We have a 12 month old ESS for the last six weeks or so he is weeing all the time, he has always wee'd when we come in but now when we feed him he wees if we tell him to drop something he wees we can't give him much attention unless were outside because he'll wee if we give him a treat he cowers then wees we have never hit him or been aggressive with him as we know how timid they can be we do have 3 children aged 9-6 but he's brilliant with them as are they with him. Has your dog ever been the same? could anyone give us any advice? we are taking him to be castrated on monday.
thanks twiggy

Hi Twiggy,
you could ask the vet to make sure he hasn't got a urine infection and take it from there.
Hope he sorts himself out soon.

liz

This is quite normal behaviour, although ruling out a urinary infection isn't a bad idea. Given the circumstances under which you say he does it, it sounds like submissive weeing, which adolescent dogs use to indicate to those they consider rank higher than themselves that they are lower ranking.  Castration may lower his rank even more.....

Most dogs grow out of it, and he will grow out of it quicker if you don't make a big thing of it. Don't punish him for it (he can't help it and it will increase his stress levels if you do), try and manage things so he can greet you outside where it doesn't matter too much (ignoring him as you enter and make your way to the door to let him out) then try and get him to 'sit', most dogs find it difficult to wee if they are sitting properly.  It can also help if you teach him a positive way to greet you, such as shaking hands :)  Elevating him, perhaps on a staircase, wall or bench may help too.  Try NOT to bend over him, as this is dog for threatening behaviour, and don't make too much eye to eye contact if this sets him off too.

They aren't called 'Sprinkler Spaniels' for nothing ;)

This happend to my pup a lot before he was 1yo. He withdraws from strangers and is very quite. People often think how cute, and when they pat him he pees. As he will often charge at strangers that come into he territory i usually pick him up to introduce him... put those two senarios together and you have a puppy-pee-cannon on your hands that requires careful aim, or telling the guests that they really shouldnt pat him for a while... (why do people find this instruction so hard to follow...)

While training him he once got away off the leash and played by running away from me. When i finally caught him i had him rolled over in a submissive position... only to get a well aimed surprise... (didnt have much success with that method...)

Now at 2 years he still pees on the vet, but has become much more aggressive to strangers rather than submissive. Going to have to get a trainer in for this as nothing i do works...

A friends collie-x peed with excitemnt upon meeting new people for about the first year. doesnt do it any more. they just made sure that all introductions were done on the outside of the door step...

My Yankee was like that, every time we let him in the lounge he weed cos he was so pleased to be there! We persevered and eventually he stopped doing it! :-)

ta for the advice. we took him the vets on monday had a urine sample, not a water infection. we had him castrated anyway and he is convalessing fine. hopefully it will help.

Glad he didn't have a UTI - but did you not read my post - castration may lower his perceived rank even more....

weeing every 30 minutes is fine , anything less should be checked.

30 mins?  for a one year old dog?

Thought it was 12 weeks , silly me.

Hi Twiggy. :-)
I have an ESS too who would always sprinkle whenever anyone paid him any attention. He stopped doing it at around 12-18mths old.