BehaviorQuirky BehaviorsWhy is My Dog Peeing While Walking?

Why is My Dog Peeing While Walking?

The most common reasons dogs pee while walking include excitement, anxiety, marking territory, old age, and overhydration. Peeing while walking could also be a sign of a medical condition such as a UTI, loose bladder, or kidney disease.

The fact that your dog is peeing while walking may be alarming to you as the owner. This behavior has multiple causes, ranging from general excitement or behavioral issues to severe medical conditions.

We will list some ways to help narrow down the origin of your dog’s problem. In this article, we will discuss the causes of this behavior and how to move forward in resolving it.

Why Does Your Dog Pee While Walking? The Possible Reasons

Medical Conditions

Your dog’s behavior may be caused by certain medical conditions. The most common medical conditions that cause urinating while walking include:

  • A loose bladder
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Neurological conditions
  • Kidney diseases
  • Spinal problems
  • Enlarged prostate

Age of The Dog

As dog’s age, they may experience urinary incontinence. They won’t be able to hold their urine long enough to pee in one sitting. This may be the case for your dog if they are considered elderly.

The mental coordination needed to urinate can be impaired if your dog has existing age-related conditions, such as dementia or confusion. This will limit their ability to control bladder functions.

Many dogs will experience incontinence in their golden years. Unfortunately, it is just a part of the aging process.

Excitement or Anxiety

Does your dog pee while walking around strangers or new environments? Have you noticed that they act anxious around the time it occurs? Maybe they will pee around the house when guests come over.

Submissive urination occurs when a dog is feeling scared or nervous around others. It is mostly seen in young dogs around other animals. The common cause of this specific behavior is poor socialization. It can be solved by bringing your pet around more people and dogs.

Overhydration

This behavior can be caused by your dog drinking too much water, either in one sitting or throughout the day. It is possible for your dog to drink excessive amounts of water, more than they can comfortably hold in their bladder before going potty.

If you suspect this is the case for your dog, we recommend getting in touch with a veterinarian to find ways to keep your dog refreshed without over-drinking. Limiting water intake is not advised. Excessive thirst can indicate an underlying medical condition like diabetes or kidney disease.

Marking Territory

A dog may urinate while walking to mark its territory for a longer distance. If you notice that this behavior is only exhibited in a public location, on walks, or around other dogs, making territory is likely the cause.

Should You Be Concerned?

Occasionally, this behavior can signal a problem that needs immediate medical attention. We will go over some of the signs you need to watch out for.

Sudden Onset

If your dog has never exhibited this behavior and it has suddenly become a problem, it is cause for concern. If you have just begun taking your dogs to more crowded areas or have reduced their bathroom breaks, perhaps because of a change in schedule, this could easily explain the behavior.

However, if this occurs in your home with no change in lifestyle, habits, or aging, medical conditions might be the cause.

Additional Symptoms

Watch out for symptoms such as whimpering or other signs of pain in your dog, like trouble getting comfortable. This could indicate a severe health issue, such as a urinary stone or UTI. Even if your dog isn’t showing other symptoms now, they may develop over time.

Correcting the Problem

Training and Lifestyle Modification

If you determine that the behavior is not because of a medical condition, there are lifestyle modifications you can make to mitigate this problem.

You may not be letting your dog outside enough. You can ensure they are not holding it in for too long by making time for more bathroom breaks.

In some instances, a lack of reinforcement can cause potty training skills to slip. If you brought home a rescue dog, the solution could be as simple as dedicating more time to bathroom breaks.

Of course, when this problem results from aging, it becomes a factor that you need to live with. Some owners choose to use “doggy diapers” for senior dogs.

Contacting a veterinarian

If you decide that your dog’s symptoms could be medical-related, you must contact a vet as soon as possible, especially if your dog experiences signs of pain.

Be sure to mention any additional symptoms that you may have noticed the past few days to help narrow down the possibilities. If you have not seen any other signs, it is perfectly fine to take your dogs in still. Since this can be an early symptom of urinary conditions, you want to catch it early!

Going Forward

Seeing signs that something is wrong with our pets is upsetting. When the behavior results from aging or medical issues, this can cause a sense of uncertainty around the future of our pet’s health. Reassure yourself that every owner will experience similar moments as a pet parent.

With dedication and possibly some support from your veterinarian, you will be able to adjust to whatever needs they may have. Congratulate yourself on being a proactive dog owner! Your pet is in excellent hands.

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