There is never just one simple answer to a question such as, “Why does my puppy pee so much?”
Many things could be contributing to more frequent urination, and to help you understand them all, we’ll be taking a look at some of the most common ones in this article.
Is he just marking his territory? Am I not taking him outside often enough? Is he sick?
Our aim is to answer these questions (and a few others) by sharing our in-depth research results with you. We’re also experienced puppy owners, ourselves, which helps!
Let’s get started.
So Why Does My Puppy Pee So Much – Possible Reasons for Frequent Urination
“Why does my puppy pee so much, anyways?”
Since there are so many different reasons that your puppy might be urinating more frequently than normal, we will list them in this section for you.
Remember that these are only suggestions and that if you suspect any serious underlying condition, the safest thing you can do for your puppy is speak directly with his or her vet.
Before we delve into the underlying reasons, you need to remember that,
- …puppies have small bladders
- …puppies digestive systems work rather quickly, resulting in the need to urinate (pee) and defecate (poo) soon after eating
- …puppy potty training takes time and patience
Some first-time puppy owners may feel that their puppy seems to be peeing a lot, but because their little bladders are still developing and they don’t have as much control as an adult dog does, their seemingly “excessive” peeing might just be normal.
Now, here are some other reasons why puppy might be peeing more than usual.
- You Haven’t Organized A Good Potty Routine For Puppy. Routine is everything when it comes to training your puppy when and where to do his business, and if you haven’t yet established a regular potty schedule, this might be the reason why he or she is peeing so much.
Here is a general calculation of how often puppies can hold it in:
If you would like to learn some great puppy potty training techniques, we really liked Zac George’s puppy potty training video. It is a bit long, but he is very thorough, and he even discusses a bit about our next point: excitement or intimidation urinating.
Check it out!
- Puppy Is Excited or Intimidated. Some dogs suffer from submissive urination, which means they pee when they are excited or when they feel intimidated.
Pets WebMD explains this behavior perfectly: “When a dog submissively urinates, he’s trying to convey that he’s not a threat.”
They go on to further explain that this can happen when a dog (or puppy) greets both humans and animals, so you might notice that this happens when you get home from work and puppy is excited or when puppy meets new dogs during a walk.
It is simply their way of saying, “I’m not a threat! You’re the boss!”
- Puppy Is Marking Things. As many of us know, male dogs are notorious for territorial marking, and when your male puppy reaches a certain age, he will do it, too. Female dogs mark, too, so don’t think that you’re off the hook just because you have a little lady in the house! They do this as a way to establish their territory, so whether it makes sense to you or not, to the dog, it is perfectly normal and acceptable to do so.
We consulted quite a few sources to get a clear idea of why dogs mark so here are a few of the most common reasons that might be the reason for your puppy’s recent marking adventures:
- dogtime.com says,
“He urinates on things that are newly introduced to the house…” or that “He is clashing with another dog or cat in the house…” and has started to mark in order “…to establish dominance over others.”
- The Humane Society website says,
- Puppy’s Problem Is Medical-Related. Your puppy can’t tell you if something is wrong, so it is up to you to keep an eye out for any signs of underlying medical problems.
- Is there blood in the urine?
- Is your puppy licking his or her genitals more frequently?
- Does your puppy seem to strain or take longer than usual to release urine?
- Does your puppy cry as they urinate?
- Does the urine dribble out (just a few drops)?
If the answer is yes to any of these, then the best thing to do is take him or her to the vet immediately.
These are the most common symptoms that something is not right internally; whether it be a urinary tract infection or worse, a more serious problem. When your puppy’s healthy is at stake, there is no room for guesswork or internet inquiries asking, “Why does my puppy pee so much?”
Go directly to a professional so that your puppy can receive any necessary medical care as soon as possible.
Our Sources
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/submissive-urination
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/urine_marking.html
http://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/1183-urine-marking-hsus
