Why Does My Female Dog Keep Trying to Urinate?

If your female dog is constantly trying to urinate, it could be a sign of a medical issue. Infections, kidney stones, or even tumors can cause urinary frequency.

Some medical conditions, like urinary tract infections, can cause your dog to feel like she needs to urinate constantly.

These infections can be caused by bacteria that enter the urinary tract through the urethra.

If your female dog is constantly trying to urinate, it's essential to rule out medical causes before assuming she's just being stubborn or misbehaving.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause your dog to pass urine without realizing it, making it look like she's trying to urinate all the time.

A change in diet can also lead to changes in bathroom habits, so if your dog's eating or drinking habits have changed recently, it's worth investigating further.

Urinary incontinence is another possible cause, where your dog may not have the ability to "hold it" when she needs to pass urine.

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Some medical conditions, such as kidney issues or Cushing's Disease, can cause dogs to urinate more frequently and unpredictably.

Here are some possible medical causes of your dog's behavior:

If you suspect a medical issue is causing your dog's behavior, it's crucial to consult a veterinarian right away to rule out any underlying conditions.

Dogs don't normally pee out of spite or anger, but they can still have behavioral issues that lead to accidents in their crate.

Separation anxiety is a common reason for this, where dogs become fearful when left alone or out of sight.

This can be more common if your dog is left in their crate at home alone while you're at work.

Dogs with separation anxiety may be able to grow out of it with time, but professional pet training can also help if they resist other behavioral fixes.

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Submissive urination is a common behavioral issue in dogs, especially in puppies and young dogs. Puppies under 12 weeks old are more likely to exhibit this behavior as they haven't learned to control their urge to pee yet.

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As they grow, most puppies outgrow this behavior through housetraining, which helps them learn the signs of needing to pee and improves their ability to hold it.

However, some dogs may not be trained properly, especially if they're adopted from a shelter or another home. Incomplete housetraining can lead to submissive urination out of insecurity.

Fear from past bad experiences can also contribute to this behavior. If a dog has been punished inappropriately, they may try to show they recognize their owner as the leader to avoid punishment.

Separation anxiety can also cause dogs to urinate in submission. If a dog misses their owner when they're away, they may pass urine out of emotional distress at being left.

Here are some common factors that contribute to submissive urination:

Dogs with separation anxiety may urinate in their crate as a fearful reaction when left alone. This can be especially common if they're used to constant human presence and are suddenly left alone while their owners are at work.

Separation anxiety can be grown out of, but it's often more effective to train away with positive reinforcement and encouragement. This can be done at home with consistency and patience.

Dogs with separation anxiety may be more prone to urinating in their crate, but it's not the only behavioral problem that can cause this issue.

Dogs respond poorly to negative responses, which can make submissive urination worse.

Scowling or frowning at your dog can scare or confuse them, so it's best to keep a calm demeanor.

Angry or frustrated comments can also have a similar effect, so try to keep your tone positive.

Avoiding interaction with your dog during episodes of submissive urination won't help them understand what you want, so redirect their attention instead.

Here are some specific things to avoid:

Ignoring the signs can lead to puppy accidents in the house. If your puppy keeps peeing in the house, you might be missing the signs that they need a potty break.

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A puppy's communication style can vary, but they usually try to convey their needs through behavior. They might scratch or sit by the door, whine and pace, or start to tremble.

Paying close attention to these signs is crucial to preventing accidents. Whether your puppy is pacing, whining, shaking, or walking in circles, recognize their behaviors and take them outside.

If they immediately relieve themselves, you've found the source of their indoor accidents.

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Training and routine play a crucial role in helping your female dog stop trying to urinate in unwanted places. Your dog will outgrow the urge to submissively urinate as they grow older, but training them when they're young can help them learn more quickly.

Dogs typically exhibit certain behaviors when they feel the urge to urinate submissively, such as cowering, lowering their bodies, raising their front paws, tucking in their tails, flattening their ears back, and licking. If you catch your dog acting this way, redirect their attention immediately.

To help your dog make a connection between the outdoors and urination, take them outside as soon as you catch them exhibiting submissive urination behaviors. If you're returning home, give your dog a treat to distract them and give them something productive to do with their excited energy.

A consistent daily routine is essential for your dog's well-being. If your dog's routine is messed up or not set yet, they might pee in their crate just because they aren't yet used to a solid routine. For example, if you've just started house or crate training your dog, they may decide that it's not really their sleeping area yet and will urinate when they have to go.

Here are some common reasons why your dog's routine might be messed up:

To alleviate crate-peeing incidents, consider the following four big things:

Increasing the frequency of your dog's bathroom breaks can help prevent accidents in the house. Puppies, in particular, may need to go more often due to their small bladders.

If your female dog keeps trying to urinate, it's essential to have some supplies on hand to clean up any accidents. Piddle pads like Four Paws Wee Wee pads have a 6-layer leak-proof technology that can help contain messes.

You'll also want to have a good stain and odor eliminator, such as Rocco and Roxie's Stain and Odor Eliminator, which is chlorine-free and color-safe. This will make cleaning up accidents much easier.

To detect hidden stains, consider using a UV black light. This can help you identify where your dog may have had an indoor urinary accident.

If you suspect your dog is peeing in her crate, there are steps you can take to alleviate the issue. Four big things you can do to stop crate-peeing incidents are:

Dogs pee excited because it's an instinctual physical response to a spike in emotions, often due to submissive urination.

Puppies are more prone to this behavior because their bladders aren't fully developed, making it hard for them to hold in their urine when they get excited.

Most puppies outgrow submissive urination as they mature physically.

Some adult dogs may still exhibit this behavior if they have a history of being punished, leading them to anticipate something unpleasant and try to diffuse the situation by showing they're no threat.

If your dog pees excited, it's always better to err on the side of caution and have them evaluated by a veterinarian, especially if they're an adult or senior, or if the behavior appears out of nowhere.

Medical reasons for inappropriate urination may include urinary tract infections, kidney issues, urinary incontinence, and more.

Here are some possible medical causes of excited urination in dogs:

If you catch your dog acting submissively, redirect their attention immediately by taking them outside to pee.

Give them a treat to distract them and channel their excited energy into something productive.

Keep your greetings calm and modest to avoid triggering submissive urination.

Teach your dog to "sit" or "shake" when greeting new people, and reward them for it.