We have a 2 year old male Golden Retreiver who pees. We chalk it up to submissive urination, or excitable urination, but let's be honest: It's all still pee. And it's all over the floor.

He's very smart and obedient (meaning he understands many complex commands, follows instructions, exercises patience and discipline well, etc.) but he's high strung-- tail wagging to the point where he's knocking down children, and when a new face (or an old face he hasn't seen in a couple of days) walks into the room, he pees.

He lives alone most of the time because we can't have him around our kids threatening to pee if someone new walks into the room. We've had him since he was a pup, and hate to see him go, but if we can't fix this problem, we're feeling like it would be a bad idea to keep him.

I read a post about changing his diet, which we will do right away, and I'm planning to speak with his vet about medicating him to reduce the hyperactivity, hoping that will help (though it would be a LAST resort). Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated, including alternatives to "the pound."

Take a visit to the vet as he may have a health problem - not one you or your kids can catch.

WAs he socialised well as a pup, if it is submissive urination the more he is kept alone,the worst it will be. He needs help not ostracising, poor lad :(

Please have a re-think before the vet gives him medication; wagging his tail, being excited etc, is part of the package.from what you have said he is well behaved.

LINDSAY

Hi, I think you are compounding the problem, albeit unwittingly - Firstly I would get him checked out at the vet incase there is something medically causing the weeing. But in my opinion shutting him away from everyone is causing further problems and you maybe stopping him weeing near people but are not treating the cause. He is wagging his tail because he is happy to see everyone, thas perfectly normal behaviour. the weeing is either submissive or sheer excitement. My friend has a cocker that does this, when touched, I advised her to ignore him when she comes in, and not to touch him - just to go straight to the back door and let him out to wee, having no physical contact with him or verbal - just walk straight to back door and go out, then he follows outside, once he has been for a wee he is then greeted and stroked, it did work. Unless he gets to see and greet people I don't think he will change. If it is an excitement thing, then make sure the kids and visitors are calm when they greet him, ignoring him until he sits for a cuddle etc. the more people he is allowed to greet, the less of a unusual situation it will be for him. Laminate flooring is a good idea too!!! Poor boy - he lives alone most of the time - this is why he is weeing, integrating him more into family life will help to stop it, if you really feel that he is not one of the family and you need to shut him away perhaps it is time to think about rehoming him :( Julie:)

Our Cocker used to do this as well Julie - we got around it by doing as your friend did. We ignored her and advised everyone who came into the house to do the same. It soon worked and she's not wet the floor for over 6mths now.

Fiona
x x x

Sounds to me like you are making things worse by putting him away from the family, as soon as you let him in he is so grateful and happy and excited he pees!! You need to build him up, all the training and stuff has probably led him to believe he is very low in the pack, especially if he is not allowed in with the family. He sounds like a lovely dog to me... he just lacks confidence.

Let him in, play with him, fuss him... check the protein content in his diet it not too high (i've found that to be a cause of much hyperactivity) and give him a chance.

If it does get too much, contact your breed rescue service

Good luck
Chloe
PS - haven't put anything in about ignoring him - mainly cos I feel sorry for him... :(

The idea, Chloe, is to ignore the behavior, not the dog.....or at least dog has settled down around the people who are not paying attn to him :) :D

Dragging a dog out of the room is only going to ascerbate the submission since the dog is freely admitting who is in charge to please the owner. Fussing and encouraging (confidence) towards a dog only make it think that this behavior is desirable---similar to reacting to Firecrackers.

Either way, the more the owner reacts, the more the dog will cower/pee.... vicious cycle :( :( So if the dog checks out physically healthy---- ignoring him completely is the best way to stop this....neither positive nor negative reinforcement.

Fair point, but you've got to let the dog in to be in a position to ignore him.... which I guess was my main point. I'd ignore the peeing/behaviour, but I'd have to fuss the dog if he'd been left alone - tis in my nature :)

Eric, take the dog to a vet before you think about doing anything else. It is not normal in a 2 year old dog. It is juvenile behaviour and if there is not infection or anitomical defect he made need his hormones boosted a bit to get him into more adult behaviour.
Ja:)kie