Introduction to Submissive Urination

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Welcome to the 5-Minute Dog , the mini-podcast that delivers practical training advice in less than 5 minutes . Submissive urination is one of those behaviors that can sneak up on us . You call your puppy over , they look a little hesitant and then they squat and urinate at your feet . Or a visitor walks in and , before anyone even says hi , your puppy has left a puddle on the kitchen floor . So what's going on ? Submissive urination is exactly what it sounds like . It's not a house training issue and it's not an act of rebellion . It's communication . It's your puppy saying I'm not a threat , please don't be mad , I don't know what else to do . It's a behavior rooted in nervousness or social insecurity , not a physical need , and it's most common in young puppies or very

Identifying Common Triggers

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sensitive dogs . And common triggers include you bending over to clip a leash on or reaching toward their head or their collar , maybe making direct eye contact , speaking in a deep or a loud voice , strangers approaching too quickly or exciting greetings from familiar people . So if you tell people that your puppy submissive urinates , most people will tell you that oh , don't worry , they'll outgrow it and some will . Some puppies will naturally gain confidence as they mature and the behavior fades away , but others won't , especially if they keep being exposed to those same triggers without any desensitization . So rather than waiting six months to see if your puppy will outgrow it , I recommend you start desensitization to those triggers ASAP .

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So the first thing that you have to do is identify the triggers . Is it when you come home from work and you look directly at your puppy and ask about their day ? Or is it when your friend leans down to pet him ? Or maybe when you say his name in a certain tone ? Once you identify the triggers , the real work can begin

Desensitization Techniques

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. So in the short term , you have to stop triggering the behavior . If direct eye contact is a trigger , watch your puppy in your peripheral vision . Watch your puppy in your peripheral vision . If loud noises or greetings are the issue , tone it down a bit . If leaning over your puppy to leash him up is a trigger , sit on the floor and call him into your space . And if visitors trigger the behavior , be sure to explain what they can and cannot do to keep your puppy comfortable . But for the long term , you have to start desensitizing your puppy to the triggers Because , let's be honest , we cannot avoid making direct eye contact with our puppy for the rest of our lives .

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So how do you desensitize ? The short answer is to get them to associate the trigger with treats . So let's say direct eye contact is the issue . I want you to make direct eye contact for one to two seconds , then divert your gaze as you toss your puppy a treat and once he can withstand one to two seconds of eye contact , go for three to four seconds Again tossing a treat at the end , and with enough practice he'll start to think that direct eye contact equals food and that's nothing to be afraid of .

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If leaning over him is the trigger , barely lean over him and then drop a treat and keep repeating it , leaning over a little more each time and before you know it he will assume you are delivering food when

Patience and Understanding

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you lean over . But take your time with desensitization . Don't try to solve the issue overnight . Don't try to solve the issue overnight . You should see some results within a week , but complete desensitization could take upward of a month , if not more . But just remember submissive urination is not a house training issue , it's communication . It's your puppy trying to navigate a social situation that they don't fully understand yet and your job is to show them that it's safe , help them build confidence and make those scary moments feel a little more predictable and a lot more fun .