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Hello I have a 4 1/2 month old great dane and she won't stop peeing in the house. She was going to the door when she needs to go out and then we let her out but now she'll just pee whereever. She'll go out and then come in and pee on the floor right in front of us. Yesterday when I picked her up from my boyfriend's mom's house after shopping she ran up to me and then when I started to talk to her and pet her she peed on the floor. After that I went to bring her leash over to her to walk her home and she peed again when I was putting the leash on. She is acting like we hit her and the worst we do is tell her no and put her outside when she goes potty in the house. What is going on with her and what can I do?

>>Hello I have a 4 1/2 month old great dane and she won't stop peeing in the house. She was going to the door when she needs to go out and then we let her out but now she'll just pee whereever. She'll go out and then come in and pee on the floor right in front of us. Yesterday when I picked her up from my boyfriend's mom's house after shopping she ran up to me and then when I started to talk to her and pet her she peed on the floor. After that I went to bring her leash over to her to walk her home and she peed again when I was putting the leash on. She is acting like we hit her and the worst we do is tell her no and put her outside when she goes potty in the house. What is going on with her and what can I do?

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She needs to see the vet. Urinary tract infections are common in dogs. Be careful about the corrections, even saying no. Just rush her outside.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

As said, take pup to vet to rule out a urinary tract infection.

Most dane puppies, especially the girls, are not reliably housebroken until they are at least 6-7 months of age (if not later). It is quite normal for many females to go through periods of "regression" in their housebreaking. Also, many dane puppies go through fear periods at around 4-5 months old, and sometimes again between 7-8 months of age. Submissive urination is not uncommon during a fear period and careful correction with kind words will usually get an owner through this stage. Also many puppies of this age get easily distracted when they are supposed to be pottying outside, and will "forget" only to "remember" they had to go once they get back inside. A very excited puppy will also often urinate seemingly spontaneously, when in reality they just get a little bit too excited

Best advice... Rule out any underlying medical problems. Take the pup out religiously every 2 hours and praise like crazy for correct behavior (pottying outside). Be persistant Be GENTLE (most accidents are the owners fault, not the puppies fault). Be consistant (puppies thrive on consistancy).

With persistance, consistancy, gentleness and a watchful eye (baring any medical problems)even the most difficult puppy can be sucessfully housebroken.

Caroline Smith
FarView Great Danes

Thank you for the information. I have brought her to the vet twice since we have had her. For the initial visit and then to get stictches out that she got before we bought her and the vet didn't say anyting about a UTI. Should I bring her back and ask him to check her for that?

>>Thank you for the information. I have brought her to the vet twice since we have had her. For the initial visit and then to get stictches out that she got before we bought her and the vet didn't say anyting about a UTI. Should I bring her back and ask him to check her for that?

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Yes. The vet has no way of knowing to check for this until you let him know the symptoms you are seeing at home.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

As said, it's probably not a bad idea to go ahead and take her in just to be on the safe side to make sure there isn't any infections going on. Better safe than sorry

Good luck with your new pup! I'd almost bet that what you are seeing is submissive urination due to a transitional fear period that she is going through right now. If it is, you should probably see improvements in the next month or two months. If she is going through a fear period, be sure to be extra vigilient about taking her out for socialization as well. Fear periods are imprinting stages and if you do not socialize carefully during this time you could end up with a puppy that has some emotional baggage later on. Don't try to push her to meet and greet with people, but DO give her the opportunity to see that there is nothing to fear in your home or in the big wide world that is out there waiting for her And, as always, treat her with a gentle and understanding hand

Caroline Smith
FarView Great Danes

Also, you mentioned letting her our.. Are you going outside with her? That's important because you need to be right there to praise her when she goes outside. It will also help to keep her a little more focused on why she's outside. Make sure you're not just letting her out into the yard..

I do go outside with her most of the time. The only time I can't is when I'm doing homework and then I'll get distracted so I send my boyfriend instead. But most of the time we are outside with her.