Why is my dog peeing inside? Here's why your adult pup is having accidents - and how to stop them 🐶

It's a common issue for dog owners. Just when you think you've cracked toilet training, you start finding wet patches on the carpet.

It's normal for puppies to take a bit of time to be toilet trained, but when they get older they can sometimes forget what they have learned.

Though accidents can always happen, it’s frustrating or upsetting when your dog seems to have forgotten all its previously learned,

While you can expect a puppy to occasionally pee in the house while you are toilet training them (especially if you are not being watchful enough or are expecting too much too soon), in an older dog, whose toilet training is usually rock solid, it can be a clear sign that something might be wrong - either physical or emotional.

To give you a helping hand Carolyn Menteith, behaviourist at pet food experts at tails.com, has explained the reasons why your dog may keep urinating in the house even when you think you’ve got toilet training mastered, and how you can make it stop.

Here's what she had to say.

What do dogs suddenly start peeing in the house? 

Changes to environment 

If you’ve just moved house or had some serious DIY done, your dog quite simply might not be sure where the toilet is. If this is the case, go right back to basics - and take them outside every time you know they are going to need to go (so when they wake up, after each meal, after they’ve had a drink, or after a fun game). Go with them, and reward them when they go to the toilet in the right place. By doing this, it will act as a reminder as to where the toilet is, and how happy you are when they use it!

If however, the changes are more unsettling for the dog - such as a new baby, or a new animal companion - the urination may well be as a result of stress or anxiety. In this case, you should consult a behaviourist who can help you work with your dog to make them feel secure and happy again - and make your home pee-free.

Health problems 

If there are no changes to your dog’s environment or you cannot attribute their change in behaviour to any other reason,  then your first port of call should be your vet. They can check that there are no clinical reasons for your dog suddenly starting to urinate in the house. This could include urinary tract infections, bladder inflammation, kidney disease or age-related inconsistency. 

 Separation related urination

Peeing in the house when your dog is left home alone can be a symptom of separation anxiety. Few dogs like being left alone and many will begin to get anxious or worried before you even go out through the front door. This means they might not go to the toilet before you leave as they are too worried about your impending absence. 

Others may pace around and pant when they are left - and so get thirsty and drink more - and so need to pee! It could be stress urination - or perhaps they are just being left too long and just can’t hold it. 

How you deal with this depends on the reason. Setting up a webcam linked to your phone is a good way to see what your dog does when you leave them - it might be that they can’t cope with being left alone either at all or for a long period of time. A behaviourist will also be able to help you work with your dog if they have separation-related behaviour issues but you may have to consider doggie daycare, a dog walker or a dog sitter if their anxiety is severe.

You are not letting them go outside often enough

Another reason your dog might suddenly start urinating in the house might simply be because you are not giving them enough opportunity to go. 

Just like us humans, dogs need regular toilet breaks - and it’s up to you to make sure they get them! Therefore if you notice that your dog is sometimes peeing in the house, then you might want to reassess how often you are letting them outside for a toilet break. Most dogs need to go outside at least six times a day, so if you're only letting your dog out once in the morning and once at night, then they might be struggling to hold a full bladder, resulting in them going inside instead. 

Remember, the times a dog is most likely to need to go to the toilet - when they wake up, after a meal, after a drink, or after/during any activity.If you have a smaller breed, a young dog or an older one, they are likely to need to go out more often.

 Territory marking or the terrible teens

Sometimes as a puppy goes through adolescence (especially males), their toilet training seems to go out the window. They might seem to have forgotten all they have learned - or they might start marking vertical surfaces. 

While this can be frustrating, it is a natural part of canine development - and is another situation where you have to go back a few steps with your toilet training. Take them out more frequently, reward them well when they go in the right place - and be more watchful in the house. Prevention is key - as is rewarding successes. 

Never punish toilet mistakes! This can lead to worse behaviour and toileting issues and break down the trust between you. And they are your mistake for not being watchful enough!

 

What can you do to stop your dog from urinating in the house?

Identify what is triggering it

If your dog suddenly starts peeing in the house, it’s important to try and pinpoint what the problem is. If there isn’t anything that you can identify, seek advice from your vet or a behaviourist to help discover the cause.

Deal with whatever that issue is

Once you have identified the cause of the breakdown in your dog's toilet habits, you then want to eliminate whatever that issue may be. It might be something as simple as making minor changes to your dog's routine, such as increasing the amount of times they go outside a day, giving more exercise, or reducing the amount of time you are out of the house if the cause part of a separation issue. If you aren’t making any progress of if you are not sure how to deal with these changes in your dog’s urination, enlist the help of an accredited dog behaviourist. 

Re-visit your dog’s toilet training from the very beginning

Another way you may be able to prevent your dog urinating in the house is by revisiting their toilet training from the very beginning. Whether the environment has changed and your dog is now unsure of what they had previously learned, if they’re going through a challenging developmental period, or there's another reason behind it, sometimes a fresh start is what is needed. Take them out frequently, always go with them, and reward them when they go to the toilet in the right place. By doing this it should remind them where they need to go. 

NEVER punish or get angry at your dog

It’s important to remember that there is always a reason as to why your dog’s urinating habits have changed, and a lot of the time it's usually your ‘fault’ or the fault of changes in the environment and not your dog’s. Punishing your dog will break down your relationship and their trust in you, and will often make toileting issues worse.