A dog needs to pee on time. It determines how healthy your dog is. Being a pet owner, you indeed have encountered unnecessary accidents, but your dog can overcome this with proper and consistent training. There are two ways which will help your dog to pee:
Pee On Command: A basic training
Express The Bladder: If your dog is handicapped or has stopped urinating due to underlying traumas or aging.
The doctor should supervise the latter to avoid additional accidents.
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How Long Will It Take to Get Your Dog to Pee?
Training your dog to pee on command depends on how consistent you are and how well your dog internalizes the command.
If your dog has stopped peeing due to injuries, traumas, and it necessitates bladder expression, it would take an hour or so to locate the bladder and create the proper pressure for urinating.
Patience and praise both are the keys to get through the procedure and come out successfully.
Here are a few reasons why your dog either does not pee or have difficulty in peeing:
May feel bloated
Stress
Previous accidents in the house
Blood in the urine
Dehydration
Urinary Tract Infection
Bladder stone
Kidney disease
Muscular contractions
Diagnosis For Your Dog Who Does Not Pee
If your dog faces difficulties while urinating or does not urinate at all, your veterinarian may conduct tests such as urinalysis, urine culture, blood work, x-rays, and ultrasound.
Treatment will differ depending on the particular pet and the underlying reason behind straining but may involve antibiotics, dietary modifications, or even surgery.
Urinalysis will look for bacteria, crystals, abnormal cells, pH, and urine concentration. If there is a suspicion of a stone elsewhere in the urinary system, radiographs may be taken. In addition, ultrasounds can be performed to rule out bladder and prostate tumors. If your veterinarian suspects a metabolic problem, such as portosystemic shunt-producing stones, blood testing may be ordered, especially in younger dogs.
Treatments For Your Dog Who Does Not Pee
Treatments for your dog who is having difficulty in urinating:
Antibiotics will be recommended if your dog has a bladder infection or an enlarged prostate.
Bladder stones are often removed surgically.
Urethra can be relaxed with medication.
Anti-inflammatories will make your dog feel more at ease.
Steps to Get Your Dog to Pee on Command
We have outlined a few methods for you to get your dog to pee.
Method 1
Step 1:Consult a Vet
Before training your dog to pee on command, remember to consult your vet for any medical issues.
Step 2:Rule Out Medical Issues
If your dog is diagnosed with medical conditions, you will have to rule out the issues.
Post-treatment care must be taken following all the instructions of the vet.
Method 2
Step 1: Introduce a Verbal Cue
To make your dog go and pee, you need to introduce a verbal command for the body process. Remember not to use the same verbal cue for pee and potty.
“Go Pee” or only “Pee” is the common verbal cue used.
Step 2: Create a Specific Spot
Establish an eliminating spot for your dog.
This acts as a signal for pee time.
Select any space which will be comfortable for dogs.
Step 3: Check the Natural Timings of Your Dog
There are different timings for a dog to go to pee: After waking up, after eating, after playing, after drinking water, before sleeping.
Take your dog on Pee training when he naturally wants to.
Method 3
Step 1: Set a Schedule to Take Your Dog Out
Take your dog out at the same time every day.
This would help your dog associate peeing and going out during the specific time, and this owes him treat.
Make a “5 times per day” schedule for your dog to go out and pee, based on their natural timing.
Step 2: Wait for Your Dog to Pee
Waiting for the dog to pee can be stressful. However, waiting and patience is the key here.
Command “Go Pee” or “pee” only when your dog pees.
This will help your dog associate with the verbal cue and his action.
Step 3: Mark the Behavior
Once your dog is done peeing, mark the behavior with treats.
If your dog is already clicker trained, then mark using a clicker.
Step 4: Supervise the Breaks
The pee breaks must be supervised and should be on a leash
Method 4
Step 1: Praise Your Dog When He Goes to The Potty Area
Pat your dog or offer him a treat when he goes to the bathroom.
Keep rewarding him with treats or love and praise. This is reinforcing good behavior.
Step 2: Use Verbal Cue Before Peeing
Here, while your dog is ready to go to the potty area for peeing, use the verbal cue.
This way, he will internalize the entire action with the verbal cue command.
Step 3: Start Training for Quicker Responses
Now that your dog has the cognition of the command, keep away rewarding until he pees.
Your dog has to pee the moment you command “Go Pee” or “Pee.”
So, treat him only if he eliminates right at that moment.
Revert with the treat if he fails to pee exactly when you command.
This taking back of reward would compel him to pee at the moment.
Repeat this several times.
Reward: After every successful completion of training, reward your dog. Initially, train him using doggie treats, gradually start eliminating the treat. Finally, reward him with love, hugs, and generosity.
Pro tip: Being generous can help the training procedure run easy.
Note: You can follow method 2 if you have shifted from the last place with your dog.
Steps To Express Your Dog’s Bladder to Get Him to Pee
Urinary incontinence in dogs occurs due to an accident or injury, and it might be transitory. Others permanently lose control as a result of underlying health issues or age.
When expressing your dog, apply consistent, equal pressure and the same command each time. You need to stay calm while executing the procedure.
You will have to locate the bladder. Gently squeeze several areas until you find it, starting where the ribs stop and working your way back. You have to place your thumb on one side of the abdomen, and the rest of the fingers must be on the other side.
Squeeze your fingers and thumb gently to see if the urine is discharged. If not, try again in a different region of the bladder.
Your dog will lift his tail if you have gently squeezed the right spot.
The urine will be discharged like a constant stream. You have successfully expressed his bladder if the urine is reduced to a drip.
If your dog is disabled and lives in a wheelchair, then:
Reach beneath the dog and position your hands on the waist, in front of the thighs.
By placing your fingertips against the sides of the bladder, you can try to feel it. When you find it, start expressing by squeezing your hands together.
Examine how much the waist is pushed in when you are expressing your dog. Repeat the process until no more urine is generated.
Method 2: Release the Urine Through Stimulation
Some dogs benefit from another method of bladder emptying. It may be beneficial in the short term or an emergency. It entails external stimulation of the pet’s genital region to induce urine, similar to what a mother cat does with her kittens.
Pro Tips: Wear a rubber glove while stimulating urine.
Difficulties While Training Your Dog to Pee
Training a dog to pee is tough. The common difficulties are:
Marking: While you train your dog to pee, marking is one behavior that might be an issue. Using a belly band can reduce the marking behavior.
Going Elsewhere: If your dog is routinely peeing in another area, it’s time to start over. Don’t scold, beat, or frighten your dog. Use a leash on the initial stage of training.
Final Thoughts
Training your dog to pee on command or expressing your dog’s bladder for urination is difficult. It is always advisable to seek veterinarian help if your dog does not pee at all. Rule out any medical issues, if there are any. If not, proceed with the pee on command training. Keep your dog hydrated, and maintain a regular checkup schedule to prevent unavoidable circumstances.
