My 7-month puppy pees at night & when excited. How to stop accidents?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 6 months and 17 days old | 45 lbs
So my girl Stormy is almost 7 months old, she's a gsd x lab x catahoula. She is potty trained 100% except through the night. If we don't crate her at ng get she will pee in the house. Any way to help with this? Also she excitedly pees when someone comes home, whether me or my husband or any of our friends. Today she peed on the couch when my husband came home and it's been months since she's done that. Any help?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 2nd, 2017
Many dogs need to be crated at night to prevent accidents until they are 1-2 years old, so this is not unexpected - I would simply go ahead and crate her at night for now :) Once she's a bit older, you can gradually try giving her more freedom in the house at night. Excited peeing is usually something that puppies grow out of once they're older. In the meantime, you can help by ignoring her for a few minutes when you first get home and asking your visitors to do the same. Once she calms down a bit, you can gently pet her and say hello. Leaning over dogs to greet them also tends to make this problem worse, so crouching down to say hi may also be helpful. You can also take her outside to potty just before visitors come over to help decrease the chances of an accident. It's also very important not to punish her for this behavior, as she can't help it - corrections will only make her more anxious, and often makes the urination worse.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on January 22nd, 2018
I'm sorry that you are having this challenge with Misty. It sounds like you are doing every right, so it might just be that you need more time (especially if she has had this behavior for 3 years, it will take some time to resolve). The first thing to pay attention to is your interactions and body language. If she is in a crate, when you let her out of her crate, try doing it by standing at the side of the crate, facing forward (not facing her) and opening it, then walking away from the crate (she'll follow). Avoid bending over her, talking to her or making eye contact which will make her more excited. Another trick that some behaviorists will recommend is to ask her to do quick tricks or other learned behaviors. Examples: toss a ball/toy for her to get instead of bending to greet her. Be creative in the morning to get her outside before she has an accident. Any visits to your house need to follow the same rules. In the meantime while you are working on training, you might consider using a diaper when you know people are going to come over to avoid getting frustrated with any accidents. If you are still having trouble after being consistent for a few weeks, you can certainly consult with your veterinarian to see if they would recommend any medications or if a trainer might be helpful. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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