Why Does My Dog Pee Everywhere: Solutions and Best Practices

Many reasons could cause your dog to pee in your house. They could be young and playful with no understanding of the rules, or your senior dog could have a medical condition and be unable to hold it in.

As Jacksonville dog training experts, our team at Ridgeside K9 Carolinas outlines the five most common reasons dogs pee in the house to help you answer the question, “why does my dog pee everywhere?” and change this behavior.

1) Anxiety and Fear

Anxiety and fear can cause any dog to leave a puddle of pee on the floor as a response to hearing a loud noise or meeting new guests. A changing appetite or unusual weather could also cause dogs to start peeing in the house.

Anxiety can be a chronic condition in senior dogs. It is worth talking to your bet about medication or potty training to calm your dog down.

2) Changes in the Home

We make many home changes that don’t seem like a big deal but are a big deal to our dogs. These changes could be the reason your dog is peeing everywhere. Changes can include adding new family members, like babies and pets, or changes could come from home renovations or rearranging existing furniture.

If your dog lifts a leg or looks like they are about to start peeing, take them outside and praise them for doing it in the right spot.

3) Urine Marking

Urine marking is your dog’s way of showing dominance. They want to mark the boundaries of their territory. To assert dominance, your dog can spray urine on walls, carpets, backpacks, etc. Although male dogs most characterize this behavior, a female can do it too.

One way to discourage this behavior is to clean these wet spots with a cleaner designed to eliminate the odor.

4) Overexcitement

If you notice droplets of urine near the front door or your dog’s food bowl and ask, “why does my dog pee everywhere?” the answer could be overexcitement. Most puppies face this problem, but your adult dog can still be susceptible to this behavior. Seeing you come home, anticipating a delicious treat, welcoming new visitors, or seeing other dogs can cause your dog to pee.

Once you can figure out what things overstimulate your dog, try introducing those things while your dog is outside.

5) Submission

Submissive urination can come from abusive environments and multi-pet homes. This behavior can come from gentle or harsh treatment. In a multi-dog home, this behavior could be a way to show submission to an alpha dog.

Submissive urination is a delicate situation. Keep a close eye on your dog while indoors. If your pet makes a sign to pee, interrupt the behavior and praise them when they pee outside.