This part of successfully training your dog can be stressful and also irritating for you as the trainer/owner, however, with the right touch and behavior from you, as well as some specific adjustments to your dogs diet (including its water intake), it is also very easy to cure and be rid of.
One main thing you have to remember is even though your dog may not be human, his/her personality does somewhat mirror that of a humans, meaning that you may actually have to take time to get to know your dog, and his/her personality before you will know exactly the source of treatment is.
Not all dogs are the same, and so a generic source of treatment is not going to work.
There are many reasons why your dog may be wetting him/herself almost as an infant does.
Dogs like humans, react negatively to stressful environments.
If you happen to have your dog in a situation where there is a lot of shouting or drama, this may cause the dog to wet themselves out of fear and anxiety.
Your dog may also just need a slight behavior adjustment because of the amount of attention you have given them.
In truth this may be acting against your methods of training, rather then benefiting them.
If the first thing you do with your dog as soon as you come home is play with them or acknowledge them in an excited way, this can cause hyperactive behavior in the dog, causing it to pee.
Perhaps you need to take a different approach and not acknowledge the animal first thing.
Wait for about ten to fifteen minutes after you have gotten home before looking at, or touching the dog, do not talk to the dog during this time.
This will give the dog a chance to settle down on its own and become calm enough to control itself, rather then being over stimulated and therefore wetting themselves.
There are several reasons why your dog may be displaying this behavior, the most common being stated in the above paragraphs.
However, you should fist and foremost make sure that it is in fact not a medical factor affecting your dog instead of a behavioral issue (ie: diabetes, bladder infection or problem).
Make an appointment with your local animal doctor and be sure this is not something that requires medical attention, before moving into behavioral modifications.
It is up to you as the dogs' owner to show the dog how to behave.
If wetting themselves has become a persistent problem, you may have to take a look at what you are doing as well as what your dog is doing.
You are responsible for what your dog does and does not receive on a daily basis, including water intake and level of excitement.
If your dog seems to wet themselves more after large amounts of water (which some dogs will drink until you stop them if they have not been taught to know better), therefore causing them to wet themselves.
Also, try to limit you dogs water intake if they are getting ready for a walk, to play in the park, or greeting a visitor(which visitors should also be advised and asked to refrain from paying attention to the dog while visiting because it may have negative effects on your dog and your progress in training.
) This may help reduce the number of "accidents" your dog has.
Just remember, your dog does need certain amounts of water throughout the day so be sure to talk to your vet about how to properly distribute your dogs water during this training.
Another main thing you need to remember, which may almost sound like common sense, but, actually is a common mistake made among dog owners.
If your dog wets themselves because of fear or anxiety, the worst thing you can do is to yell at them or scare them in any way.
You should treat your dog like you would your child.
If you child is potty training and has an accident you wouldn't yell at them or slap them on the nose, so why would you do this with your dog? When your dog does wet themselves out of these behaviors, instead of punishing them for what they have done, correct them gently and acknowledge their good behavior for every time they don't pee out of fear or anxiety.
The trick is to make your dog feel special for what they do right, not to make them feel bad for what they do wrong.
A dog, like a child, will react in a positive manner easier if you remain calm and positive yourself.
After all, would you really want to be cooperative for someone who was yelling at you all the time, or someone who calmly explained your mistake in the language you understand, and helped you to correct it? With a little patience and understanding, both of your dog, and their situation, you can solve your dogs wetting problem in no time.
Follow these easy steps and remember you are as much a part of your dogs training and behavior as your dog.