You can already see it: your aunt has just let Zeke, her little Bichon Frize, out of the house, and she welcomes you with her usual Piss Circle. In her excitement, she spreads her urine around you and then again when you enter the house. He’s excited to see you, so excited, he just can’t help himself. While this can be cute, it’s not very flattering to your guests, so you don’t want your pooch doing this for too long.

Tips to deal with agitated urination:
• If your dog is less than a year old, he may just outgrow this as he matures
• If your dog does this constantly, don’t punish him for doing it. Instead, he places a towel where these accidents occur, so the urine can be absorbed.
• Keep calm in greetings and arrivals, as too much excitability or stimulation will aggravate the condition.
• Finally, just to make sure your dog’s urination problems aren’t due to an underlying medical or behavioral problem; consult a veterinarian or trainer as needed. They will be able to tell you what else to look for and what to work on.

Urination due to arousal is one behavioral problem, but urinating out of fear is quite another. This is called “submissive urination” and can occur as part of a submissive behavior, such as cowering, shaking, or exposing the belly. A dog will exhibit these behaviors generally when he is confronted with a person or persons whom the dog considers threatening or dominant. Rather than attack or flight, these behaviors seek to say to the perceived threat, “I submit. You are superior to me. Don’t attack me.” This is not a behavior you want your dog to have, especially if you or your home is a social place, where there are many people coming and going. You want your canine friend to feel comfortable with everyone who comes into your home.

There are several ways to help him eliminate the urge to urinate by submission, and they all require you to present yourself as non-threatening.
• When approaching the dog, do not stare or make direct eye contact. Instead, focus your eyes on the back or tail.
• Kneel down when you greet the dog, so he doesn’t feel overpowered.
• Pet the dog under the chin, rather than on top of the head.
• Lastly, present the side of your body instead of the front, as this allows him to feel confident approaching you.

And remember: the dog exhibits this submissive behavior because he is insecure and nervous around you. Therefore, it is never a good idea to react to this behavior in a physical, loud, or uncomfortable way. You will only be giving the dog one more reason to display these behaviors towards you. Instead, work with the dog to build trust. If the dog is confident and confident that you are satisfied with his actions, he will be less likely to cringe at you.

Here are several ways to build trust:
• Establish fun greeting rituals, such as “shaking hands,” and reward generously for compliance
• Practice obedience training at home or as part of a class. This will give your dog a set of skills that he can complete, giving him a sense of belonging.
• Constantly reward your dog for good behavior and be patient with him.

Like most things worth having, there are no shortcuts to solving this type of urination. You just have to be patient and willing to help him become a relaxed, trusting, and loyal partner. And in the end, both will reap the rewards.