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My puppy drinks his urine. What causes it and how can I stop it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My gsd puppy is drinking his urine. Why?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on December 28th, 2016

There can be many reasons that dogs or puppies might drink urine. This can happen if the puppy is very thirsty, either because there is no other water source available, or because he has a medical condition that makes him abnormally thirsty all the time. Certain illnesses like diabetes or a urinary tract infection can also make the urine smell or taste different, causing some dogs to want to lick or drink it. It can also be a strictly behavioral problem related to stress or anxiety, or an attention-seeking behavior. I would recommend taking your puppy to the vet for an exam to see if there is a medical reason for this behavior. The vet can do a urinalysis as well as blood work or other testing if needed to check for any problems that may be causing it.

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