A little mishap always happens at the beginning of a puppy. This is quite normal and every dog owner should be aware of it. A lot of patience is required for the puppy to become housebroken. But what if the dog pees in the apartment again, although it is actually already housebroken? What can have happened and why is the four-legged friend doing it? There can be many different reasons behind it. This is exactly what we want to deal with in this article and tell you what you can do about it.
A puppy needs to go out into the air after every nap, after play, after eating, after drinking, and even at night when it wakes up to loosen itself up. Master and mistress are responsible for this. It usually happens very quickly and the little dog shows very clearly when it has to go outside. The length of this phase varies in puppies. Some puppies are housebroken from the start, while others don’t really have bladder control until they are six months old.
The dog is peeing in the apartment again – possible causes
If your housebreaking has worked perfectly up to now and suddenly small mishaps keep happening, then you should start looking for the cause. It is important that a disease can be ruled out first. A very slight bladder infection can be to blame for your dog suddenly not being able to hold his pee anymore. The vet recognizes this quickly, prescribes an antibiotic and after a few days everything is fine again. Even after castration, dogs can suddenly start leaking. You should also have this checked out by a veterinarian. In older dogs, the onset of dementia can also be responsible for the dog peeing in the apartment again. A tumor or a pinched nerve can also lead to the quadruped being unable to control his bladder. It can also be a sign of kidney problems or herald diabetes. In both of the latter cases, you can also notice a change in drinking behavior. Usually the dogs then drink significantly more. It is therefore important that a disease is ruled out first.
The fact is that no dog pees in the apartment without a reason if it has already been housebroken. It is now also important that you do not react incorrectly. Scolding and yelling is counterproductive here and you put additional stress on your dog.
Why does a housebroken dog suddenly pee in the apartment?
Psychological as well as health problems can be the cause here. Observe your four-legged friend and note in what context and under what circumstances he pees in the apartment.
Other reasons could be:
- lack of toilet training
- marking in the area
- uncertainty
- stress
- behavioral disorder
- separation anxiety
- heightened emotions
Lack of or wrong toilet training
A lack of or incorrect toilet training are the most common causes when the housebroken dog keeps peeing in the apartment. Unfortunately, some dog owners are just too lazy and don’t always walk their dogs. In this case, they simply let the dog pee in the apartment and later simply wipe away the misery. In this case, no one should be surprised if the dog keeps relieving itself in the house. He didn’t learn any differently.
Pee pads
Another cause can be so-called pee pads. These are certainly often very useful for puppies, old or sick dogs, but they can cause problems with housebreaking. The dog may pee obediently on the pee pad, but often also on towels, carpets, T-shirts or other textiles lying on the floor. Again, there is no bad intention behind it and the dog is not untrainable either. After all, he has learned that he can pee on the piece of textile in the form of the pee pad. It is difficult for animals to distinguish the right textiles from the wrong ones.
Marking in the area
Some dogs also pee in the apartment to mark their territory. This usually occurs in male dogs, but bitches can also develop this bad habit. This usually happens when a second or a new dog joins the pack. This usually subsides immediately as soon as the hierarchy among the animals has been clarified. Until then, you should monitor the dogs closely and stop the situation immediately at the slightest sign of peeing.
What to do if the dog marks in the apartment
You should stop this behavior immediately. The marking is usually announced a few seconds beforehand and you can prevent it with a “No” or “Off”. Then send your dog to his basket or to his place. Clean all textiles with an enzyme cleaner so that your dog can no longer perceive tempting smells on carpets and the like.
Uncertainty
Insecurity can also be expressed in some dogs by peeing in their own four walls. These mishaps usually happen when you speak harshly to your dog or blame him for something. The dog could also pee out of insecurity if another dog in the pack is massively dominant against it. Here it helps if you strengthen his self-confidence.
Stress and behavioral disorders
Stress and behavioral disorders are also psychological stresses caused by some event. One also likes to speak of trauma here.
Maybe your circumstances have changed drastically. This can happen due to a move or when a new partner comes or a separation has taken place. Also, when a new baby joins the family, dogs can be so stressed that they have trouble housebreaking again. The dog now needs a lot of attention and you should show him that nothing has changed in your relationship.
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety can also manifest itself in small patches that you find when you get home. Many dogs have a terrible fear of loss when left home alone. If he pees in the apartment for fear of being alone, you have to learn how to stay alone with him slowly and possibly with a dog trainer. Of course, if the dog has to stay at home alone for too long and can no longer hold its bladder, it is not the animal’s fault.
Heightened emotions
Increased emotions such as excessive joy and excitement cause young dogs in particular to let a rivulet flow. You know that for sure. You come home, the dog shakes his whole body, is happy to see you and that’s it. Here it helps if you make the greeting deliberately calm. Don’t celebrate a party with your four-legged friend, but come home as if you had just been in the other room.
Where is a dog allowed to urinate?
You alone determine where your dog is allowed to urinate. In the apartment, the four-legged friend should generally not be allowed. While it is often convenient to use a pee pad or litter box with puppies and old or sick dogs, this should only be a last resort. In order to avoid tagging in the apartment, it can also be helpful if you don’t let your four-legged friend be tagged everywhere outdoors either. It doesn’t have to be that the dog marks every house wall or every car tire. Stop this behavior and the animal quickly learns that it must not leave its scent notes everywhere.
This is how you train your dog to pee in the apartment – tips & tricks
The first step is to find out the reason. It must first be clarified why it happens to your four-legged friend again and again. After you have clarified the health aspect with the veterinarian, you observe the behavior of your animal. It will quickly become clear why peeing happens in the apartment. As already mentioned, you must never scold, punish or even hit your dog. You would destroy and traumatize his self-confidence even more. The problem would certainly get worse instead of getting better.
It can be helpful if the relationship between dog and owner is strengthened. This gives the four-legged friend better self-confidence. This works if, for example, you play new games together, learn tricks or maybe join a dog sports group. Often it can also help if you attend a dog school. Describe your problem to the dog trainer and he can explicitly address your dog’s needs.
Show your dog that nothing has changed for him, even if a new partner is in the house. Comfort your dog when he misses your partner and give him an extra dose of affection so he doesn’t feel so alone.
If the dog has marked a lot, it is important that carpets and textiles in the apartment are cleaned very well. As long as the smell can still be smelled by the dog, it will encourage it to mark again and again. Here it is not enough to clean the carpet with soap and water. To really get the smell of urine out of the fibers, you should use a special enzyme cleaner. You can get this in specialist shops or online.
It often also helps if you add a little walk for a walk to your daily routine, for example. This doesn’t have to be a long walk. It’s enough if you just walk around the house for 10 minutes so that your four-legged friend can relax in between.
Dog pees in the apartment: when do I have to see a vet?
If the problem comes on suddenly and you can’t figure out what could be the trigger for peeing in the apartment, you should consult a vet to be on the safe side. Get a urine sample done. In this way, it can be ruled out that the dog is suffering from a bladder infection. Even if the four-legged friend suddenly drinks a lot more, but at the same time is also listless or absent-minded, the path should also lead to the veterinarian. If you know your dog well and observe him, you will quickly find out for yourself whether it is a psychological or a health problem.
