Why Does My Dog Pee So Much On Walks? (Answered)
When a dog pees frequently on a walk, it is usually sending a message either to its owner or to other dogs. Understanding which message is being passed and why is important, especially since frequent Urination may be a cause for concern.
Dogs typically aren’t expected to pee so much, but when they do, it will be because of one of the following reasons:
Marking Territories
Dogs are territorial creatures, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they mark their territories in this way.
Dogs leave pheromones in their urine and thanks to their strong sense of smell, others can detect this. When marking their territory, dogs tend to be accurate, with targeted bursts in certain locations.
The consistency makes it easier to identify when your dog is marking territory as opposed to something else.
There is no cause for concern when your dog is marking their territory as it is a natural process, one that every dog needs. It also serves as a form of communication between dogs, as their urine contains information other dogs can pick up by sniffing.
From diet to health status, there is a lot of information for other dogs, which also comes with the territory.
Health Problems
The biggest fear every dog owner has, is that any behavior change is indicating a health problem.
One of the most common ways to detect health problems in a dog is by noticing any changes in urination frequency. While fluid consumption may also influence how much a dog pees when on a walk, frequency indicates a serious problem.
Problems like urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence are a genuine probability.
There are other factors you may need to consider before considering that your dog has health problems. Each health problem is unique and is often associated with factors like age, making it easier to identify any potential health problems.
Attracting A Mate
No dog is comfortable for long without a mate and when they are inevitably in heat, they want other dogs to know it.
Among the information detectable in a dog’s urine is the sexual cycle, which serves to attract other dogs.
Female dogs especially can communicate when they are in the heat with males and with one sniff, the males are instantly attracted to her. Her unique pheromones and scent are also present in the urine, serving as a road map to any dog who smells it.
With males, there are still sexual pheromones being emitted when they urinate, but it isn’t about attracting a mate. Instead, males seek to exert their dominance, warding off other potential competitors for females.
Incomplete Potty Training
Potty training is another common reason why a dog will pee frequently when out on walks. The level of potty training isn’t going to be a problem when you have had a dog since childhood and properly trained it.
Instead, incomplete potty training is associated with rescue dogs or those recently adopted. You don’t know much about the training of such dogs and some of their habits may be somewhat concerning.
This is the easiest reason to detect, as you already know how long you have had the dog. The dog in question will also display its improper potty training in places other than when it is being walked.
Stopping Your Dog From Peeing While On Walks
Once your dog peeing frequently on walks becomes a bother, the next action is to seek a solution. There are several possible solutions to a dog that pees frequently on walks, with each dependent on why the dog is doing so in the first place.
The most common methods employed to stop a dog from urinating frequently include:
Positive reinforcement
Dogs love positive reinforcement, contrary to the popular belief that scolding or yelling at them can help. Positive reinforcement will require a lot of patience and can be frustrating sometimes when results aren’t forthcoming.
Continually employing positive reinforcement improves your relationship with the dog, both on walks and at home. Each time the dog completes a walk without incident, reward it with a treat or something else it likes.
There will be a few lapses, but you can’t afford to lose your cool and snap at the dog. Instead, calm, motion it to stop by wagging your finger across its face when it falters. Positive reinforcement works better in the long term than aggression and brutality.
Peeing beforehand
When your dog’s bladder is empty, you won’t have to worry about it peeing when you’re walking it. Make sure your dog pees before you head out, ensuring its bladder is empty.
If necessary, express your dog’s bladder to verify that it is empty. An empty bladder doesn’t guarantee that your dog won’t still pee on the walk, as some urine may still be processed after.
However, it will reduce the chances of your dog peeing, or at the very least, make it easier for your dog to hold it. Your dog should not be made to hold its bladder too long or risk damage. You should therefore make your dog pee before and after every walk.
Treating Illnesses
Where diseases are the reason why your dog pees frequently, treating it will help solve the problem. With so many possible diseases that can cause your dog to pee frequently, identification is essential.
Your vet can help identify the cause and advise on the best way to treat it.
Unfortunately, not all diseases that cause frequent urination can be cured. However, they can at least be managed, which will in turn reduce how frequently your dog pees.
Curing or treating illnesses doesn’t always yield quick results, so you will need to be patient. Always stick to the instructions from your vet to avoid worsening any conditions inadvertently.
Proper Potty Training
Proper training can surmount almost any reasons your dog may have to pee frequently. Especially with rescue dogs or newly acquired pups, training will help reduce unnecessary peeing.
Training methods and duration may differ from one dog to the next, depending on breed and personality. In the end, the result will be the same with your dog urinating less when you’re out on a walk.
With the proper training, your dog will alert you when it wants to pee, so you can provide it with a suitable location. Training also teaches the dog to hold its urine in certain situations, but you don’t want it to do this for long.
Training should start as early as possible to increase your chances of achieving success quickly.
How Many Times Should A Dog Pee On A Walk?
A dog will normally pee once or twice on a walk, depending on how much water it has drunk beforehand. Depending on how long your walk is, the dog may not pee at all.
Dogs are creatures of habit, so as long as it isn’t peeing time, your dog may not pee. When a dog is marking, it will pee in several aces without necessarily drinking much water.
A dog can pee as frequently as every three hours, so if your walk is that long, you can expect multiple pee breaks. Of course, this estimation is assuming your dog doesn’t drink too much water as it normally does.
Walks offer dogs plenty of room to urinate without worrying about messing up your home, so even potty-trained dogs may indulge.
Fun fact: Age is a significant factor in how frequently a dog pees when on a walk. Younger dogs may have no problems peeing multiple times, but older ones may struggle to do so once.
Does Spaying Reduce Peeing?
Yes, a spayed dog won’t urinate as frequently as expected, with urine production stopping altogether in some cases. Spaying can eliminate the need to mark since there will be no sexual urges from the dog.
However, seeing as spaying is permanent, and you may still want your dog to have a normal life, it isn’t always the ideal choice.
Spaying will only help when the dog in question is peeing excessively due to marking.
In the case of UTIs or incontinence, it will have no effect. Before considering spaying as an option, rule out all other possible reasons, including diseases. Only spay your dog when it is advised by the vet after a thorough examination.
Interestingly, spaying is most effective at reducing pee frequency when a dog is young as opposed to when it is mature. A mature dog that is used to marking will likely continue even after it is spayed.
The practice is already a habit, one that will need to be trained away as opposed to stopping naturally.
When Does Frequent Urination Become Concerning?
Frequent urination becomes a problem when there is no discernible pattern to it. Dogs are creatures of habit, and any practice that is backed by nature will surely repeat itself.
When a dog is marking or urinating normally, they do so on a repeated pattern that feels familiar to them. Health problems on the other hand make things random, and a dog will urinate outside its normal pattern.
Ironically, not all deviations from the normal pattern are a cause for concern. Slight biological changes like hormone production can disrupt the norm, but the disruption is usually minimal.
Only when a deviation is significant do you need to worry. Once such a deviation occurs, contact your vet immediately, as early detection is key when dealing with health problems.
Look out for known symptoms of diseases that may cause frequent urination and at the first sign of one, contact your vet.
Conclusion: Why Does My Dog Pee So Much On Walks?
Most dogs tend to pee frequently once you take them out for a walk. Maybe it has something to do with being outdoors, as humans sometimes seem to do this as well.
For biological reasons, your dog may often pee when out on a walk, but there may also be possible health implications.
