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How to stop my fearful rescue dog from peeing when excited or scared?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 4 years and 1 month old

I recently adopted a dog who is 4 that was obviously abused. She has been back to the shelter we adopted her from twice, and it is very obvious she is afraid. When she meets new people or one of us comes home for the day no matter how happy or excited you are to see her she cowers and pees. She has now peed on the furniture twice and my boyfriend is losing his patience. We are very diligent about letting her out frequently and minding her water access and it still happens. Please help.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 27th, 2018

My heart hurts for this poor dog! It sounds like she is suffering from submissive urination, and this will take time and training to fix. Do not make a big deal when you come home. Come in quietly, greet Abby softly, and let her approach you. If you make a loud noise or rush right over to her, that can lead to the submissive urination. Don't comfort her when she cowers. While you think you are helping her, you are actually teaching her that it's ok to behave this way. Comforting her reinforces the behavior. When people come over, I'd put her in a crate. It needs to be big enough for her to stand up and turn around in. This will give her a safe space of her own. Don't let people approach the crate, give her space. Patience is key in dealing with these dogs, and losing your temper will make the problem worse. Speak to a vet about getting a referral to a professional behavioral expert to help with this problem. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 3rd, 2016

    Take her out to pee more frequently, so that there is not so much of a "reserve". You may also have to introduce her to more people. Tell the people to ignore her, and wait until she dares say hello to them. Over time the fear and submission issue should get better and resolve by itself. If there is no improvement at all over time, you may want to consult with a veterinary behaviorist to help her overcome her fear of new people.

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