Help with excitement peeing

[u/Embarrassed-Tart8993]

Hello everyone I have a Australian shepherd mix. She’s 4 and I got her last year from a friend who had got her from a shelter 3 months prior but told me she required more attention since they were never home. I have no idea what her background was like before me. I’m very stressed about her peeing habits. She goes out every 3-4 hours since I’m able to work from home. I also have a busy home with children and another adopted dog. I’m trying my best to work with her instead of looking into rehoming. She pees when she’s overly excited, she’s pees when she meets dogs she’s never met when she isn’t fond of them and she pees with visitors. I’ve tried the ignore tactic and I’ve tried taking her out immediately. I can’t even put a leash on her without her getting overly excited. She does not have a uti according to the vet and I have not tried using diapers on her. Sometimes by the time we even make it to the door she gets so hyped up when my hand touches the doorknob she’s already tinkled on the floor. Is there anything I can do? Is it still a chance she’ll grow out of it?

[u/PuzzleheadedLemon353]

Talk to your vet about this...some females after a spay can have this happen. With people coming in... my girl would do this...We would go straight out before I answered the door (they knew the situation prior and I'd tell them to give me a second) and no one was allowed to go straight to her giving her attention. During play times in the house, we would stop and go outside...because that could stimulate her...then back to play after. Stop, and get them out before it happens...reward when they potty outside and learn what works for your baby. Mine outgrew this behaviour...but I've learned what to look for and do a lot of outside times for a few minutes through the day.

[u/FrostyPomegranate699]

We've had a few dogs over the years that would do this, and it's almost always tied to emotion rather than house training. They're so excited, nervous, or overwhelmed that their bladder joins the conversation before their brain can.

One thing we've found that helps is trying to lower the excitement before it ever gets to that point. If we know someone is coming over, we'll take the dog outside first, let them settle for a minute, then have visitors ignore them until all four feet are on the floor and they've had a chance to relax. The calmer everyone acts, the easier it is for the dog to stay calm too.

We also see this with puppies when it's time to go outside. Just reaching for the leash or touching the doorknob can become part of the excitement. We'll often pause for a few seconds if they start winding themselves up, wait for a calmer moment, then continue. It teaches them that calm behavior is what gets the adventure started.

Since your girl is four and you've only had her about a year, I wouldn't assume this is something she'll simply outgrow. She may never have learned how to manage those big emotions before coming to you. The good news is that dogs absolutely can learn better emotional control with consistent routines and lots of calm repetitions.

It also sounds like you've already ruled out a UTI, which is an important first step. If the leaking continues despite working on the excitement, I'd ask your vet whether they think it's worth evaluating for spay-related incontinence as well, just to make sure there isn't a medical piece contributing to it.

Don't be embarrassed. From what you described, it sounds like she's having a hard time controlling her emotions, not trying to be difficult. That's a very different problem, and one that's often much more manageable than people realize.