Why Does My Poodle Keep Peeing in the House?
If your Poodle or Poodle mix dog lets out just a little dog pee when you get home or play with them – do NOT be alarmed!
As a Poodle and Oodle dog expert, I get worried emails about this all the time. It is normal! But only when the dog is young. They outgrow this.
There is however a BIG difference between a little dog pee, and a puddle. Beyond the Poodle tendency to pee a little when excited as a puppy – there can be serious issues that you need to intervene with if your Poodle keeps peeing inside the house.
Poodles can be more difficult to potty train than other breeds and may not like to relieve themselves outside when cold or wet.
Some common reasons and solutions are here if you have a Poodle peeing in the house.
Your Poodle Is Excited
Overexcitement, anxiety, and strenuous activity can also cause a Poodle to eliminate inside. Poodles sometimes will not want to go outside when too cold or wet.
Their instinct tells them that they would be safer in the house where they have shelter, and there’s no risk of them becoming chilled while sleeping on the ground.
Poodles are highly curious and are apt to investigate things they find interesting. If your dog smells something interesting through the window, they may not be able to resist investigating it.
Poodles sometimes get so excited about the smell of a female in heat that they will break out of a fenced yard and even chew through screens and windows to reach the source of the scent.
If your Poodle goes in the house, watch for signs of anxiety or excitement and take it out of the situation if you notice them. If possible, avoid letting it get over-excited and always be sure to provide plenty of outdoor exercise and stimulation to keep its mind busy.
Poodle Genetics
If your Poodle or Poodle mix dogs let out just a little dog pee when you get home or play with them – do NOT be alarmed!
Poodles are predisposed as puppies to have poor bladder control when excited.
Expect this to clean up before four months of age though. If it continues further, you may have an issue.
Poor House Training
Sometimes your Poodle will not want to go outside in the cold and wet, and it may also be challenging to train. You must take it out every few hours on a leash or with a dog door and reward it when it goes successfully.
Poodles are very intelligent and independent. They can sometimes become willful and refuse to go outside. They may also have a stubborn streak and take more time to house train than other breeds.
In this case, you should increase your consistency with training and ensure that you are patient and firm. Be sure to keep the dog on a leash or give it access to a dog door, so it can’t make a mistake indoors.
Although it can take a while to potty train a Poodle – their intelligence means once trained they are extremely good at staying house trained.
Medical Reasons
Poodles, especially those with Poodle mixes or other breeds mixed in, can be more prone to diabetes than some other breeds.
If your dog has a urinary tract infection or another illness affecting its bladder and kidneys, it may not be able to hold it as long as healthy dogs.
Your dog may need extra trips outside to urinate. If you notice it going inside the house without a real reason, it may have diabetes, and you should take it to your vet for a checkup.
Drinking Too Much Fluid
Poodles drink a lot of water and can get into the habit of drinking out of the toilet, tub, or anywhere else they see you put your hands when washing them.
They also can get into the habit of drinking lots of fluid before bedtime and then needing to pee in the middle of the night.
If your Poodle is drinking unusual amounts of water, try limiting its access. Keep the toilet lid closed when you’re not using it, and avoid letting it drink out of the tub.
Put toys in your Poodle’s water dish to encourage it to play with them instead of drinking so much. Don’t let them have any other access to water before bed and wait until they urinate before putting them into their crate for the night.
Aging
Most dogs will have a decrease in bladder control as they get older. However, Poodles can go through this change earlier than other breeds and be more prone to accidents as a result.
If your Poodle is getting old, it may begin having urinary incontinence that causes it to urinate unexpectedly. This condition can happen even when it isn’t excited or overly active.
If your Poodle is having accidents or if you notice it drinking more than usual, take it to the vet for a checkup. Its vet will check for urinary tract infections or other health problems that may cause.
Territorial marking
Male Poodles are prone to territorial marking. This marking can lead them to urinate on prominent areas of your home or furniture. Unneutered dogs are the most common culprits.
If your dog is territorial marking, you should neuter it as soon as possible to correct this behavior.
How to Stop Your Poodle From Urinating in the House?
Do not punish your dog if it has an accident. This punishment can lead to confusion and fear and may worsen the problem. Your Poodle will likely become afraid of you and associate its actions with punishment, leading it to urinate on purpose.
Take Your Dog Out More Often
If your Poodle’s behavior has changed, you should take it out every few hours to ensure it goes when it needs to.
Give it frequent access to the outdoors so that you can reduce accidents in the house. If you are gone for long periods or work long hours, this could contribute to your Poodle peeing indoors.
Be Consistent
Poodles can be stubborn and willful, so you must be very consistent with training. Start house training as soon as possible and stick to a schedule during the day so that your Poodle knows when it’s time to go.
Once it has had an accident in the house, please do not make that mistake again.
Identify the Trigger
If you’ve addressed its crate training, water intake, and frequency of bathroom breaks, but your Poodle is still having accidents, it may be because of another trigger.
Identify the causes of your dog’s anxiety, fear, or excitement. Try to avoid these triggers as much as possible and only take your Poodle out when calm outside.
Don’t Punish Your Dog
Your Poodle will not be able to hold it in when it is in pain or feels anxious, afraid, or excited. If you punish your Poodle for an accident, it may become too nervous about using the bathroom when you take it out next time.
Conclusion
Knowing how to stop a Poodle from urinating, you should also know how to keep it from going in the house altogether.
You will need patience and consistency when it comes to your dog’s training, but if you stick with it and pay attention to its behavior, it will begin using the outside as its bathroom just like it should.
If you live in an apartment or a high rise, you can consider a porch potty (like our DIY self draining porch potty) or dog toilet. Just consider the extra cleaning that you will need to do!
