Does your puppy or adult dog greet you with puddles of pee? It’s embarrassing, messy, and unhygienic. Here are a few tips to help your dog learn better bladder control.

• Excitement is often the cause of bladder release so keep your greetings very low key. Ignore your dog until she has calmed down before saying hello – if she starts to get excited, ignore her until she is calm again.
• Ask your guests to do the same.
• Anxiety mixed with excitement may also result in misplaced water works. Try not to lean over her or do something that might worry her.
• Anxious dogs will often roll over and present their tummies which is a dog’s way of saying that they are not a threat – they may also pee at the same time or pee before rolling over in it.
• If this happens teach your dog a default sit. Ask your dog to sit and reward him when he does repeat a few times, then wait to see if your dog will offer a sit without being asked, when he does give him a big reward. Develop this until your dog will sit automatically to greet you and other people. While your dog is learning this, you need to ignore him when he rolls over to greet you.

Finally, never scold your dog for his wet greetings; he can’t help it and a raised voice or punishment will make him even more nervous and try to appease you more which leads to more wee and an ongoing, vicious cycle.