# Scared and Peeing



## Kingwilly (Aug 12, 2010)

I read somewhere that you are not supposed to yell or get loud with a Vizsla....well, I tried to follow that advice. I have an 8 month old male that is just fantastic, he sleeps with my wife and I and is really overly loved by my two kids. The problem I have is that if he does get into something...ie...stuff on the kitchen table, stuff on the counters, waste paper baskets, clothes, or leaving our yard...etc., when we confront the pooch and get him to drop, he will drop his head, plop on his back and if we approach him he will start to pee all over the place. We don't scream at him, we do raise our voices and they do get louder, but nothing like the Jerry Springer show. He only does this when he knows he did something wrong....my question is, how do we get him to stop the bad behavior but not freak him out? He has a million toys that we constantly rotate, he has never been kenneled for more than 4 hours at a time so I am not sure how to change his reaction when he needs to be disciplined.

KW


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Wait, the dog sleeps with your wife? Where do you sleep 

I've never had a problem with raising my voice around my dog. In fact, I yell at him whenever necessary. The other day I was running on the treadmill and he went and grabbed a shoe I forgot about. Yelling his name once stopped him in his tracks. He eventually returned to the shoe and I repeated. After a few tries, he gave up on the shoe.

So he actually pees while on his back? I can imagine that is quite a mess. The being on his back would be a submissive behavior, but I don't think I've heard of peeing while on their back.

You could always try alternatives like sound aversion (pennies in a can, something like that), or a spray bottle. However if he is peeing whenever he gets in trouble I would say that there is some sort of behavior there that should be fixed. You don't want your dog peeing whenever he gets scared.


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## Kingwilly (Aug 12, 2010)

Yep, the dog sleeps in the bed. Actually we stopped crating him at night and our bed is the first place he wants to go...Not sure if that is good or not. I grew up with dogs that always slept on my bed with me so it doesn't bother me.

I am going to have get the peeing thing looked into. I just took him for a ride and stopped at a friends to pick up some items. He hopped in the drivers chair after I shut the door. I grabbed my stuff and returned to the truck (an entire 10 feet away) and I politely asked him to get in the back. He didn't, so I opened the door and politely asked him to get in the back. He decided he wanted to get out and I blocked him and gently tried to move him into the back.....he peed all over my seat. I didn't yell, didn't raise my voice, was calm and not very forceful. He still peed.

He has a lot of play toys that make loud noises...so pennies wont work. I also tried the water bottle...that worked the first time. The second time he took off with a shoe I picked up the water bottle and headed towards him.....he peed.

Back to obedience training.....

KW


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Try this.....Stop raising your voice. Reward him as soon as he does what you ask. Link the release of the off limits item to an immediate reward. Maybe put a big treat on the ground without approaching him. Sounds like he is scared of the loud voice and the approach. Maybe thinks he will be hit or scolded more. If he can link the approach/confrontation to a treat he will stop peeing. Also, reward him when he pees where he is supposed to. He is definitely trying to tell you he is not comfortable with your disciplinary style. So why not change it.


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## Kingwilly (Aug 12, 2010)

I didn't yell that much, but it must have been enough to scare him. I have not raised my voice with him in quiet a while. I actually keep my distance if he is chewing on a pen or tearing up something he pulled off of a table. It might work to my advantage because he pretty much stops what he is doing if he knows I am watching him. I will try to give him a treat when he drops what he is wrongly chewing. I am all about changing what I am doing.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Let us know how it goes. These dogs have a purpose in all their actions. Copper had the run of the house for a couple weeks and yesterday we decided to put the gates back up. So he was confined to the kitchen area which is about 12' X 15'. Wouldn't you know; when we got home after being out for 6 hours; he had his bed shredded! Didn't make me happy, but what can you do? He sent us a message and now we need to figure out how we will handle it. Let's see what he does today? : ;D


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## labeda14 (Nov 14, 2009)

kind of along this same topic, maggie just turned 1 and still does the excited/submissive pee when she sees new people...we have to take her outside whenever anyone comes over to make sure she doesn't pee in the house. she literally army crawls to the person, peeing the whole way. will she grow out of this? we have NEVER scolded her for doing it, and have no idea how to correct it. thoughts?


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

labeda14 said:


> kind of along this same topic, maggie just turned 1 and still does the excited/submissive pee when she sees new people...we have to take her outside whenever anyone comes over to make sure she doesn't pee in the house. she literally army crawls to the person, peeing the whole way. will she grow out of this? we have NEVER scolded her for doing it, and have no idea how to correct it. thoughts?


Socialize her more. Bring her around others and have them come to you. At first make sure she goes before the guest arives, and then after that improves, don't take her her out before company and see how it goes.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Rosie has always done the crawl with certain people. At a year and a half, she still does it with certain people.

As far as the original post, I'd suggest trying the following training protocol for the "drop it" or "give" command. http://www.mspca.org/programs/pet-owner-resources/dog-care/dog-behavior-tips/leave-itdrop-it.html Keep it positive and upbeat. Arrange training sessions when your dog doesn't have an object that you absolutely need to get back so there is no urgency. 

These are some other tips that might help: http://www.mspca.org/programs/pet-owner-resources/dog-care/dog-behavior-tips/submissive-urination.html


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## Kingwilly (Aug 12, 2010)

Well....when Daltrey needs his ear drops we have been using a towel to cover his sprinkling system. At least it keeps the carpet/floor from getting doused. It looks like he is not peeing as much.

KW


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