Dear Critter Corner: My pup gets very excited and loves to say hi to people but we are having a problem with him tinkling with these greetings. It’s a rather embarrassing behavior, is there a way to stop him from tinkling on everyone and everywhere?
I can’t tell you how many times I have personally been tinkled on by an excited puppy, I call it a job hazard. This is a very common puppy behavior that most pups out grow as they gain more control of their bladders with age. Until then, here are a few things you can do to help manage the situation.
Try to keep greetings calm. Ask that guests don’t rile your pup when saying hello knowing that he will most likely tinkle. An easy go to is to acknowledge your pup when coming home but not engage with them until his energy level has come down before saying hello, a sit can help with this too. We can also be smart on where the hellos are taking place. I usually recommend that if you know your pup will most likely tinkle with a certain person, you do the initial greetings outside when they come. This helps keep you on track for potty training and lessens any messes that need to be cleaned up inside.
If you have succeeded at getting the start of a calm greeting but your pup starts to tinkle, remove the affection and allow them to settle back down before engaging with them again. Over time with lots of practice they will get it. If this persists or is an all of a sudden new behavior and the tinkle is more of a river, I would recommend that you speak with your vet to rule out any possible medical issues.
If you would like some extra help with training your pup, you can schedule a 1:1 Consultation with one of our behaviorists or call our Behavior Helpline at ext. 183.