Elimination Problems

Elimination of Waste Products
One function of urination and defecation is to rid the body of waste products. Housebreaking procedures aim to train a dog to control body functions so that it will (1) eliminate in specific areas or on specific surfaces and inhibit elimination at other times. (See Housebreaking: What is a Puppy Owner to do?)

Communication
Mammals, in general, deposit their individual scents (particularly those found in the urine but also those found in feces, saliva, body secretions and excretions, and scent glands) in the environment to communicate. Scent marking can convey many messages. Dogs may use urine-scent marking to denote that a certain territory is theirs, to communicate sexual and reproductive status, to differentiate specific individuals, to promote sexual attraction, and, perhaps, even to stimulate sexual arousal during courtship. Although dogs may also use feces as a means of scent marking, it is not known how often this occurs as a behavior problem in companion dogs.

Submissive Signal
Dogs sometimes urinate as a submissive social signal. For example, a dog might squat or roll over on its side with a slightly elevated leg and urinate in front of a person or another dog that it considers dominant. Young dogs generally behave in this manner when they greet someone or when approached, admonished or even threatened by a dominant individual. Accompanying submissive signals include lowering the head and neck, flattening the ears against the head, retracting the lips horizontally into a submissive "grin," and licking motions with the tongue.

Submissive urination does not necessarily indicate that the dog is afraid. It does not mean that a puppy has been beaten or frightened by someone if it greets them in a submissive manner. A submissive gesture is not necessarily associated with fear or abuse, although it could be.

Excitement
Dogs (particularly young dogs) that are excited may lose control of their bladder and urinate. This often occurs when a dog with a full bladder greets a returning owner or is highly aroused during play. The dog does not assume a submissive posture as it urinates; instead, the animal dribbles and voids urine as it walks or runs or it may quickly squat in a normal urination posture.

Fear
An extremely frightened dog may urinate and defecate, as well as express its anal sacs. This can occur when the dog is trapped, cornered, held, tied up, or otherwise cannot escape a threatening stimulus such as a person approaching, the sound of thunderstorms, or a ride in a car.

Separation Anxiety
A dog that is extremely anxious when left alone may urinate and defecate and even express its anal sacs. Dogs with separation anxiety usually vocalize and/or become destructive as well as eliminate.

Medical Problems
Disease processes also can cause elimination behavior problems. For example, frequent urination is associated with urinary tract infections, anatomically small bladders, urinary sphincter abnormalities, and systemic diseases such as diabetes and chronic renal failure. Dogs with urination problems should not just be banned to the yard; they may have a physical problem that needs treatment. Bacterial cystitis can eventually affect the kidneys; uncontrolled diabetes will eventually lead to death. Medical disorders should always be considered and ruled out or confirmed by a veterinarian. A urinalysis is required as part of a medical workup of a urination problem. A veterinarian cannot make a diagnosis of cystitis without analysis of a urine sample. Radiographs and blood samples may be necessary to confirm or rule out other diagnoses.

Urine Marking
Urine marking behaviors in the home most commonly occur in unneutered male dogs. The dogs usually expel small amounts of urine onto conspicuous vertical objects such as furniture or doorframes. These dogs are often housebroken in all other respects.

Male dogs usually begin urinating with an elevated leg around puberty (4 to 6 months of age). Urine marking behavior in the home, however, may not appear until dogs are 1 to 2 years of age. Some male dogs never urine mark in the home.

Like many behaviors, urine marking is influenced by many internal and external factors, such as hormonal states, environmental stimuli, and learning. Castration usually reduces or stops urine marking in the home. It does not change the dog's urinating posture outdoors. The effect of castration does not seem to depend on either the dog's age or the length of time it has been urine marking.

If urine marking occurs in only a few locations in the home, changing the significance of the site(s) might stop the behavior. For example, food, water, or the dog's bedding can be placed where the dog is urine marking. Alternatively, preventing access to these locations might solve the problem. If, however, urine marking occurs in many locations these approaches are not likely to solve the problem; the dog will probably urine mark elsewhere in the home.

Sometimes allowing the dog to urine mark multiple times outside is helpful. Dogs walked only on short leashes may be restricted from sniffing, exploring, and subsequently urinating/marking outside, which may result in urine marking inside. Using a Flexi-leash, which extends and retracts, permits a safe combination of sniffing and marking opportunities for the dog and control by the owner.

Counter conditioning techniques can be used for dogs that urine mark in the home in the presence of an owner. (1) The dog is taught a behavior that competes with urine marking, such as sitting or retrieving. (2)The situations associated with the marking behavior (e.g., a knock at the door, a visitor entering) are identified. (3) Then, when such situations occur, the owner signals the dog to immediately engage in the competing behavior.

Sometimes appropriate punishment can be used to stop urine marking in the home. To be effective, punishment must be delivered immediately (within 1/2 second) and consistently, that is, every time the dog begins to urine mark. Punishment should be strong enough to disrupt the behavior but not so intense as to lead to anxiety or fear of the owner. Ideally, the dog should not identify this punishment directly with the owner. A heavy spray of water, a shout or a loud noise from a compressed-air siren or foghorn might work.

For several reasons, hitting the dog is not appropriate punishment for urine marking. It can rarely be applied immediately at the onset of the behavior. Dogs that have dominant-aggressive tendencies toward their owners may respond to being hit by increasing their aggression and biting. Also, dogs that are hit may develop a fear of people who approach or reach to pet them. Such dogs may become "fear biters."

Submission Urination
Submissive urination can be treated in several ways. Sometimes doing nothing is the best approach. When the dog matures, it will be able to control its bladder, and submissive urination will likely cease.

Another approach is to determine the specific stimuli that evoke the behavior (e.g., a certain number of pats on the head, a direct stare plus an excited voice, a stare plus a touch) and avoid using them until the dog matures. For example, owners might avoid direct eye contact when greeting their puppy or speak softly and only for a short time. Owners may satisfy the puppy's need to be greeted by crouching and gently petting (although not too exuberantly) the dog and talking to it softly. As the puppy matures, the immediacy, intensity and directness of the owner's greeting behaviors can be increased gradually.

Sometimes, a dog can be shifted from greeting behaviors to a competing activity, such as play or feeding. When entering the house, owners might throw a ball, play a gentle game of tug of war, or give the dog a treat. The dog should then be gently ushered outside at which time play or feeding should cease, and the dog allowed to urinate. Greetings can be resumed when the puppy has an empty bladder.

Punishment is definitely not warranted for submissive urination because it will only increase the dog's motivation to urinate submissively. Reaching down to pet and reassure the dog also may be counterproductive. The dog may interpret reaching and touching as a dominant or threatening gesture, which can increase the dog's motivation to act submissively. Petting or talking to the dog in a friendly manner may positively reinforce the behavior problem.

Urination Due to Excitement
Young puppies, when highly aroused (such as when greeting their owners or engaging in vigorous play), may be unable to inhibit urination. One approach to this problem is to identify the situations that elicit the urination and avoid exposing the puppy to them when it has a full bladder. Another approach is to teach the puppy to relax in these circumstances.

Perhaps the most practical approach to this problem is to allow the puppy to urinate before it engages in vigorous play or before greeting a returning individual or visitor. An additional safety precaution is to only play with and greet the puppy in locations where urination is acceptable. Puppies usually outgrow excitement urination problems within a few months. If they do not, a medical workup is indicated.

Because puppies are generally unable to inhibit urination while excited, punishment techniques are usually unsuccessful. Punishment may lead to submissive urination or cause negative side effects, such as anxiety or aggression.

Fear Reactions
When fear causes an elimination problem, the dog's fear of the specific stimulus (or stimuli) must be treated. Fears and phobias usually can be treated successfully. (See Fear of Thunder and Other Loud Noises.)

Separation Anxiety
When separation anxiety causes an elimination problem, the dog's anxiety of being separated from the owner must be treated. Separation anxiety, however, is highly treatable. (See The Dog that Cannot be Left Alone.)

Multiple Causes
Sometimes, elimination behavior problems have more than one cause. For example, a dog may eliminate when left alone because of separation anxiety and lack of house training. All of the underlying causes of the problem must be addressed.