Submissive Urination (Puppy)???

[con]

My latest pup, a female (lab/rotty mix) has a problem that's starting to become very irritating. Well actually, it's pissing me off. I would consider her crate trained, however she relieves herself each time I approach the crate to take her to potty. It was barely noticeable in her small starter crate as I couldn't see in it until she was out. I was thinking she had a bladder problem or was just going in her crate because she couldn't hold it. After transferring her to her lifechanges crate, I was finally able to witness it. It never fails; each time I approach the crate to open it, she pees.

I've done extensive research on breaking it, however it seems as this could be ongoing. She's a sweet pup, but I don't have it in me to clean up that much urine 6 - 8 times a day. I don't beat or bash her, just a simple 'no' when she does something wrong and I immediately clean her up after she makes a mess.

Ironically, we went on a 4hr road trip for the past three days to visit family for thanksgiving and she only had one incident. She basically camped out in her full size doggy tent looking thing the entire time as we were in the country where dogs roam freely and are not vaccinated. Every other time I took her out, she came out without incident and went to potty as instructed.

However, get back home last night and it starts up again. Let her out to potty, she runs up to my feet, raises a paw, ducks her head and pees on the parking pad. I didn't scold her, just instructed her to go potty in the grass. Since she had done so well in the doggy tent, I decided to let her stay in it instead of housing her back in the lifestages crate. Well, low and behold this morning I go to take her out and she does her thing as I'm opening the crate. I gently say no and she releases even more creating a nice pond in the crate. I take her out every 1-2 hrs when I'm home and every 4hrs when at work. She holds it fine, just releases when I approach the crate. I also take her for two 30 - 45 minute walks and allow her to play with my boys an hour a day.

I understand that this could be a gesture of being submissive to the Alpha Dog/Person or either overly excited......and everything I have read says to basically allow her to do it and hope she outgrows it. I've even tried crawling to the crate, not looking at her and approaching at an angle. None of it has worked so far. On the other hand, she could possibly start to think it is ok to piss her crate and never stop. I'm at wits end and just tired of cleaning piss.

I knew I should of gotten another male

For now, she's confined to the garage until this habit is broken. I would rather wipe up cement around the crate than be cleaning carpet that many times a day. However, if she keeps it up; she'll be moving outside permanently as I've thrown out way too many towels, t-shirts and rags cleaning up as it is.

Any suggestions are much appreciated

[quickdodge®]

What I would do is go and buy the complete 2nd season of Mork and Mindy, released as a box DVD set for $39.95 at participating Target stores nationwide. Watch episode #40, entitled, The Mork Syndrome. In this show, Mork, thinking he was joining a traveling club, joins the Air Force in a secret mission. Gaining Lieutenant status, Mork, with Mindy in tow, heads toward the Dagobah System in search of cinnamon flavored Teddy Grahams to crave a pregnant Jabba the ****. After leaving Yoda and Kermit alone so they could consummate their marriage, Mork and Mindy, haphazardly head on to The Bearded Clam to give Jabba(aka Peter Griffin) the snack crackers. Mork makes the mistake of saying to Jabba, "Here's your crackers" before realizing that, at the next booth, the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were having a meeting about whether or not referring to coffee without cream as "black coffee" was racist. So mad were they at the derogatory comment towards white people, that they tore off their masks and revealed themselves to be none other than George Bush and Adolf Hitler. You'll have to watch the episode to see how it ended. But it ended with Bush and Hitler joining Mork and Mindy for cribbage game in which, when Mork won, he jumped up and shouted, "Nanoo, nanoo!" Later, QD.

[Ruststang]

Wow i never thought of it that way before... You know that might just work hope your pup does well !