Puppy weeing in crate when they see me

[Ansumpasty]

We have an almost 6 month old puppy.

She’s still having some accidents inside but not every single day. What I’ve noticed is that she does excited/nervous wees.

She was crate trained when we got her and never used to wee in her crate. Suddenly, shes weeing in her crate with excitement when she can hear me coming to her in the morning.
She’s then rolling over in it, which means a wash first thing as she’s longed haired.

She does a little wee often when she’s eating and if she’s having a great time playing and is over excited (it will come out while she’s running) or when she’s done something naughty and thinks I’m going to be cross.

I’ve read about this with rescue dogs who have been physically abused but obviously she hasn’t ever experienced something like that and was 18 weeks when we got her.

I was saying a firm NO! when I saw the wee (but that only made more wee come out, so now I’m just having to ignore it.

Anyone know how to fix this? Washing her bed/her/ the floor every morning at 7 is bloody hard work

[BiteyShark]

I wouldn't tell her off as I think will cause more issues with that and I doubt it's voluntary.

My spaniel has always done excited pees every since we got him as a puppy. He has mostly grown out of it and he is 4 this year.

Maybe make sure she toilets before you feed her so less pee anyway. The same with playing. Perhaps she is so full of pee in the morning that when she is excited she can't hold it any longer. So I would be looking to minimise the times when it might happen. And after the lockdown has finished a vet check to ensure there is nothing physically the matter like a uti if she is peeing so much.

[Ansumpasty]

@BiteyShark

Thanks! She’s had so many health checks (one a week since we got her) because of her tummy issues and been on antibiotics for her problems. I definitely think it’s an excited/submissive thing as if I take her straight out without cleaning up and she sees it when she comes back in, she will flip on her back and wee some more.

The little ones she does when excited, I can deal with, but the morning one is a great big puddle. It’s not her entire bladder, though, as she’s going as soon as I get her outside.

Tried taking her out later before bed and getting up an hour earlier but it makes no difference as she’s dry (and asleep!) when I’m coming down the stairs but then does it as I approach or while I’m opening the crate.

[Solomangrundy]

I think it’s quite common, especially in young dogs... everything is still new and exciting... and you are her whole world!! So she’s mega-pleaded to see you!!
My almost-5 year old German Shepherd still does a little sprinkle if something super-exciting happens..🙄

[Solomangrundy]

*pleased .. not pleaded🙄

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

She's still very young.

Don't tell her off, ignore it.

Maybe she's excited to be out of the crate as well, have you tried not using it?

[Ansumpasty]

@Solomangrundy

That’s good to know!

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

We aren’t at that stage yet, unfortunately. If left alone at all, not in her crate, it’s a ‘wee and roll in it, poo and eat it’ scenario

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

Oh ok.

Just give her a bit more time and don't make any fuss in the morning, she should be fine soon.

[Mummyshark2018]

We call it a glee wee! My dog did this every time he saw us - morning/ home from work for about a year. We tried not to make a fuss and one of us would come into the house and take him out the back immediately so that he could do his stuff before he saw dc.

[RedPandaFluff]

Hi OP - if the vet says there's no physical reason for it, I would focus on reducing her excitement. Be super-low energy when you see her - be calm, don't make eye contact, don't greet her, make yourself boring. That should reduce the weeing. It's hard though, who isn't delighted to see their dog?