal injury affecting nerves that stimulate peeing
5. Kidney disease leads to an inability to concentrate urine
6. Certain medications cause increased urination

Any abrupt bathroom changes in an adult dog warrant an exam and urine test. Your vet can diagnose potential medical issues and provide treatment to resolve accidental peeing.

When To Be Concerned About Submissive Peeing

Most puppies outgrow submissive urination by 6-12 months of age as their confidence grows. But some chronically insecure adult dogs never stop. If your dog still piddles after trying the above tips for several months, seek professional help.

Consult with a certified dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist. They can assess your dog’s body language to determine his state of mind. Fearful, anxious and under-socialized dogs often benefit from customized behavior modification plans to boost confidence.

You may need to:

• Avoid triggers like petting over the head or making direct eye contact
• Teach alternative calm behaviors when greeting people
• Gradually socialize your dog to new sights and sounds to decrease anxiety
• Try calming supplements or medications if extremely fearful

Left untreated, chronic submissive and excitement urinators face increased health risks. They are more prone to urinary tract infections from retaining urine. Bladder infections require antibiotic treatment and can reoccur if pee problems persist.

Some dogs even develop bladder or kidney stones from altered mineral levels caused by frequent urine dribbling.

In rare cases, piddle issues lead to incontinence, where a dog loses the physical ability to control peeing. This irreversible condition typically strikes middle-aged pets and requires lifelong medication and diapering. It’s critical to curb accidental urination early before it becomes a lifelong bathroom problem.

Conclusion;

When your dog leaks urine during petting, it’s usually not a behavioral issue but rather an involuntary reaction. Submissive piddling, excitement peeing, and medical conditions can all cause a dog to pee when petted or greeted.

While frustrating, these accidents are manageable once the underlying cause is identified. Patience, positive reinforcement, and veterinary care can curb problematic pee issues over time.