Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Deborah

We recently adopted a Maltese mix and have been very pleased with him, with one exception. He gets so excited when we comes home after leaving him alone that he urinates all over, seemingly unconsciously. While we are glad that he is happy to see us, we would like to correct this problem. Any suggestions?

DISCUSSION:

Hi Deborah, I have a female Maltese and she leaks too. My vet suggested that when I have been away from her for a while to ignore her for the first few minutes and give her the chance to calm herself down a bit. My male maltese does not have this problem. I know it sounds a bit cruel but it does work with me. Good luck.
-Pat

This could be caused by a weak bladder when your dog is excited or frightened. That is why it is seen most often in younger dogs. It occurs in both male and female dogs, but is more common in the latter. The scenario usually goes like this; You come home and your dog is happy to see you. You reach down and greet him and and he urinates. He is unaware of what is taking place and his tail is smeering it all over. You yell "No!" He then becomes frightened since your mood changed so suddenly, and urinates more. If this keeps up, he may begin to urinate when he hears you arrive in anticipation of being yelled at. So what can you do about it?

The next time you arrive home, walk in and ignore him like he was not there. Do not make eye contact. Take a few minutes to allow him to settle down. Next lower your hand and let him smell it or lick it. Finally, squat down and greet him at his level remembering not to get too excited. Greeting your dog in a lower position is less intimidating.

If your dog continues to submissively urinate after several attemps to prevent it as described above, consult your veterinarian. He/She may recommend a urinalysis in order to rule out bladder or kidney disorder. I hope this helps. Good luck.
-Jay