Getting a dog is just like having a baby. There is a lot of stuff to know and a lot of work to do. Just feeding on time and providing a space to live is not enough. A dog needs constant attention and activities. Sometimes, the owner can’t just take some time to fulfill these requirements and the animal becomes weird. A dog peeing for attention can be really challenging.
Is your dog Peeing for attention? Your dog might be peeing for attention when he is bored, ignored, is not getting enough activity or attention. Some dog breeds are naturally attention-seeking. You can stop this behavior by rewarding good behavior with your attention, treats, and praises and not paying any attention to bad behavior. Make sure to perfectly clean up the mess and follow up with the training to prevent potty training regression.
Can dogs pee to get attention?
Dogs can pee to get attention. It’s mostly not an instinctive behavior. It is most probably a learned behavior. Some dog breeds are more attention-seeking than others. When they think that the owner is not enough engaged with them, they may start to pee everywhere to seek attention, whether it is good attention or bad.
Signs that your dog is peeing for attention:
You need to understand that if your dog is really peeing for attention because there could be other reasons (we’ll be discussing in a while).
Here are a few signs you can look for!
- If your dog pees when you are occupied with something, it can be an attention-seeking behavior.
- When you are around, everything is fine but he pees when left alone, can be a sign. (make sure your dog has no separation anxiety).
- When your dog looks towards you right after peeing, he is checking if you are now attentive or not.
- You are there, after he pees, he gets excited and wants to play, this is more likely to be an attention-seeking behavior.
- When you are busy with the guests, the dog feels ignored and pees.
Why your dog might be trying to seek attention?
Your dog might be trying to seek attention by peeing because
- The dog is actually being ignored by the family members.
- He is bored.
- Lack of physical activity
- Not enough mental stimulation.
- Some dog breeds are naturally attention-seeking.
- The dog is left alone for a long time.
- There is a new pet at home who is getting more attention.
There could be other reasons too, the owner of the dog must notice that what is going wrong.
Why does your dog pee when you don’t pay attention to him?
Dogs require enough attention and care and when they don’t get them, they try things to get that stuff. By peeing once in the wrong place, he got that attention, no matter it was “good attention” or “bad attention” but you were there. He learned that by peeing he can have you. So, peeing for attention is definitely a learned behavior.
How do I get my dog to stop peeing for attention?
After identifying if your dog is seeking attention, the following tips will help you to stop your dog from peeing for attention.
1- Don’t yell at the dog:
First thing first, you can’t yell or shout at your dog. We know it is frustrating but yelling will only make things worse.
First, yelling at the dog is actually paying attention, and the dog is most likely to continue with this behavior.
Secondly, yelling may result in submissive urination too. Submissive urination is when a dog pees out of strong emotions like excitement or fear.
2- Understand why he is doing this and solve his problem:
In this section of “why your dog might be trying to seek attention”, we have mentioned a few reasons.
You need to figure out the reason and solve it for your dog.
Acknowledge that you have adopted a dog and you are responsible for providing him with enough activity that he requires.
You need to understand your dog’s breed traits. Some require more attention while some love to live alone and independently.
3- Pay attention when he is being a good boy:
Pay attention to your dog when he does what you want. When he pees in the right place and shows good behavior.
Reward him with a treat or praise. A play session is also a great option.
4- Don’t pay any kind of attention when your dog does anything wrong:
The dog is following the wrong track to get your attention but you have to do the opposite.
When you see him urinating and wanting attention, ignore him. Do not look at him.
Clean up the mess 0right away but don’t pay any attention to the dog.
He must not get any response from your side, not even “anger”.
5- Clean up the mess:
Ignore the dog but do not ignore the mess. You need to clean it as soon as possible.
Use a good enzyme cleaner that suits the surface you are using it on.
If there will be any urine smell left, the dog is more likely to go there again.
6- Follow up with the potty training:
This kind of behavior may really mess up with potty training.
The leftover smell in the house urges the dog to urinate there again.
Potty training regression might happen. So, it is best to follow up with the potty training, so the dog gets a “revision” of his lessons.
7- Confine the dog:
Confine the dog. Limit his access to the place where he pees.
If your dog pees when there are guests, make sure to confine him anywhere else and provide him with any toys or activities.
Other reasons your dog might have peed?
Besides peeing from attention (which is actually rare) there can be many other reasons your dog might have peed for.
- Urine marking: Dogs use their urine to send signals. They use it to show ownership. Find out more about urine marking, signs, and prevention here.
- Submissive urination: when dogs get strong emotions, they might pee. It can be excitement, fear, anxiety, or confusion.
- Potty training regression: It is very common in dogs under 1 year of age and old dogs, that they forget their training and start peeing and pooping in the house.
Find out more about potty training regression, its reasons, and its solution here. - Sickness: Urinary tract infections, diabetes, and other such diseases can cause the dog to lose control over his bladder muscles, so it is always a good idea to visit a vet if you see any difference in your dog’s usual behavior.
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Attention seeking dog breeds:
Some dog breeds are naturally attention seekers, they just require more activity and bonding.
It also depends upon a dog’s personality traits. A dog who belongs to an attention-seeking breed, still may not act badly to get what he wants.
Here are a few attention seeker breeds:
- Huskies
- Yorkshire terrier
- Bulldogs
- Labrador retriever
- Golden retriever
- Shorthaired pointers
- Dachshunds
- Jack Russell
- Australian shepherd
- Border collie
There are many more!
Conclusion – Dog peeing for attention:
Your dog might be peeing for attention when he is bored, ignored, is not getting enough activity or attention. Some dog breeds are naturally attention-seeking. You can stop this behavior by rewarding good behavior with your attention, treats, and praises and not paying any attention to bad behavior. Make sure to perfectly clean up the mess and follow up with the training to prevent potty training regression.
