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Submissive Peeing due to change in routine

1K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  LdyTlfrd 
#1 ·
female golden - 14 months old.

While at work she use to have 1 room to herself, which was gated off from the rest of the house. She's always been a very well behaved dog, and doesn't get herself into trouble when alone. About a month ago the gate went down, and she now has access to more rooms in the house while I'm away. Ever since she's gained access to the new rooms, every day when I get home she crawls over to me submissively, and pees everywhere. It's not an 'excited pee,' she seems genuinely terrified when I get home and thinks she's in trouble.

She has never gotten in trouble for misbehaving while I'm away, and I've simply ignored the peeing so she doesn't get more scared, but I'm at a loss as to why this is happening. Ideas?

She did submissive pee when she was a little younger, when meeting new people, or when overly excited, but that has pretty much come to a stop by now as well.
 
#4 ·
At first it was a typical greeting, then I started to ignore her thinking it would give her time to settle down, but she would continue to cower over to me even if I wasn't paying attention to her. Now I just come home and greet her, and carry on with my business, and clean up the mess once I put her outside to do her business.
 
#6 ·
Consider whether the rooms she now has access to have previously been 'off limits' or didn't spend much time in, when you were home - so they are 'new' to her.

Something you could try is decreasing the room she has to roam, by closing off some of the areas she has access to and then opening up one room at a time, as she adjusts to the additional space. She was used to being confined to one room, that is where she came to feel safe/comfortable when left alone there, does she still have access to that room? Have you changed anything else?

It may be, just speculation here, that she is looking for you throughout the house and can't 'find' you, since she is not used to having access to the whole house unless you are there, it could be causing her distress. Consider, if you are not, leaving her a 'something to do' while you are gone, a frozen kong to work on, various toys that she can chew - something to keep her mind busy and help her to relax.

Just a thought.
 
#7 ·
The 'new room' she has access too is the living room, which we spend most of the time together when I am home. She still has access to the other room as well, which is where her crate/food/water/etc are. She has plenty of toys, but a frozen kong is worth a shot.

She's never come off as an anxious dog, and has always done well while I'm out of the house, so thanks for the thoughts. If it doesn't improve I'll just go back to leaving her in 'her room.' maybe she was just more comfortable having that be the only room open to her while I'm out. Was just curious if others had encountered this before... a new one for me. :)
 
#8 ·
I've never dealt with this particular problem, but wondered if you could break the cycle of it by having a treat ready to just calmly give to her immediately when you walk in (hopefully before she starts to urinate, so she wouldn't think she's getting rewarded for that). Then she'd know you weren't upset or anything and it may interrupt the peeing process. Just a thought.

And would having a radio on in the house while you are gone help?
 
#9 ·
Luna is now almost 11 mos. but when she was younger, she did submissive peeing whenever someone came in the house or when we came home. We taught her to sit and wait for a head rub. Once she learned that, her submissive/excitement peeing stopped. Now when we come home, she runs to us but when she hears "sit" she'll sit and wait for a head pat.
 
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