Dogs are more than pets, and they’re members of the family. And like any other family member, you expect certain standards of behavior, like not peeing in the house. Teaching a new puppy to always go outside isn’t really any harder than potty training a toddler. It’s just a different process. Learning how to house train your dog can be a challenge if you don’t have someone who can show you the ropes—luckily, Angry Orange is here for you.
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- The 10 Best Carpet Cleaner Solutions for Pets
- Dog Odor Control Made Easy
Find out if your puppy suffers from these conditions before finding a way to get him not to pee in the house. When Does your pet’s favorite spot smell like dog pee? Do her hind legs occasionally get wet? Does she constantly lick her vulva? Understanding the dog leaking urine issue can prevent you from blaming your loved ones for no reason, and instead provide the right solution.
Four reasons your dog is peeing in the house, and how to get them to stop
The best way to stop your new puppy from urinating in the house is to make sure they never start. This begins during house training your new furry friends.
Why do dogs pee? Well, their bladders get full, just like people, they get excited or stressed, and they have the instinct to mark their territory. Here are some signs to look out for and preventative measures you can take.
Marking their territory is a very big deal
Dogs need to let other dogs know that a particular place is theirs, and the best way to stake their claim is to pee (mark their territory). A dog’s sense of smell is its most important sense; an old dog’s nose still works at full strength long after their sight and hearing go. So they pee on a chair, a shrub, a fire hydrant—just about anything—to alert the neighboring hounds that they have made their claim on this particular azalea. Outside, this is no big deal, but the last thing you want is your pets getting into a territorial dispute over the sofa. An Enzymatic Cleaner, like Angry Orange, eliminates urine odors and stains to help prevent future territorial markings.
Know when their bladder is full
Here’s a great rule of thumb when you’re training your pooch. On average, they can hold their pee an hour for every month in age. A four-month-old puppy should be able to wait four hours between outside times. Younger pups need to go more often. After they wake from a nap, eating or drink, and before bed are all critical for both avoiding accidents and training them when they should go.
When you see your pup walking around in circles and sniffing, it’s a sure sign that it’s time to take them out.
Puppies get excited. All the time
One reason we love our pups so much is that they love us more. When your puppy sees you, and they’re wagging their tail, covering your face with puppy kisses, it’s fairly common for them to pee a little, too. At this age, it’s just an unconscious reflex, not a behavioral issue. They’re actually saying, “I’m cute, be nice to me.”
If you don’t look at it from the dog’s point of view, you lose a lot in translation.
Dogs are remarkably good at recognizing stress
Sometimes it’s stress that causes accidents. A new pet, a new human, new smells, new noise from the other side of the wall, separation anxiety—all these things elevate your puppy’s stress levels, and they’re more likely to pee in the house. Dogs are also finely tuned to read human stress levels, so if you’re going through a rough patch, your dog may break training once or twice.
If your dog does have an accident, do not punish him. Dogs are not vengeful or spiteful (that’s the cat’s job), so don’t take out your frustrations on your defenseless pets. Accidents will happen. Don’t lose your cool.
How to stop your dog from peeing in the house
The trick to stopping your dog from peeing in the house, or worse, in the same spot, is to redirect its instincts. It’s not as hard as it sounds.
Puppies
Establish a routine with your pup so that they know when they go outside. Use the same door, and take him to the same place in the yard. Reward the “go” with scratching him behind the ears, baby talk ( say whatever you like, just use that annoying singsong high voice), and a treat. Persistence pays off, as does kindness—remember that he’s just a baby.
Crate training helps with accidents since dogs are very reluctant to soil their nests. Keep the crate by your bed at night, so you’ll wake up if Fido starts scratching around.
It won’t be long before your pooch goes to the door when it’s time.
Mature dogs
If a potty-trained older dog—more than a year—starts marking or peeing in the house, you need to start behavioral alteration training instead of getting frustrated and angry with your hound.
Stopping your dog from peeing in the same spot
Spay or neuter
Spaying or neutering your dog is something you should do as soon as they’re old enough. Intact males and females pee to let other dogs know they’re available—dog dating sites, so to speak. The American Kennel Club says that neutering or spaying reduces the chance they will mark by 50-60%.
Get rid of odors
Not much smells worse than where your dog pees in the house, but to them, it’s ambrosia. Use an enzymatic cleaner to remove odors and stains—traditional bleach or ammonia cleaners can’t attack the bacteria that cause the stench. Angry Orange’s enzymatic cleaner breaks down tough stains and odors, so the affected area has no signs of residual urine, even to your dog’s sensitive nose. All that’s left behind is a fresh, citrusy scent that will envelop your senses.
Familiarize your pup with your entire house
Just like your dog will do anything to avoid going in his crate, he won’t potty in any rooms where you hang out. Spend some time every day in every room in your house, and let the pups come with you. It’s a really simple solution to the problem of dogs peeing around unused parts of the house.
How Can I Remove Stains and Eliminate the Odor?
Angry Orange’s enzymes will remove pet odors from hardwood or carpeted floors, upholstered furniture or other fabrics, or just about anywhere your pooch pees. While it’s great to have the aroma gone, what about the stains?
Clean the rugs and carpets
You can rent a commercial carpet cleaner to remove old stains. Once the stain is gone, soak the areas with Angry Orange, and let it air dry. Cover it with aluminum foil and a heavy plate until it’s completely dry. The foil stops rust stains from forming on the carpet fibers.
Wash bedding and other fabrics
If your pooches pee on the bed, wash all the bedding as quickly as possible. Use Angry Orange’s Enzyme Cleaner to clean the items that can fit in the washing machine (follow manufacturer’s instructions). You can spot clean upholstery (follow manufacturer’s instructions) with Angry Orange, too.
This guide will help you identify why your dog is peeing in the house and what measures you can take to stop them once and for all. Don’t let the puppy version of the terrible twos ruin the relationship between you and your furry friend.
