Originally Posted by teddyboylove

Got to try [ignoring on return] - Teddy goes nuts when anyone comes in and still occasionally dribbles...
Sounds like a good plan. Wish I could get my 10 year old granddaughter to do it too, mind you.

Originally Posted by leashedForLife

* kicking him won't help; in fact, even SCOLDING will make it worse
* it's not a 'habit' yet, but anger or disapproval will create a feedback loop - he leaks, U scold, he leaks more...
* this is involuntary on his part - he is not 'choosing' to do this

step 1: eliminate any possibility this may be a low-grade or chronic infection,
and/or anatomical problem: vet, vet, vet.
just a simple peek under a scope for bugs may not find a chronic problem - culturing his urine may show
what's causing the problem.
anatomically, it could be bladder adhesions, a tilted bladder that retains urine in a pocket even when it's 'empty',
a narrowing of the ureter, gravel in the urine [not likely at his age, but...], or any of a number of other quirks.


belly-bands are lined with cheap peel-&-press pads, sold in any grocery or pharmacy; use unscented pads
with no deodorant, since the liner is changed every time it is damp OR at the minimum, once every 24-hours even if dry,
it's not going to have time to get smelly [except to a dog's nose].

step 3: if this is simply immaturity & lack of muscle tone [the sphincter muscle], he will simply outgrow it.

step 4: unlikely but possible: if he is a very soft-natured dog, this may be his lifelong state.
if there is absolutely nothing wrong with his anatomy, & he has ZERO nasty microbes in cultured urine,
and he is 6-mos-old or 9-mos-old & still leaks when he gets excited, this may just be his soft nature.
remember it is involuntary - he has no more control over it than U do over blinking: it happens.

step 5: just in case, IF it is his 'soft nature', there may be meds to help; polypropanolamine [sic?] may be one,
or there may be others, but that is a vet matter - so ask the vet when U go to get his urine & anatomy
checked-out.

the critical thing is Not to Scold, Punish, or even look angry -
if it becomes a feedback loop: he leaks, U get cross, he leaks more...
it will be much harder to fix, since it will be again, involuntary:
dribbling urine is a SUBMISSIVE signal from a puppy to an adult,
& when the first signal fails, his worry will cause another leak.
that's why the belly-band is so important: it's a non-event.
U won't even know if he leaked until U check the pad, outside.
no wet floors, no odor, nothing to tread-in & carry onto the carpet...
all good!

make all arrivals very low-key: don't talk to him, just come in, set down anything in Ur hands, & take him out.
greet him AFTER the belly-band is off & AFTER he's voided & run about a bit - very casual, quiet voice, warmly.
excited, squealy voices can trigger a leak - so can loud voices, so shouting hello to the neighbor 2 gardens down
is not suggested; wave & smile warmly, instead.

**** are there children in the house? if so & they are under 10-YO, all of this will be much harder -
training young children NOT to rush in the door & squeal, "oh, Poppy, we MISSED U so..." is hard.
the puppy is easier. much easier. ****


belly-bands velcro closed - be sure to close the velcro & safety-pin it shut, when U wash the belly-band,
otherwise it traps lint & the velcro becomes useless. Good luck - hopefully it is a minor chronic infection,
or just his youth; treatment will fix one, & time will fix the other.

he sounds like a very sweet puppy - soft pups who leak often have lovely natures.

Originally Posted by leashedForLife

* kicking him won't help; in fact, even SCOLDING will make it worse