Existential Sprinkling Problem

[Nigel]

Originally Posted by ishootfriendlies

Well that is encouraging. Ours is more than a dribble though, it is a full on squirt. It is not from fear or submission, and I really don't think he knows it is happening. I guess that sounds similar to yours. Did your dog know, or do you think it was involuntary?



It has been going on since he was a puppy. It is less frequent now, but when he does it, it is a larger amount. How old do they have to be to mark territory? He has not shown much interest in that so far.

With Zoey, it was primarily when I came home from work. I called it a dribble, but I'm really not sure how forcefully it came out as I was usually standing above her. The amount varied, but it was much less than a " normal" outside potty break. The living room is the only main floor room with carpet and where our front door is, so I started entering through the back door. I'd let her out and have our welcome home party outside. When I started using the front door again, I would keep the attention to a minimum and go straight to letting her out back. Now she is solid no matter what level of excitement and has been since about 1 yr old.

[msvette2u]

I think the OP wants us to tell him "yes, it's the dog, he's got poor nerves" or whatever, when we know it's the OP and how he's presenting himself to the dog.
I've owned dogs my entire life and I've never used the phrase "command them to do something".

I "tell" my dogs, "go lay down" or whatever, but the fact you're also asking this dog to do things that make him nervous (laying down in strange/new situations is stressful to them) and he's reacting by urinating, is extremely telling.

What you've got here is a bunch of very experienced dog people telling you, you're mishandling the dog, and this is his reaction.

I gave you the links to help you get a new mindset about your dog.
Without that new mindset and change of how you're interacting with your dog, this dog will be one that "sprinkles" his entire life.

I know this because we got a Dachshund that, at 6yrs., still urinated then cowered. It was obvious his owners had mishandled the excited/submissive peeing from the moment he did it, and when he passed at 10yrs. old, if he ever thought he was in trouble, he'd still pee a bit. We let him out frequently so his bladder would be less full...but he still did it.

So you've got to understand that it's you, and how you're dealing with this dog, how you're asking him to do things, if you're asking him to do things that are making him nervous and uncomfortable - I suspect a combo of both - and you've got to rearrange that and do things differently or else give up the dog.

Since you're arguing and saying it's nothing you're doing, this is looking a bit grim.

Hire a good trainer to show you how to work with the dog, as others suggested. Or return him to the breeder or find a rescue for him. A rescue can assess him and get him in a home where he'll feel less conflicted.

[Manny6575]

Im not an expert and might not be much help but here goes anyways.

You said that you would want him to go in his cage and he would want to go out. Then he would pee a little then get in the cage.What I would do in this situation is. Leash him up and take him out right before you want to cage him. When out wait for him to potty and when he does reward him with a treat and praise him. Then take him back in still on a leash to his cage and lure him in with a treat and only give it when he goes in.

The other time he got excited when the girl was walking by to get in the car. I would have him down and then drop a bunch of treats in front of him so it takes awile to eat all of them. If the girl is not in the car and he shifts his focus back to her drop more treats down until she is in and leaving.

I just think this would work because he would want the treat and he wouldnt be so conflicted.

[jae]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

I think the OP wants us to tell him "yes, it's the dog, he's got poor nerves" or whatever, when we know it's the OP and how he's presenting himself to the dog.
I've owned dogs my entire life and I've never used the phrase "command them to do something".

that is very unfair of you to assume what we (over the internet nonetheless) will tell a person what they want of their dog. "command" is the same as "tell" what is the difference one way or another the dog does what you ask of it?

Main Entry: tell  [tel]
Part of Speech: verb Definition: communicate Synonyms: acquaint, advise, announce, apprise, authorize, bid, break the news, call upon, clue in, command ...

why argue semantics anyway, the issue at hand is the peeing. OP has gotten very good advice. ignore the dog, increase bond, and build confidence, that is what he needs to be told, whether or not he wants to get rid of the dog is his own accord.

[RocketDog]

I'm sorry, but I really have to say that Carmen's posts (carmspack for the OP) are spot on. Spot.freaking.on.

So many times people unintentionally send off vibes--they are completely unaware of how they affect their dog. I have a good friend with a fear-aggressive dalmation mix. She is a highly educated person, and loves her dog very much. But the signals she sends to this dog......woweee. Seriously. If you talk to her, she has a rational conversation about all the right things to do, but it's a completely different world when she's actually with and around the dog. To the point that the dog has already bit several people. It's too bad she won't rehome the dog, because she doesn't see the problems, and is a liability just waiting. It's not a question of if, it's when.

Please, please, please--just for a second, consider that carmen might be right. You want a resolution, right? If what you're doing isn't working, consider listening to someone with years of experience.

[ishootfriendlies]

Originally Posted by jae

that is very unfair of you to assume what we (over the internet nonetheless) will tell a person what they want of their dog. "command" is the same as "tell" what is the difference one way or another the dog does what you ask of it?

Main Entry: tell  [tel]
Part of Speech: verb Definition: communicate Synonyms: acquaint, advise, announce, apprise, authorize, bid, break the news, call upon, clue in, command ...

why argue semantics anyway, the issue at hand is the peeing. OP has gotten very good advice. ignore the dog, increase bond, and build confidence, that is what he needs to be told, whether or not he wants to get rid of the dog is his own accord.

Appreciate it, but don't worry about it. I learned long ago the internet is full of amateur psychologists. When I see a post that tells me what I am thinking, I just skip it and move on. You may get 50 of those posts, and 5 with good advice. Usually those 5 good ones give you everything you need. I just focus on the good advice.

It's funny, wherever you post you find the mindreaders, always there to help you and tell you what you really want or are really saying. It does not matter what the subject is. Post in a cooking forum, same thing. Post in a auto repair forum, same thing. Post in a professional forum, same thing. Something about the internet...

Originally Posted by msvette2u

(not sure if you checked out these links or not)

I did, thank you. They were good.

Originally Posted by Marc

whats reward do you offer your dog when he obey's his command?

the reason I ask this is that GSD's very much want to please their owners. If he is faced with a situation where he wants to go outside, but he also wants to do what you say, he has an internal conflict, and may pee "oh no what do I do??? I wanna do both!!!.... oh crap... I peed.". however if you tip the scales in your favour, by offering him great rewards such as treats and praise, there will be a lot less conflict when it comes to obeying you, and he may not pee so often.

Ha! I like your narrative of his thinking. That is exactly how I have thought of it. I think that is exactly what is happening, except maybe him knowing he squirted. Would that be excited peeing?

What you say is good. If I "Suggest" (for the sensitive) him to get in his cage, and he obeys but does a little squirt, do I still reward him? Should the reward be just for obedience whether he squirts or not? I have been on the fence about this, as I believe he does not know he is doing it.

[Sunflowers]

How have you handled the situation when he pees?

Have you given him any indication that you are displeased with him?

[ishootfriendlies]

Originally Posted by Sunflowers

How have you handled the situation when he pees?

Have you given him any indication that you are displeased with him?

No. I am afraid that might exacerbate the problem. Usually I just clean it up after he has moved away from it.

[Sunflowers]

Originally Posted by ishootfriendlies

No. I am afraid that might exacerbate the problem. Usually I just clean it up after he has moved away from it.

Well, that is the correct way to handle it.

We had this, too, handled it the same way, and I would casually say, "Let's go outside" so that someone could clean it up.
I would also take a deep breath and think about the good things Hans does. Just in case he could perceive that I was not thrilled that he was doing this

He did it mostly with my husband and, believe it or not, my 9-year-old son. My son is not overbearing in the least, so I decided it was excited peeing.

At 11 months, I have not seen it anymore.

I have no advice -- I can only say how it was for us, because I do not know you, your dog, you vibes or your situation.

[carmspack]

sorry, it is not at all unfair. The very first sentence tells you that this person is very upset with the dog doing this and his welcome in this home is wearing out - there is an ultimatum - he's out of here , if he doesn't shape up . Boy there's no tension there.
Later he goes on to say that they are so upset with the dog that he is pretty well banished "to Coventry". So do you think that there is not emotion so thick it is palpable and the dog cannot feel it . Dogs by the way are very sensitive . This is avoidance. The dog is afraid to make a wrong decision so freezes , feels the pressure, voids.
But what is the owner doing all this time? Voice getting sterner, staring at dog , pointing to crate, when dog slinks in , door slams? How is that going to change behaviour. The dog is cowed.

Instead , go an get the dog. Be pleasant about it . Show him what you want, and praise .

Sometimes relationships go sideways and there is no getting into the good.