Coming home to find a dog guiltily hiding away, a pungent urine odor, and wet spots can be frustrating. It is no secret that everyone loves their furry companions. Cuddling, hugging, and snuggling with our dog is worth every precious thing in this world.
That said, no matter how much you love your dog, it doesn’t mean you can let your pup create urine puddles in the house. It also doesn’t mean you should punish and become a harsh pet parent. If your dog keeps peeing in the same spot, then there’s something wrong that’s leading to this behavior. It’s important that you identify the cause and find the solution.
In this post, we have discussed this matter in detail. We’ll walk you through all potential triggers of urinary issues amongst dogs and their solutions!
Why Does Your Dog Keeps Peeing in the Same Spot?
It’s normal for your pet to have occasional accidents in different areas of the house. However, if he is repetitively peeing in the same place or has developed favorite spots, then it’s not okay.
There are numerous causes of urinary issues in pet dogs. We have categorized these into three types; behavioral, medical, and emotional.
Behavioral Concerns
Basic dog behavior is territorial marking. Dogs pee on upright objects and items to declare them as their territory to other dogs. Both male and female dogs have been known to do this habit.
Dogs also mark with urine as a part of communicative behavior. The urine smell contains a message for other dogs that they understand by sniffing. Canines can even find intricate details about the other dog, such as gender and physical issues.
However, if your dog is urine marking frequently, it may be facing dominance issues with other dogs. Since it’s their communicative behavior, you may find your dog over-marking other dogs’ pee spots.
Sometimes, dogs develop bad behaviors where they treat unused areas of the house like the bathroom. They don’t eat, drink, or sleep there so it becomes their bathroom. This particular bathroom behavior may be a result of poor house training or negligence. If not stopped, your dog will continue relieving himself at the same unused spot.
Medical Issues
For dogs with normal behavior, peeing in the same spot in the house can be due to health. Frequent urination is a common symptom of underlying medical problems in canines.
These include:
Urinary Tract Infections
Also called UTIs, infections in the urinary tract can be both painful and dangerous. UTIs occur when certain bacteria or germs spread into the urinary tract, making urination difficult. Other signs of bladder infection in dogs include fever, accidents, and bloody urine.
Arousals
During days when the canine sex hormones are most active, your dog may urinate more. Dogs do so to impress each other and establish relations. Having a dog that isn’t spayed or neutered will result in more marking or territorial peeing.
Bladder Issues
Apart from a bladder infection (UTI), dogs also experience bladder control issues. This is especially true for females with low estrogen levels or senior dogs. Sometimes, the presence of bladder stones also triggers the frequent need for urination.
Emotional Imbalances
Understanding a canine mind isn’t that difficult. It goes without saying that dogs have emotions just like we do, and as a result, the smallest of changes in their environment or the behavior of the owner can cause emotional imbalances.
For example, a dog left alone at home for the first time may experience separation anxiety. Meeting new family members or pets can cause overwhelming fear or excitement. Neglecting your pet on days when you have an excessive workload can even cause anxiety issues.
All such situations trip the balanced state of emotions in a dog and can lead to accidents in the home. Be attentive to your dog and look out for any connection between emotionally stressful situations and pee spots.
How to Prevent Your Dog From Peeing in The Same Place
From bathroom schedule creation to cleaning urine stains, there are uncountable simple solutions available to battle this house-soiling problem. You can stop your pup from peeing in the same spot again and again. Here’s how!
Clean The Pet Stains
First and foremost, don’t let those urine stains go. They might have dried up and left no strong odor behind, but remember, a dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times more accurate than ours.
So, grab some gloves, and cleaning solutions, and get rid of those previous accidents!
1. Use an Enzymatic Cleaner
Enzyme-based cleaners are more effective than ordinary soaps and detergents. These cleaners break down the uric acid in the pet urine, removing it once and for all.
2. Invest in High-quality Carpet Cleaners
Carpet cleaners refer to those vacuum-like devices that shampoo the carpet. You have to put in some water solution and cleaning detergents. Then, turn it on and run over the carpet, shampooing it one part at a time.
3. Remove The Carpet Padding
If the smell of urine is too strong, consider replacing or removing the carpet. Unlike wood floors, carpets have fabric strands that absorb the liquid and stink later on.
Try Behavior Modification Techniques
Observing fresh stains of urine can help you identify the behavior patterns of your pup. You can understand the triggering factors of the accidents and eliminate them, or you can try these behavior-enhancing methods.
1. Tell The Dos and Don’ts
House training refers to the practice of teaching your dog good habits. Using it, you can reduce accidents with puppies and adult dogs.
Whenever you find your pup peeing in the wrong place, tell him a clear “no”. Catch your pet in the act, so he understands the mistake. Once he abides, give a few treats as a reward and reinforce the concept.
You can also instill the habit of peeing in the right place by creating a bathroom schedule. Observe the times he goes to pee and list it down. This way, you’ll know when your pet has to relieve himself. Use a predictable schedule to take your pet outside on time and teach him to avoid accidents.
2. Increase The Time of Bathroom Breaks
If your dog often pees after relieving himself, increase the bathroom break by 5-10 minutes. Do not make it a couple of hours. But, it should be sufficient to let the dog pee a few times before going back inside.
3. Use Interactive Dog Toys
Interactive dog toys are specially-designed play items for mental stimulation. These toys give a reaction or response to the dog’s action. For example, a sensory interactive dog toy will produce silly sounds when shaken, or a puzzle game will offer treats as a reward for solving the challenge.
All these features of an interactive dog toy take away boredom and engage your pet. Therefore, your dog is less likely to feel anxious, stressed, or aggressive. Instead, you’ll notice a happier and emotionally healthy pet!
Seek a Professional’s Help
Dogs experiencing medical issues should receive proper treatment from professionals. Examine your dog for symptoms, and visit a vet immediately. In circumstances where your pet is exhibiting extreme behavioral concerns, go to a professional behaviorist for advice.
Note that you should avoid self-diagnosis or treatment. Never use online sources as medication suggestions and never delay a vet appointment. This will prevent any avoidable health risks.
FAQS
Q: What Can I Spray To Keep My Dog From Peeing in The House?
A: The best solution is to use an enzymatic cleaner with some water. It breaks down the uric acid in the stain and ensures your pet doesn’t urinate there again. You can also make organic dog deterrents.
A simple, yet effective, the method would be to combine 1½-cups of water and 2-tablespoons of distilled white vinegar. The water can either be cold or lukewarm, though it shouldn’t be hot. You can also add a few drops of citrus-scented essential oils.
Create these organic solutions and spray them over your pet’s favorite pee spots.
Q: Will Vinegar Stop Dogs From Peeing in The Same Spot?
A: Yes, vinegar is a good option for preventing future accidents. It has an acidic smell that dogs don’t like. So, as a result, they stop peeing in the same spot. However, vinegar will render useless if the urine smell is strong in the area.
Q: Does Bleach Stop Dogs From Peeing?
A: Yes, bleach does stop dogs from peeing. It’s a powerful cleaning agent that removes both stains and odor quickly. Keep in mind that bleach also stains, and will remove the color from your carpet if it isn’t white. Bleach is also toxic for dogs to inhale. If you use bleach on your carpets, remove your dog from the home until the cleaning solution is aired out and dry.
Final Thoughts
All in all, if a dog keeps peeing in the same spot, it’s a serious issue that you shouldn’t ignore.
Investigate what makes your pet engage in this destructive behavior and help him resolve it.
There are plenty of causes behind it and just as many solutions. We have discussed each of these aspects above. Hopefully, this article will help you get the peace of mind you need!