submissive urination - NOT?

[dakar]

Ok, I've done lots of posting trying to get help for my 1 yr old puppy's submissive urination problems. Lots of the ideas have had limited success. We managed to get her to quit peeing at the top of the stairs; we said hi outside before bringing her in when we come home; lots of different things. The upshot was that, although these things helped a little, we were still going through a basket of rags a day cleaning up messes. She would pee if my daughter was lying on the couch instead of sitting; if she didn't know someone was home and they came up from downstairs, if she saw the kitten, etc. Well, the other night my husband cracked. I was out and Brie came in and peed all over the kitchen. DH just lit into her. He didn't touch her but he blew his top. Yelled at her and paced the room flapping his arms - really got in her face. After he felt really bad. Usually he's such a softie - she just hit him on a bad day. Well, she must have gotten the message. It has been a few days now and, no matter what has happened, no peeing in the house. She still gets excited but doesn't pee. and she has developed some kind of hero worship for DH. I guess he proved he was the alpha and she figured out he didn't want her to pee in the house. Hopefully it keeps up. Not that I'm recommending this at all!!! But I think Brie was just being a brat (it was something I had considered before because of other things) and now she knows the limits. (again )

[Prin]

Yeah, I know some dogs like that. It's easier to pee wherever than to ask to go out or pee in one particular spot.

[rainbow]

Is Brie still doing well?

[dakar]

She is still doing really well. We have had only two accidents in over a week now. Way better than the 4-5/day we were having before. Sometimes I think I'm just a little too patient with her (and with the kids). They learn pretty fast that they can get away with almost anything with me. I have been a little stricter with her lately and she is much better with all her training. This sounds like I'm being mean or something and I'm really not. I just let her know that I expect her to obey NOW rather than waiting for her to get around to it like before. Life is better for us all that way. (her too, I think)

[rainbow]

So, you're the alpha now.

[dakar]

I'd amend that to I'm the alpha FOR now! It's hard for me to be too dominant. But I'm working on it.

[Prin]

You don't have to be dominant. You just have to make her work for what she wants. (If you search for NILF here on the site, you'll see what I mean).

[dakar]

Thanks Prin we do NILF - always! She doesn't even get a good rub unless she sits for it. She's just a rowdy 1 yr old and tends to push her luck. While I'm trying to figure out what the new behaviour means, she is rebelling. By the time I figure it out we have things to fix. I'm just not a very good dog. But I am always working on being a good puppy guardian.

[Prin]

Maybe you just have to make her work harder. Sitting is easy.