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You are a pet owner. What else can we say, but “pee happens”. Especially for new pet owners. If you have just become a pet owner and are wondering why your 4-month old puppy is peeing in your house,Puppies peeing everywhere or just simply peeing in the house comes down to training and we will touch on that fact within this article. But what about full grown dogs and dogs that you have already undergone potty training with, or a dog that has only just begun peeing inside of the house? Should you scold your dog for peeing inside? There are lots of questions that will accompany owning a pet and, sometimes, less answers than questions. It is this article’s hope that we can deduce the reason that your dog pees everywhere and supply you with some helpful tips on how to continue their training and clean up those pesky-pee-spots without leaving behind an odour or stain on your floors.
Why Do Dogs Pee In The House?
We hope you are sitting down because this is a relatively loaded question. Dogs can pee inside of the house for any number of reasons. Like mentioned above, if your puppy continues to pee in the house, that issue is likely to be solved with some basic potty training and should be simple enough to put an end to, but what about a full grown dog? There are a number of reasons that your full grown dog could be peeing indoors and they range from the simplest causes to the more severe medical conditions. Let’s remove the worst case scenario first, because it’s usually the less common and go from there.
One of the main reasons that your dog wont stop peeing indoors could all come down to a urinary tract infection. Dogs are creatures of habit, once you have gone through the necessary potty training and your dog knows to take their business outside, they tend to stick to that regimen. But if after all of the hours and days of rushing them to the door when they begin to “circle” suddenly come to an end, years after training, there’s a good chance that they may be suffering from some type of health issue. While an infection is the most likely cause, there are actually any number of medical reasons a dog may be relieving themselves inside your home. Pain and stress are among the most common reasons, due to the fact that it may be too painful to make the journey to the yard, or for them to get up in general, and that leads them to pee inside. Infected bladder or urinary tract is a common cause as well, but causes can expand to tumours, diabetes, parasites, kidney failure and liver disease, bladder stones or they have simply just become old. The best course of action when a dog begins to change up their bathroom habits suddenly is to schedule a veterinarian visit to rule out any serious causes. From there, you can continue to narrow down the possible causes until you find an answer.
Now that the serious issues are out of the way, we can take a look at some other possible causes to why your dog is peeing everywhere and how you can get them to stop. When it comes to animals, the reasoning could truly be the simplest explanation. They’re just marking their territory. Dog urine contains a host of enzymes that, while we can’t smell them for the most part, alert other animals that this spot is “taken” by the urine’s owner. This could be caused by a few different reasons. Have you done any home renovations, new carpet or floors, or made some changes to your homes layout? The fact is that when you bring in those new fabrics or floors, they have a different smell to your dog and it’s not theirs. That means, in their minds, that the territory is not marked and they have to stake a claim before another animal does. This kind of instinct dates back to their ancestors. Dogs don’t really have to worry about a predator or another pack encroaching on their territory anymore, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t forgotten. One of the most common reasons that your dog may be peeing on the floor is quite simply because you bought something new and they need to claim it.
Another cause of peeing indoors could come down to stress or fear. Moving, remodelling or making changes of any kind can actually build up a lot of stress in your dog. While those small changes may not be noticeable to you, dogs are creatures of habit and routine and a change to that routine can lead to stress levels rising. When this happens, all training goes out of the window. The new surroundings have changed their “world” so to speak and they feel the need to remark territory or they may not even be aware that they aren’t supposed to pee indoors. After a move or a remodel, you may have to re-train your dog to take it outside to avoid any future messes.
Solutions
Simply put, the best solution in any of these situations is to remain calm and approach the mess with positivity. The old tactics of “LOOK WHAT YOU DID” is no longer accepted and for good reason. Positive reinforcement is the best way to get results out of your dog, but there are a few ways you can stop it before it happens, while it happens or after it happens.
To stop your puppy or dog from peeing in the house, you have to pay attention. Dogs usually make things pretty clear when they are in need of relieving themselves. The classic “walking circles” can be a great indicator or if you notice them sniffing around random spots in your home, it’s likely they are in need of a bathroom break. It’s at that point that you drop what you are doing and, calmly, escort them outdoors and leave them there until they do their business.
Believe it or not, you can even interrupt them while they are doing the deed to move them outside. Sure, it might get a little messy, but what part of pet ownership isn’t? If you catch your dog in the act of going to the bathroom inside, make a loud noise. To be clear, this isn’t a violent or aimed noise directed at the dog, but merely a sudden shout to get their attention. It’s at that point that they may stop what they are doing and you can quickly transfer them outside. Again, wait until they have completed their business and then praise them for going to the bathroom outside. Never punish, rather praise. If you yell at and scold your dog after they finish up outside it will only confuse them more. Now they think they get in trouble for peeing outside and might increase the amount of bathroom breaks on your carpet.
After you notice that your dog has been going to the bathroom indoors your only option to put a stop to it may be a trip to the vet. A puppy or young dog peeing inside is a relatively normal occurrence, but if they have been potty trained for years and suddenly begin to pee inside, that could be a sign of a more serious issue that needs to be addressed. It might wind up being nothing, but it is always safe to get a second opinion so that you can decide what the next step is.
Cleanup Tips
So you’ve missed the opportunity to get them outside and now you have a pee-puddle on your new floors. What do you do? Animal urine, female dogs specifically, have a strong odour of ammonia that can ruin an indoor scent and fabrics. After you have taken your dog outside to finish up, combating the puddle is your next step. There are any number of branded cleaners you can pick up in store, but the best solution is likely in your pantry and fridge. Vinegar and baking soda are your best weapon in the war against pee. To clean up pee on your hard wood or linoleum floors, spray the area with a mixture of ¼ cup of vinegar for every 1 cup of water. For hardwood floors you may want to further dilute the solution so that it doesn’t leave a film on your floors. Let that cocktail set for a few hours and then soak it up with some paper towels. If you are worried about smells, you can leave some baking soda on the stain overnight and vacuum it up the next day.
For pesky pee stains in carpet or fabrics the solution is slightly the same. First you will want to soak up as much of the liquid as possible with either a towel or paper towel. Once the stain has been absorbed to the best of your ability, sprinkle some baking soda on the stain and let it sit overnight. The following morning, vacuum over the stain numerous times until all of the baking soda is gone and you should be left with a dry, clean, scent-free area.
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Conclusion
If you got into owning a pet because you like the idea of a dog by your side, but hate the idea of having to clean up after them, you may have jumped-the-gun. Mess comes with pet-parenting. At some point, a number of times, throughout their lives you are going to have to clean up after pesky messes and stinky piles. The best way to approach it is with a smile on your face and positivity in your voice. Dogs do not react the way you want them to when met with aggression or scolding. They are best served with positive reinforcement. You can still convey that you are unhappy with the deed, but remembering to praise them when they do things correctly is an imperative step to building up the pack-alpha mentality and raising a healthy, happy pet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you stop a dog from peeing and pooping in the house?
Training. Animals tend to relieve themselves indoors to mark their territory. To move the bathroom breaks outdoors you must pay attention to the signs that they are in need of relieving themselves and positively reinforce the deed once they complete it in the designated area.
Why is my dog pooping and peeing in the house?
It can stem from any number of reasons. Training, age, moving, remodeling, stress or more serious issues. If your adult dog suddenly starts peeing or pooping in the house, it could be a sign of an underlying health issue and a vet visit should be scheduled immediately.
How do I get my dog to stop pooping in the house when I leave?
Whenever you leave your house for an extended period of time always make sure that your dog has been taken outside to do their business. If you are going to be gone for a day or more, a doggy door is a helpful way to avoid a future mess or by having someone come by to let them out.
Does vinegar stop dogs from peeing in the house?
Vinegar doesn’t stop them from peeing in the house, but it is a good solution to cleaning up the mess while eliminating the odor.
What can I mop my floor with to stop my dog from peeing on it?
There aren’t many products that claim to stop dogs from peeing indoors or defecating inside. The simple solution to this issue is proper training. If the issue extends past training then it could be a sign of an underlying health problem and they should be taken to the vet immediately.
