Why Is My Dog Peeing In The House?

If your canine friend is well beyond their initial potty training years, you may be concerned when they begin to pee in your home again.

When your pup has mastered going to the bathroom outdoors, it makes no much sense as to why they are suddenly peeing inside.

Ranging from urinary complications to canine anxiety, there are a list of potential factors behind this change in behavior.

To help you better understand why your dog may be peeing inside your house, let’s break down each potential cause below.

Why Is My Dog Peeing In The House

Should Potty Trained Dogs Ever Pee In The House?

Before we discuss the details of why your potty trained dog is peeing in the house, we should first answer the question of whether or not this is normal.

Unless there is an obvious trigger such as being frightened or being left alone for a long period of time, this is not normal for a potty trained dog.

Sudden accidents in the home should always warrant your concern, as most adult dogs prefer to stick to the routine of going outdoors.

It may not be due to serious underlying conditions, but it could still point to a behavioral concern that needs to be addressed.

No matter the cause, you should always take notice.

Why Does My Dog Keep Peeing In The House?

Now that you are aware of how this isn’t normal for potty trained canine friends, let’s break down the potential factors behind this change in behavior below!

Changes In Their Surroundings

Dogs are creatures of habit.

They become accustomed to everything in their environment, ranging from the people in their home to the set time they typically go outside each morning.

Even something as simple as rearranging your furniture can throw things off for a pup, causing them to experience slight changes in behavior as a result.

If there have been any major shifts in your home setting, this could be the cause of your dog’s sudden accidents.

Oftentimes these issues will resolve once your pup adjusts, but we suggest keeping a close eye on them as they get used to the transition.

Being Left Alone Too Long

If you are away from your home for an usually long amount of time, your dog may not be able to hold their bladder.

While most adult dogs can hold their pee for 10-12 hours if they absolutely must, some will still struggle with this.

If your dog only pees inside the house when they are unable to go outside for long periods, this could just mean they were unable to hold it any longer.

If this happens often when you are away from your home, we suggest either limiting the hours in which you are gone, or having a pet sitter stop by and let your pup outside.

Fear And Anxiety

Fear and anxiety is a common factor behind many canine accidents within the home.

This anxiety can be linked to loud noises, new pets in the home, storms, new visitors, and everything in between.

These pups may be overwhelmed with nerves as a result of these events, causing them to pee inside of their homes.

This could lead to one accident as the scary event is unfolding, or even multiple accidents over a few day period.

Dogs with fear or anxiety may also experience:

These pups may just need your support as they recover from these events, while some pups may need medical assistance for anxiety that deeply impacts their lives.

Overexcitement

Peeing when excited is quite common in some furry friends.

It is seen most in young dogs and puppies, but it can happen in dogs of any age.

This often occurs when they are overwhelmed with joy, causing them to let out a stream of urine in their cheerful moment.

This could be anything from a small dribble to a puddle of urine.

If this is common for your canine friend, we suggest moving any exciting interactions outdoors or onto a surface that is easy to clean.

Our pups can’t control this behavior, so you should not reprimand them when it occurs.

They will not understand what they did wrong, and it will just lead to a cycle of confusion.

Territorial Marking

Is your dog suddenly peeing around the home after you welcomed a new pet into your life?

If so, they may be trying to mark their territory. Some dogs will feel the need to mark everything in the home as theirs, as they may feel threatened by the presence of this new animal.

While this is most common in intact males and females, it can happen in sterilized dogs as well.

This behavior will typically resolve as they get used to the new family member, but in the meantime, be sure to clean up any urine spots diligently.

This will help to prevent them from being pulled to the same spots again to pee.

Urinary Tract Infections

If none of the options above seem to fit your dog’s situation, it is very possible that they have developed a urinary tract infection.

UTI’s can be extremely uncomfortable for our furry friends, causing them to feel the need to urinate more frequently than usual.

It may also be uncomfortable for them to hold their bladders for long periods, which forces them to resort to peeing in the house.

A dog with a UTI may experience frequent urination, peeing small amounts often, foul smelling urine, licking of the genitals, crying when peeing, blood in the urine, and nausea.

If you think your dog may have a UTI, we suggest having them seen as soon as possible.

UTIs in dogs are painful, so the sooner you have them seen, the sooner your pup will find relief.

Incontinence

Does it seem like your dog is constantly leaving behind dribbles of urine?

If this is the case, they may be struggling with urinary incontinence.

This is most common in senior canine friends, but it can occur in a dog of any age.

This can be a result of chronic medical conditions, loss of bladder muscle control, bladder stones, and even bladder tumors.

Because of this, we always suggest having your pup seen if you think they are experiencing incontinence.

Underlying Disease

There are a few underlying medical conditions in dogs that can cause dogs to suddenly urinate in their home.

These complications can cause everything from increased thirst to loss of bladder control, making it hard for dogs to make it outside each time they have to go.

Some of the most common diseases that cause urinary complications in dogs include:

Many of these issues can have vague symptoms, so we always suggest having them assessed by a veterinarian if you think a medical condition is to blame.

Why Is My Dog Suddenly Peeing Everywhere?

If your potty trained dog is suddenly peeing everywhere, this is likely their way of telling you that something is wrong.

We urge you to assess your home or routine for any drastic changes that could have caused them stress, or even reaching out to your vet for guidance.

No matter what, this sudden change in behavior is not normal and it should always warrant attention.

My Old Dog Keeps Peeing In The House

A potty trained dog peeing in the house is concerning enough, but it is even more so in our senior pups.

Older dogs are more at risk of developing underlying disease that impacts their behavior, and urinating in the home is a common change that we see.

Due to the increased threat of underlying disease, we always suggest having them assessed by a vet if they suddenly begin to pee in the house.

When Should I Take My Dog To The Vet For Peeing In The House?

If there is not an obvious change that could have caused your dog to begin to pee in the home, we always suggest having them seen.

For example, if your adult dog peed in your home for the first time after you brought a new puppy home, it’s safe to say that it was a result of the stress that comes along with it.

If the behavior resolves and it does not occur again, there is typically nothing to worry about.

However, if there is not an obvious factor that could have led to the change in behavior, it is always safest to have them seen.

Once your vet rules out any underlying urinary conditions or disease, you can begin to tackle any potential triggers in your home.

How To Get Your Dog To Stop Peeing In The House

Once your pup begins to pee in your home, you will want to put an end to the behavior as soon as possible.

Canine urine can cause damage to your flooring and an unpleasant odor, so you will want to get this under control immediately.

Let’s list a few of the most effective ways to banish the behavior!

Address Any Stressors In The Home

As we discussed above, some dogs will pee inside the house if they are undergoing stress of any kind.

You will want to address these triggers as soon as possible to not only identify what is upsetting your pup, but to offer them comfort as they adjust to the change.

Once you identify what could be causing them anxiety, you can support your pup in the best way possible.

Rule Out Medical Causes

If there are no changes in your home or your dog’s daily routine that could have caused their sudden accidents, we always suggest seeing the vet.

If an underlying medical condition is to blame for this change in behavior, it will never resolve without veterinary help.

If anything, ruling out any underlying illness can help you move forward appropriately in addressing the behavior.

Increase Your Trips Outside

Nothing bad can come of increasing the amount of times you take your pup outside each day.

This allows them ample opportunity to empty their bladder, while also providing them with some extra exercise.

Practice Patience

No matter the cause of your dog’s sudden onset of peeing in the house, it’s important to be as patient as possible.

A potty trained dog does not want to pee inside the house, so any punishment or negative reinforcement can be extremely confusing.

Patience and understanding will go a long way in these situations, especially if your pup could be suffering with an underlying condition that is causing this behavior.

Final Thoughts

There are many potential reasons why your potty trained dog is suddenly peeing around our home.

Be sure to really assess your home and routine for any changes that could have caused them stress, and reach out to your veterinary team if you think your pup needs additional help.

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