All dog owners become frustrated if their pet like German Shepherd starts peeing in the house more often and they will need a quick solution to control and stop their peering behavior. But here the main question is why is your German Shepherd dog peeing in the house?
German Shepherds have got small bladders hence they are unable to put urine in for an extended time as a result they start peeing here and there in the house more often. However, they some other causes also that let your German Shepherd dog suddenly peeing more in the house like separation anxiety, stress, lack of training, overexcitement, and health issues.
German Shepherds are very intelligent as they do not pee on their bed or the area where you keep them. That is also one of the reasons they move some distance in the house and pee. Though there are several other reasons also that we will discuss in detail in this post.
There will be a complete guide for peeing behavior of your dog’s anxiety and how to control it. So this topic is also important for the new owners as well as the old ones.
So Let’s explore the subject further and have a detailed discussion:
Table of Contents
Why Does My German Shepherd Pee In The House?
There always become a hot topic to discuss if your German Shepherd pees more often in your house even after potty training. The owners also find this situation quite frustrating when their dogs suddenly pee inside the house but here the question is why do German Shepherds pee in the house?
All we know German Shepherds have got small bladders and they are unable to hold their pee for an extended time which may be one of the reasons your German Shepherd pee in the house. They may also pee because of stress, separation anxiety, health or urinary issues, or lack of training.
The condition even becomes more worried if your German Shepherd starts peeing here and there in the house after being trained for peeing. No doubt, Peeing is a natural behavior that every dog can do but doing such type of behavior more often may irritate the owner.
As a dog owner, you must know the main causes why your German Shepherd pees inside the house unwillingly. Let’s discuss this in detail:
Here are some of the possible causes your German Shepherds to pee inside the house:
Possible Causes Your German Shepherd Pees Inside The House
Age Factor
Your German Shepherd may urinate more frequently inside the house because of age-related factors. Because German Shepherds’ bladders are small and they can’t hold their urine for long periods, it’s always difficult for them to hold it, and as a result, they will urinate inside your home.
Even though adult German Shepherds can hold their urine for a while, if they continue to urinate indoors after potty training, there must be a medical problem. Due to aging and their inability to hold their urine for extended periods, older German Shepherds may also urinate inside the home.
Separation Anxiety
German Shepherds are also a very loving breed of senior dogs and they too are highly attached to their owners. If their master does not attend to them for a long time they may start feeling bored which may result in separation anxiety.
Your dog may start urinating inside the house because of stress, anxiety, or boredom. However, it is also recommended to the owners not to leave their dogs unattended for a long time as it always increases the possibility of causing urinary accidents again.
New Environment
Your German Shepherd may urinate accidentally in your house if they find the place new and unfamiliar. This may be one of the reasons German Shepherd dogs urinate inside the house.
In such cases, it will be best to make your dog familiar with the new environment or the shelter you have made for them. Try to make them follow your home rule and follow the daily routine you as pet parents have taught them.
Health Issues
Even after housetraining, your German shepherd may still urinate due to underlying medical conditions. The most prevalent illnesses in dogs at this time include kidney disease, urinary tract infection, bladder infections, arthritis, bladder stones, tumors, and constipation, which cause them to urinate too frequently.
Once trained to urinate outside the house, a healthy dog would never do so; therefore, there must be a health problem that needs to be addressed. However, if your dog is habitually urinating, it is alarming and requires that you visit the veterinarian for additional care.
Over Excitement
Overexcitement may cause your German Shepherd to have inappropriate urination. We only know they have weak bladder control and risk losing it if they become too enthusiastic. Even though this is perfectly normal, you should be worried if they start repeating the same habit.
Stress
Stress is another reason which may also lead your German Shepherd to pee more often inside the house. They can be stressed for many reasons such as a new environment, misbehaving with them, or living alone for several hours.
This kind of behavior is treatable, but it is recommended to see a professional for additional assistance if you see that your adult dog sometimes still lacks confidence and feels isolated.
Lack Of Training
Your dog must not have had proper training if it doesn’t know where to relieve itself. This indicates that your dog isn’t potty or urination trained. Once a potty-trained dog, your German Shepherd will quickly pick up all the commands and begin urinating in the proper location.
You can either employ a trainer for better training or you can do it on your own by convincing them that the same spot is the proper location to urinate. If they follow your instructions, you may reward them with snacks because it will inspire them.
How Can I Stop My German Shepherd Peeing Inside The House?
The peeing behavior of your German Shepherd will always frustrate you as this condition can’t be ignored and must take the right steps for your dog so that can start urinating at the right place even after your absence.
Following are the steps which you can also follow to stop your German Shepherd from peeing inside the house:
Providing Adequate Training
The greatest method to reduce the likelihood of any form of accident is to train your dog for certain duties. As you can take your dog for regular walks and teach them where is the proper place to urinate, you should train your dog to go potty outside your home.
After they finish their task, you should reward your dog because doing so will always motivate them to relieve themselves in the proper location.
However, consistency will be essential. You should remain composed while training your dog and avoid using punishment because this can lead to confusion in their minds and lead to accidents in your home.
Keeping Them In A Certain Room
You can give your dog a special place to live or keep them in a different room. This will also show them where they shouldn’t urinate. Keep in mind that dogs typically do not urinate in the vicinity of their homes, so doing so inside the house will discourage them from doing so.
Crate Training
The most effective method for teaching your German Shepherd not to urinate inside the house is crate training. Additionally, it enables your dog to effectively learn where to urinate. German Shepherd puppies need to be introduced to crate training at a young age since it keeps them safe and is advised for various house training procedures.
Potty Training
The process of teaching your dog to relieve himself or herself outside of your home is known as toilet training. Potty training teaches your dog to use the bathroom outside of your home, as all dog owners must teach them when their pet first enters the house.
Going Outside regularly
Making frequent trips outside will also stop your German Shepherd from going potty inside the house. It could be right after you feed them or right before they go to bed. Your dog needs to understand when to urinate, and the easiest method to teach them about urinating is to let them go outside regularly.
Never Punishing Them
It is not necessary to punish your dog to stop them from urinating inside the house. Instead, you should take the appropriate steps to prevent them from engaging in such behavior inside your home.
You should constantly maintain your composure around them and make an effort to teach them the proper location for the bathroom. You might also employ a dog trainer that knows a better technique to educate your dog on where to urinate properly.
Meet with Vet
Even after training, if your German Shepherd is still unable to retain their bladder, there must be a medical condition or some underlying health conditions that may be driving them to do so. It would be advisable to meet the veterinarian for their care because, once trained, a healthy dog will never urinate inside the house unnecessarily.
Also Read: Can German Shepherds Tolerate Hot Weather?
How to train your German Shepherd to pee outside?
German Shepherd is a highly intelligent dog breed and they are efficient in learning all the commands whether it is for their socialization, behavior, or potty. Your German Shepherd will also pee outside the house once they are potty trained adult dog unless they are facing some kind of health issue.
Training your German Shepherd to pee outside allows you to teach them some basic things such as :
- You can go for a walk with them so that they could realize the right place for urination.
- Following strict rules makes them learn about the bad habits of peeing inside the house.
- Rewarding your dog once they learn the whole process.
- Follow a routine for your dog which also provide the habit to pee outside the house.
Your dog will be able to urinate outside the home if you follow these guidelines, but consistency is crucial. Even after training, you should never penalize your dog if they accidentally urinate within your home.
During the training period, maintain your composure and reward them with treats when they complete a task.
Cleaning Up Dog Urine
If your German Shepherd or any other dog urinates inside your home, it can be very frustrating. You must realize that once your dog decides where to urinate in your home, it will only do so there.
You need to clean the area where your dog has urinated inside the house. Pet urine cleaner will help you get rid of the scent.
So that they can’t urinate in the same place again, the area needs to be cleaned soon away. There are a lot of cleaners on the market, but you should pick the one that can get rid of the odor and give your dog a healthy atmosphere.
Pro Tips While Training Your German Shepherd for Peeing Outside the House
Because of the German Shepherd’s intelligence, you must not think that they can learn all the commands in one call. They will need some time to learn the whole process, however, you should not be frustrated if they pee inside the house even after training.
There are a few things you must consider while training your dog for peeing outside the house. Here are some of them which you should also admire:
Patient Is The Key:
As you train your dog, patience is a must. You should repeat the procedure frequently if your dog doesn’t pick up after one call. Punishing your dog will alter their mental behavior, therefore never do it. Instead, you might give your dog some treats that will always motivate them to behave properly.
It Is A Natural Factor:
Everyone who owns a dog should be aware that urinating is a natural process that all living things go through. Therefore, even after training, it is okay if your dog accidentally urinates inside the house. However, some dog owners also designate specific locations for their canines to urinate inside the home; all you need to do is teach them the proper location.
Practice Makes The Man Perfect
The secret to successful training is consistency. This means that you must be consistent when teaching your dog new skills because repetition helps your dog acquire new skills quickly and retains the location of the bathroom.
Final Thoughts:
German Shepherds may urinate within the home for a variety of reasons, but the best course of action is to keep an eye on your dog and provide proper care. They must require your attention, or else they might not be properly trained for using the bathroom or urinating outside the house.
Always keep an eye on your dog and watch their behavior; if they still urinate after being trained, they must be dealing with a health problem. In these situations, you and other dogs should schedule an appointment with the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Never penalize your dog for accidents; instead, be patient and provide them with further training to help them understand the problem and prevent future incidents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1. Why did my dog purposely pee in the house?
Your dog may intentionally pee in the home to get your attention. They must be bored or you must not spend enough time with them for them to frequently urinate inside the house. So you must attend to your dog regularly and keep your dog entertained to avoid such behavior.
Q2. Could Your Dog’s Indoor Peeing Be a Sign?
The dog might pee inside the home to draw your attention, Here, the cause is clear: if you don’t spend enough time with them, they could get bored or experience worry.
Q3. Are German shepherds prone to bladder issues?
Yes, German Shepherds come on the dog list of most dogs who face bladder issues. They are highly prone to urinary tract infections which causes the dogs like German Shepherds to pee more frequently.
Q4. Why does my dog urinate inside after being outside?
Medical issues like Urinary tract infections, kidney disease, or diabetes may let your dog pee inside and outside. Some other reasons may be anxiety, stress, lack of training, or aging which can also let your dog frequently.