Why Does My Dog Pee When I Come Home? 5 Vet-Approved Reasons
No one is as excited to see you come home as your dog. But homecomings can be challenging when your pup has an issue holding their bladder. If your dog is tinkling before its time, getting to the bottom of it is a top priority—and we want to help you.
Luckily, in some cases, solutions are pretty simple. Here, we will go over five reasons your dog might pee when you come home—and how you can curb this unpleasant behavior. Let's get to it.
The 5 Vet-Approved Reasons Why Your Dog Pees When You Come Home
1. Excitement
There is pure joy when your dog sees you come home from work. However, some dogs have weaker bladders and less self-control than others. If they get super excited, they might let out a few dribbles from the surge of emotional energy.
It is important not to punish your dog if you think this might be the case, as it could lead to submissive urination and other potential concerns.
Potential Solutions
- Use Low, Calm Tones
2. Emotional Distress
If a dog is having a hard time without you while you’ve been away, they might urinate as a relief when you come home. As they quickly change moods from anxiousness to happiness, it might cause a momentary lapse of control.
Often, emotional distress accompanies or is a precursor to separation anxiety, which we will talk about next. The key here is to nip it in the bud before it becomes a more significant issue.
Potential Solutions
- Create a Calming Atmosphere While You’re Away
You can find tons of options on the market.
If you suspect this might be something your dog is experiencing, the advice from a vet can help.
3. Separation Anxiety
Anxiety is a real thing among many kinds of breeds and personality types. If your dog is very anxious without you, they might urinate in the fear response.
Separation anxiety is a prevalent and extremely challenging issue in dogs. The symptoms manifest differently for many canines. Some can be overly destructive, while others just show very bad anxious behaviors.
If your dog has separation anxiety, they might prematurely urinate as soon as they hear your keys jingle in the door.
Potential Solutions
- Don’t Speak Until You Take Them Out
4. Submissive Urination
Submissive urination can be a problematic and aggravating issue when you have a dog. However, it is essential to have extreme patience while you work out the kinks, as any negative punishment can worsen the situation.
So, what exactly is submissive urination? As annoying as it might be to clean the carpet every day, it is often a sign of respect. If your dog is dribbling when they see you, this might be a signal that they know you're the boss. However, it can also be very common in dogs who have been previously abused.
If it is submissive urination, this problem will likely happen more often than just your homecomings. Usually, making eye contact with them or raising your voice can trigger submissive urination.
Potential Solutions
- Allow Your Dog to Mature
5. Premature Relief
Your dog knows they can finally go to the bathroom when you get home. Because they've been holding it, they might be so relieved to see you that they have an accident before they get out the door. This might be more common in younger pups that haven't quite learned bladder control yet.
Even though you might want to punish them, it is essential to understand that they are often just getting the concept down. After all, they are trying to hold it, and so you get home. Harsh punishments might make this issue a much bigger deal than what it needs to be.
We want to point out that premature relief is different from submissive urination. Submissive urination is linked to fear or instinctual response, while premature relief is simply a matter of not holding it long enough. The amount of urine, in this case, is likely also much more.
Potential Solutions
- Give It Time
Final Thoughts
As aggravating as it might be right now, know that there are always solutions to these issues. Hopefully, you can pinpoint what's causing the behavior, so you can take the proper steps to smooth out the situation.
If you have any in-depth questions, you can always contact your vet or canine professional for guidance.
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Featured Image Credit: Olimpik, Shutterstock
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Ashley Bates is a freelance dog writer and pet enthusiast who is currently studying the art of animal therapy. A mother to four human children— and 23 furry and feathery kids, too – Ashley volunteers at local shelters, advocates for animal well-being, and rescues every creature in need. Her mission is to create awareness, education, and entertainment about pets to prevent homelessness. Her specialties are dogs and cats.
