# Submissive/ Excitable pottying?



## PoodleElements (Sep 20, 2014)

Ok, so I know that you are supposed to try and ignore it when your puppy submissively potties, because getting a reaction out of you can make things worse. Does anyone have any OTHER tips for a dog that submissively/excitably potties? I'm having difficulty because I am trying to train her (not just house train but obedience train as well) but I can't use a firm voice with her at all because of her potty issue. I can't discipline or give commands to my other dogs in the voice I normally do either because even if it isn't directed at her she still pees. I mean I don't yell at my dogs, I'm just firm with them and don't let them walk all over me...


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## MollyDog (Jun 29, 2014)

I'm anxious to hear what advice you get, because we can use it too! Molly has improved very much re: the submissive urination (we've had her since late June), but she still does it when meeting new people and dogs. At least now my husband can greet her gently and she (usually) doesn't pee - that's an improvement!

Best wishes to you with this. I think it's pretty challenging.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Good subject! My daughter and I have littermates (16 week old Standards) and she got the "happy pee-er". He is, by far, the more compliant puppy and very attracted to people. I warn people that he is a "happy pee-er", but they continue to greet him in high-pitched, baby talk which just turns his faucet on. At home, we have seen much improvement with low key greetings and making sure his bladder is empty before we make a fuss. Out in public though, we are befuddled. We also keep jars of Lysol wipes in convenient locations, so that wiping up the little leaks are not a big deal. Still...we, too, are open to any suggestions while we wait for him to outgrow the problem.


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## catsaqqara (May 20, 2011)

I would feed treats while, over time, increasing the firmness of your voice. You can vary treats so that she doesn't know what she is going to get and give her a rare jackpot after she improves (it must be a surprise and only if she has a good response). After she is responding well, you can fade the treats out but continue to jackpot rarely to keep it reinforced. I would use something like this, its small, they cant smell it and they can eat right out of it. Try to keep it out of sight as well.
If you don't use it already, a clicker can be very helpful.
Jackpots: Hitting it Big | Karen Pryor Clicker Training

An example of my jackpot use.
Bambi didn't like to come in the house when I called her. I first worked on recall outside with varied treats, after she was doing well I called her to the door (she was hesitant but came) and as she came I gave her the jackpot. Even though she was reluctant it changed her view of coming to the door and after that it was a lot easier.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Lily was a submissive/mixed happy to see people peer when she was little. She grew out of it. I never made a big fuss or acted mad about it. In circumstance where I knew she was likely to "leak" I would ask her for position changes to give her something specific to think about doing rather than just giving in to her excitement. When she controlled it I treated. It won't be fast, but she will outgrow it. I agree with catsaqqara too about conditioning through positive associations to get her used to a firm voice.


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