Happy pee is driving us nuts

[DemiSheep]

We are going bonkers over Tessa's happy pee issues. She does happy pee even if you smile at her! Ok no not really, but almost! After talking this morning my wife and I have decided the only way we're going to get through this is by going ahead and letting Tessa out of her playpen. Get her used to the house and everyone in it and that should stop her happy pee. We know it is going to be painful at first, but we can't keep her in the playpen forever and she isn't going to get used to being around everyone to know she doesn't have to get so excited. Once she gets bored of us, the house and Attila then the happy pee should go away except for instances like when we get home from work and visitors.. We may have to clean up a lot of happy pee here in the next weeks, but we think it'll be less than waiting for her to get used to everything while in the playpen. We have let her and Attila loose in the house half a dozen times after they came in from playing outside for a long time and they do great. I think it'll be a shorter process than we think.

And, no, this grass is not green now, it's all brown. . .

[Idaho Cairns]

If it is any consolation, our experience with the same issue has been that as the dog matures, the excited urination does lessen substantially. I think you are right about letting the dog get "used to" its environment in an unrestricted way. Hopefully the dog will get past all that stimulation that creates the problem.

[idaho 2]

As hard as it is, to NOT greet your dog as you come in, it will help the happy pee alot. This is what we have to do with Sammi. No eye contact, no speaking, no touch!! Until she settles down. This includes your

guests! The results will happen in alot less time than you think. Of course she is older now, but I can at least speak to her now, but I still let a few moments pass until I touch her. She always seemed to have more trouble with females than males. Have no clue why that is?

[CJ_NY]

Demisheep- just wanted to extend a little compassion to you-- my cairn who is now 4 years old STILL does happy pees when she sees neighbors that she likes. She crouches her little legs down and dribbles on the sidewalk. It's frustrating, especially when she does it when we have visitors, but we told close friends who visit to ignore her until she calms down and that usually does the trick. I also use the "pre-emptive" method: when I know friends are coming over, I take her out right before they're scheduled to arrive.. that way there's no water in her bladder to let out! I don't think my doggy will ever get over it, so maybe I'm not the best at giving advice about this issue, but I think it should lessen as time goes on. She never happy pees for us now, because she's used to us. Good luck! Cute dogs, btw!

[Macdaddy]

I hear you ! Mac still does excited pee occasionally. I love the picture of Tessa and Attila. It looks like Mac was born 6 days before her

[tlwtheq]

My dear Holdsworth (at Rainbow Bridge) was a big happy pee-er. One incident sticks in my mind where we were going out the front door and

Holdsworth slipped and noticed our neighbor in her doorway in work dress, including panty hose. He made a beeline

for her and ended up peeing on her feet! How embarraskin! Needless to say she had to change before going to work.

(Good thing she liked Cairns so much. )

[DemiSheep]

Thank you all for your encouraging input!

Well thankfully Attila out grew his happy pee quickly. He was around a year old when he did his last happy pee and his bladder was full.. I'd like to get his bladder full and test it again hehehe

I hope Tessa gets better soon, but I have a feeling she may do happy pee with strangesrs for a loooooong time..

@ Macdaddy - That's cool that Mac (And Finn!) were born about a week before Tessa. She is sooo small... I wonder how big she'll end up being.

@tlwtheq - That would be very embarrasing! The past 4 weeks we've been goign to PetSmart for pupppy training and Tessa did so much happy pee I was cleaning it up all the time... LOL I joked with them at the store that I would rent a mop from them....

These pictures were taken today:

[Hillscreek]

They are so cute with their bully sticks. I love Tessain that first pic!

[Ivy & Lucy's Mom]

Great pics. My Ivy did the happy pee all the time. As she got older (she is now 1 1/2) and she only does it when we have been away on a trip. We know to let her out immediately so that she pees on the driveway instead of the house. It is becoming more infrequent as she matures. Your pictures makes me want to get another puppy. Did you get your puppy in Ohio-I am in NE Ohio and I am looking to get another one possibly next spring.

[DemiSheep]

Well Tessa is doing very well with her happy pee and being lose in the basement. We removed the tarp from her playpen weeks ago. I just make sure to take the pups out to potty together in the morning and bring them back in together, let them in the basement and off romping they go and at that point happy pee doesn't seem an issue. Next step will be leaving Tessa in the basement loose with Attila.

@ Ivysmom - While we did find some breeders in NE Ohio, they didn't have pups both times we were looking. Attila and Tessa both came from the southern part of Michigan, but from different breeders. If you'd like more information just PM me.

Edited July 19, 2012 by DemiSheep

[DemiSheep]

Update: After letting Tessa loose in the house frequently for long periods of time and even outside of the basement, her happy pee has greatly diminished.

She had a poo poo accident this morning which didn't make much sense because I had just taken her and Attila out to potty and she pooed. Long story short, I found two piles. . . She hasn't had any other accidents.

[Hillscreek]

Good news I'm sure she's going to be fine. Little sweetheart.

[Idaho Cairns]

It really doesn't take these little wonders long to learn the ropes but until they do, the frustration seems endless. Hang in there I am sure your Tessa will be just fine in no time.

[BetsyNoodle]

Oh, I LOVE your pictures!! Attila and Tessa are beautiful!

My little Cairn mix, Betsy Noodle - who has since departed this life - had a problem with "submissive" peeing when I first adopted her. It went away for good when my visitors and I stopped greeting her enthusiastically when we came through the door. We noticed that if we just calmly walked in and avoided eye contact with her, she would not do it. The behavior eventually was extinguished. How I miss that little girl!

[DemiSheep]

Thank you - I take the pictures with my iPhone and always have it handy so I can snap pictures quickly.

Tessa doesn't do happy pee for me anymore, she hasn't done it for me in a long time now, but she's around me a lot since I am at home a lot. But she is still doing it for my wife. Avoidance definitely helps, but my wife can just say one thing sometimes and Tessa will do it..

It is sloooooooooooowly getting better though..

She'll also just suddenly have an accident in the house as if she forgot she had to go because she was having too much fun she didn't feel the urge...

[tlwtheq]

I like the term "sprouted"...they do grow like weeds.

[DemiSheep]

I like the term "sprouted"...they do grow like weeds.

hehehe I was trying to come up with a cute term for being born, and that term popped in my head. I didn't even have to pull out the Thesaurus... Though I don't think sprouted would be in the Thesaurus under born or birth - checking - nope, not there.

[Dempsy's Mom]

Love those two!

[DemiSheep]

Urggh!@happy pee

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Edited August 26, 2012 by DemiSheep