Potty training (kids or animals) can be extremely trying for the trainee and the trainer. For those of you with a new puppy, you are not alone! And for those with older dogs who WERE housetrained and now aren't… you also aren't alone! There are many reasons a dog might potty inside, no matter how many outside opportunities they have. Here are some potential reasons your dog might be peeing in the house:
You might be expecting them to hold it too long: As a general rule, puppies can only hold their bladder for as many months as they are old. A two-month-old puppy can hold their bladder for two hours, and an eight-month-old puppy can hold their bladder for eight hours. If you are in the throes of potty training, you will want to take the puppy to their designated (outside) potty area at least as often as they are old. We realize this isn’t possible for everyone, so if you can, hire a pet sitter or a neighborhood kid you trust to come to take care of your dog while you are away. If that isn’t an option, you can offer an indoor potty area, just know it might prolong the process.
Housetraining wasn’t fully completed: If you have a fairly young dog who seemed to go through housetraining just fine and now seems like they have regressed, it might not have stuck. Stick with the house training a little longer!
Urinary tract issues: A urinary tract infection is one of the most common reasons that a previously trained dog might be peeing inside instead of outside. While a UTI is the most common of urinary issues in dogs, it is not the only. You will want to take a trip to see your vet to get the details of what is going on.
Other health issues: Urinary incontinence, kidney disease, diabetes, dementia, senility, and other diseases could be the cause of indoor urination. Watch to see if your dog is consciously peeing large amounts indoor or if they are doing it unknowingly. This will be good information to take to your vet.
Behavioral issues: Your first step is to make sure your dog does not have any health issues. If the vet clears your dog and deems him/her as healthy, the next thing to look at is behavioral issues. Whether it's marking their territory (in males) or they are excited, dogs can urinate inside for various reasons. Submissive urination or anxiety could also be the issue.
There are several ways to address these issues depending on the reason for the urination. It is important to know the reason before addressing the issues. Some ways to help fix the problem are to re-train your dog, take your dog out more often, and make sure you are cleaning the messes up completely as smell can bring animals back time and time again. Whatever you do, consult your vet and solve the issue as calmly as possible.