There’s nothing quite like being greeted by an excitable pooch as you walk through the door – they’re just so happy to see you after you’ve been gone!
Sometimes, a dog gets too excited, though, and you find yourself needing to shower just as you walk through the door because your dog has peed all over you. This isn’t just an issue with older dogs and puppies, however – even adult dogs will sometimes pee on their person when they’re excited!
Now, you may be wondering why exactly your dog pees on you. In some cases, it’s not just when you come home either, some dogs will pee on you when they sleep, or they may even begin peeing on you suddenly for no discernible reason.
We’ve done the research, and we bring you this article explaining why your dog pees on you. First though, here’s the too-long, didn’t read:
Dogs will usually pee on someone because they are afraid, excited, sick, marking their territory, or it will be an accident. Sometimes it’s because they haven’t been neutered or spayed. Thankfully, it’s a behavior that you can stop once you figure out the root cause.
That was the summary – read on for our detailed explanation.
My Dog Has Suddenly Started Peeing on Me – Why?
It’s frustrating when your dog suddenly starts peeing on you, especially if you don’t know why. So what gives – why is your dog peeing on you, seemingly out of the blue?
There are a number of different reasons why your dog could be peeing on you. It could also be down to underlying issues. The general assumption tends to be that a dog will pee on you because they’re trying to be dominant or they’re marking their territory.
While this is somewhat common, it isn’t necessarily the reason why your dog is peeing on you. The reason can depend on how excited your dog is, how old they are, and various other things. It can also depend on whether the dog has been neutered or spayed before.
Let’s dive into some of the key reasons that your dog may pee on you.
Marking their Scent
Most people assume that a dog is marking his scent when he pees on you. It’s a simple conclusion to come to. It’s also known as territorial marking. It may be territorial marking if your dog has peed on you when you wake up in the middle of the night. It could also be a sign that your dog wants more attention.
This is basically your dog claiming ownership over you. It’s by no means the most common reason that your dog will pee on you, however. Nevertheless, we’re going to start with this.
You can usually tell when the marking is territorial because it will only be a little amount of pee. If you have a male dog, then they may lift their leg to pee on you. It’s much more common to see a male dog trying to mark his territory, but female dogs will sometimes do it too. It often depends on the dog in question.
Dogs will mark their territory for other reasons, too. They may mark if they are feeling threatened by something. For instance, if a new man enters the house and the dog feels jealous or threatened. Your dog won’t do it to be mean or to get revenge, though. Your dog doesn’t feel those sorts of emotions, so it’s never intentional.
How Can I Stop My Dog From Marking Their Territory?
If you know that your dog is peeing on you because they are marking their territory, there are a few things that you can do to correct the behavior. You will need to train your dog – to encourage good new habits rather than allowing the bad habits to continue.
If you notice that your dog starts to lift their leg to pee on you, then you need to teach them to stop that! Say ‘no’ in a firm way, then move from the dog. You need to ensure that you are perfectly clear when saying this. Your dog will begin to notice that your words and actions are correlated.
It may take a while for your dog to learn not to mark their territory, but it will stop after a while as long as you are persistent.
In some situations, you may need to get the help of a professional dog behaviorist if your dog simply refuses to listen. A professional can teach you what you need to do to get this habit to cease.
Excitement
One of the most common reasons that your dog may pee on you is because they are excited! Some dogs will constantly pee on people when they are happy to see them. It’s especially common when you come home after a long day out of the house – your dog is just so happy to see you!
In some situations, a dog may get excited for random reasons, like when a guest arrives or when the postman appears. They may pee when their favorite person gives them attention or when they know that they’re about to go for a walk. Things can get a little messy in your house when your dog pees in excitement, that’s for sure!
Much like with territory marking, you will notice that only a little bit of urine comes out if your dog is peeing out of excitement. You will also notice other signs that your dog is excited, such as panting, spinning around in circles, or they may start to wag their tail.
How Can I Stop My Dog From Peeing in Excitement?
You should probably avoid scolding your dog if they start peeing in excitement – it’s probably not going to work very well since it’s an automatic reaction to an external stimulus.
You should also avoid praising your dog for peeing on you when they’re excited – it’s just going to confuse them. Instead, you should try to do what you can to calm your dog down. This may be harder if your dog is still a puppy, but it’s likely to be a habit that they’ll grow out of with time.
Nervousness
Sometimes your dog may end up peeing when they are nervous. They may pee when they are in an intense amount of distress, feeling afraid, or they are dealing with anxiety at a given moment. In fact, if a human gets scared enough, they may pee too. It’s a natural response to fear in many mammals.
Sometimes dogs will also pee when they are feeling stressed as a whole. If your dog is stressed, they may be more inclined to mark their scent more often. Your dog may be afraid of a new person in your house, new smells, changed routines, or new pets at home. This could then cause your dog to mark with their urine.
In summary, anxiety and feeling nervous can cause your dog to pee on you seemingly out of the blue.
Actually, though, it’s possible to tell when your dog is peeing because he is nervous. If your dog is nervous, there may be less urine released than usual. You will also notice other signs and symptoms that your dog is anxious, for instance:
- Ears are drawn back
- Whimpering
- Excessive panting
- Shaking
- Hanging the head
- Tail in between the legs
How Can I Stop My Dog From Anxiously Peeing on Me?
Unfortunately, when your dog is anxious, they may pee on you as an automatic response. There really isn’t a great deal that you can do about it. You shouldn’t scold them if they pee out of fear – they aren’t trying to do it on purpose. It’s usually just that their body has responded to the fear by peeing – they can’t control it.
One thing that you can do, though, is remove your dog from the situation that is stressful for them. You can also begin to desensitize your dog to the thing that is scaring him.
Let’s say that your dog starts peeing on you and cowering away when your new partner comes into the house. That’s a good sign that your dog is afraid of your partner. You will need to work on this fear through time – it will likely get better after a while. You may have some accidents along the way. You just need to be patient with your dog and be gentle.
Not Spayed or Neutered
Dogs can sometimes pee because they haven’t been neutered or spayed properly. There are numerous benefits of spaying your dog. They’ll likely be calmer throughout the day, and a spayed or neutered dog is also significantly less likely to pee on you or around the house.
In fact, a dog that hasn’t been neutered is much more likely to display territorial behaviors. Sometimes they may pee to show that they own a certain person or place.
Unfortunately, your dog is also trying to show that they own you and that you are their possession. That may mean that you need to take a few more showers on a daily basis – it’s certainly not ideal. If you don’t spay or neuter your dog, they are a lot more likely to try and mark their scent on you.
Why Should I Spay or Neuter My Dog?
If you don’t want your dog to pee on you, you can get them spayed or neutered to reduce the risks. Is that the only reason that you should spay or neuter your dog, though? Absolutely not!
Your dog’s behavior will likely change if they are spayed or neutered. They are far less likely to make their territory. That’s not the only reason either.
- Your dog may wander less
- Your dog is less likely to be aggressive
- Less likely to be clingy
- Your dog isn’t as likely to experience unwanted pregnancies
- Your dog is less likely to try to mount or hump you or other things around you
Of course, spaying and neutering is a very personal decision – it’s not for every dog. If you are unsure about what to do, it’s worth speaking to your veterinarian for more information. They can help to advise you about what to do.
Sickness
Unfortunately, your dog can sometimes pee on you simply because you’re sick. It may seem very sudden and may appear to happen for no apparent reason. If a dog is sick, then they probably won’t have as much control over your bladder. You may find that they are following you around the house more often than usual too, meaning you may sometimes be a target for their urine.
Sometimes your dog may pee on you because they are old. Older dogs don’t tend to have as much control over their bladders. Some dogs may not be as mobile as they once were, meaning that it’s harder for them to walk outside to pee like they used to. On occasion, dogs may also develop illnesses quickly that can cause them to struggle with their bladder.
If your dog is sick, it will be easy to tell if that’s the reason why they are peeing on you. If there’s a lot of urine coming out and it’s clear that the dog has peed on you by accident, there’s a strong chance that they may be unwell. In this case, it’s best to call the veterinarian for advice.
There are a few illnesses that can cause your dog to lose control of their bladder:
- Urinary tract infections
- Prostate issues
- Hormonal imbalances
- Kidney stones
- Kidney disease
- Spinal injuries
- Dementia
Summary
There are a large number of reasons as to why your dog is suddenly peeing on you. In most cases, the cause is benign.
It’s usually because they are feeling excited or scared, or it could simply be because they haven’t been spayed or neutered. In these cases, it should be fairly simple to take the appropriate steps to curb the behavior or to calm your dog down when their emotions are getting the better of them.
If you have any doubts about why your dog is peeing on you, then it may be worth consulting your veterinary surgeon, who will be able to give you more advice.
