Training is the way to get a male dog to stop peeing inside your house, but it may not be as simple as that. There are a lot of things that can cause this behavior, and to some extent, understanding and thinking like your dog thinks could help a lot. Urination is the problem, but male dogs, especially, like to mark their territory with urine. Understanding why your dog is doing what he is doing is essential even before you start training.
Why does my male dog pee in the house?
Male dogs tend to want to mark their territory. The inside of your house is part of his territory, so he feels the need to mark it, so other dogs won’t intrude on his territory. Your dog does not know that other dogs will not just wander into your house. That is part of thanking like a dog.
This behavior is especially bad if your male dog has not been neutered. The natural drive to mark territory is even stronger in a dog that has not been neutered. If you have not had this done, you should get it done, and that may solve the problem. It will at least make it more manageable.
If you adopt a male dog that is an adult dog, you may be getting a dog that has no training. You may have to start at the beginning of housebreaking to train the dog. It is a little harder with an adult dog, but it can be done.
House training can be tricky and some dogs are better than others in this regard. Sometimes, when a new dog that is not housebroken is introduced, that causes the trained dogs to forget their training. Training can also wear off, and you may have to do additional training now and then to keep your dog on the straight and narrow path.
Your dog also may just not be able to hold it in. If you leave your dog alone too long, he may have to go and not be able to stop.
Why is my male dog peeing in the house suddenly?
Sometimes well-trained dogs suddenly forget their training and start peeing in the house, even if they have not done so for years. There can be a lot of reasons for this. If your dog is older, she may just not be able to hold it as long as she used to. Older dogs can become forgetful just like people can. There could also be a health issue, and it is a good idea to check with your vet to make sure.
Dogs also like routine. Any change in routine can mess up all their other routines or can throw them into confusion. Some dogs won’t eat if you put their food in a different bowl, because it’s a different bowl that they are not used to.
Here are some more things to consider:
A new person in the house
Having a new person in the house can make them nervous. They don’t know this person and may even have some fear. Nervousness about a new person can cause them to have accidents.
A new pet in the house
A new pet is almost as disruptive and sometimes more so than having a new person in the house. The new pet may cause the dog to feel like he needs to mark what is his all over again so the new animal knows where the boundaries are.
You go to different places
If you go to someplace new regularly, you will be bringing new smells into the house. Dogs’ noses are much more sensitive than ours. They can probably tell what you had for lunch just by your smell when you get home. If you smell different to them, though you can’t smell it, it could cause them to start marking behavior due to the new scents you have on you.
Gone too long
If you leave your pet in the house too long, with no chance to go outside, they may have no choice but to pee on the floor.
Changing the schedule
Dogs like routine and they have an internal schedule. They don’t know about clocks, but they know when you are about to appear at the door. If they are used to going out to pee at 5 p.m. when you get home, and you suddenly start getting home at 6 p.m., you will throw off their routine. They are used to peeing at a certain time, and changing what is available causes them trouble.
Boredom
The dog could just get bored and pee after wandering around the house for a long time. This is probably rare but it is a possibility.
Moving to a new place
If you have moved, the dog will be all confused and all his internal routines will be thrown off. How will he ever find that favorite place to pee again? New surroundings can be a big cause for regression in training.
Health issues
Your male dog could be peeing on the floor suddenly because of a real health issue. If nothing else has changed, and it starts happening, it is a good idea to check with your veterinarian. If there are any other symptoms, you should definitely get to the vet. Your veterinarian can give a physical examination and run some tests to find out if there is a physical problem.
Here are some health problems that can cause them to pee on the floor.
Incontinence is a lack of control over the bladder. It can even happen while they sleep. it is similar to the same condition in humans and happens to older dogs at times. Bladder leakage is relatively common in older dogs.
Diabetes also affects dogs the same way it does humans, and it can come on suddenly for a dog. Medication and a diet change can usually fix this issue for dogs.
Kidney failure is another issue for dogs, and it can come about suddenly. When it comes suddenly, it can be fatal, so it needs immediate attention. This is often caused by some kind of poison the dog has eaten. Milder kidney infections can be treated easily if caught early enough.
Chronic kidney disease is similar, but the kidneys still function. It starts slowly and gradually gets worse, and eventually causes death. A dog can live years with this condition, however.
Cushing’s disease is rare but happens at times with older dogs. This happens when the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, which wreaks havoc with the blood sugar level. There is the opposite situation too, and that is called Addison’s disease. Both of these can be fatal if not treated, but they can be treated with mediation.
Canine cognitive disfunction. This is a general deterioration of the brain in older dogs. it is very similar to Alzheimer’s in humans. It is a degenerative condition just as it is with humans. Therapy can help slow the process.
Other health conditions
- Tumors
- Cysts in the bladder or urinary tract
- Infections
- Crystals in the urine
- Inflammation of the bladder
- Bladder stones
- Structural abnormalities.
How to stop my male dog from peeing in the house?
If this is a recent development, it is a good idea to check with your veterinarian to make sure there is not a physical issue causing the problem. It could even be a minor health issue that can be easily solved. If it is something more serious, you will have to work with the vet to decide what to do.
If your male dog has not been neutered, that could be the reason he feels he needs to mark the territory often. Get your dog spayed. Your vet will probably advise you to have the process done regardless of the age of the dog. Neutering or spaying a dog will often solve this problem easily. Once this is done, they won’t feel the need to mark their territory as much.
Keep in mind if you are adopting an adult dog, he may have no training. Try to think like your dog thinks to better understand what might be going on with your pet. You may have to start at the beginning with an adult dog when it comes to house training. Having other dogs around can help, but sometimes dogs adopt bad habits instead of good ones from other dogs.
If you take your dog to the vet, and there are no physical issues causing the problem, you will have to consider mental and emotional reasons for the behavior. Also, consider whether you are being fair with the dog. Are you leaving him inside too long? If you are gone 10-12 hours at a time, you should probably expect your dog to pee on the floor because it is too hard to hold it that long.
Here are some strategies.
Consider recent changes
Think about any recent changes that may have happened where you live. Even if it seems like a very small change to you, it might be a major shift to the dog, and the dog may be having trouble adjusting.
Spay or neuter your dog
Most dogs have this when they are very young. If you have an adult dog who has not been spayed or neutered, that could be a big part of the problem.
Train or re-train your dog
Especially if you move to a new place. Dogs are very specific in their thinking. Just because they can’t pee in one house, does not mean they cannot pee in another house. It could be their thinking. Again, think like your dog.
Look for and eliminate any triggers
Stress can cause your dog to urinate, and remember, what might be minor for us might be major for your dog. Any abrupt change could cause this issue.
Give them lots of opportunities
Take them out, ot let them out, often. Let them out after they have been drinking, and especially if they have taken a long drink.
Don’t leave them alone too long, and try to avoid changing the schedule concerning when it is time to pee.
Put down puppy pads, even for an older dog
Put the pads in the bathroom and try to teach the dog to go there. If that does not work, put a pad down where they have peed recently. It is similar to paper training. You can also do this during the day when you are gone and the dog is home alone.
Clean up properly
Remember a dog’s smell is much keener than ours. Even if you use soap and water, the dog can still smell where he last relieved himself. Sometimes they will go to the same place, and if the smell remains, they may think it’s a good place to go again.
