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For years I heard the identical query over and over: Why is my 6-month-old pet peeing in the home once more?
An analogous query my buddies stored asking was: “my pet is potty skilled, however he’s nonetheless having accidents in the home!?”
For a few years I assumed the obvious reply was easy: You will have thought your pet was potty skilled, however in actuality, he nonetheless is NOT potty skilled.
- Take a step again together with your potty coaching your pet.
- Don’t give your pet as a lot freedom round the home.
- And ensure you take him out any time he wakes up, after each meal, and each 10 minutes when he’s taking part in.
I assumed that was the reply till we introduced dwelling our most up-to-date pet, Elsa…

Why Is My Pet Having Accidents Once more?
I’ve raised dozens of puppies through the years and I adopted the identical potty coaching routine with each pet.
Most of my puppies had been potty skilled round 4 months outdated. After they hit that magic 4 months of age I had only a few if any accidents in addition to the one-offs:
- When Linus was sick he had just a few accidents in the home.
- Not like Linus, Stetson couldn’t maintain his pee for way more than 6 hours. If he ever obtained left dwelling alone for an prolonged time period he’d have an accident.
- When Stetson was on prednisone he drank a variety of water. Throughout this era it was very tough to foretell when he needed to potty. He had a number of accidents after being dwelling alone for lower than an hour!
- Adelle had a urinary tract an infection and was having accidents in the home.
- Throughout her first couple of years, Kona used to drip round the home. She was additionally recognized to get excited and urinate.
These are only a handful of tales about our pups having accidents in the home after they had been potty skilled. Nonetheless, after over 16 years of elevating puppies, Elsa stunned me by doing one thing completely different than some other pet. Not in a great way…
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6-Month-Outdated Pet Potty Coaching Regression
Similar to each different pet we raised, I thought of Elsa potty skilled at round 4 months outdated. I can’t keep in mind a single accident in the home for a stable 2 months.
Then proper round my birthday, it occurred. She jumped up on our mattress, squatted, and pee’d!
What the heck!? No accidents for two months then she pee’s on our mattress!
I couldn’t imagine it. I had by no means had a pet pee on our mattress earlier than. Elsa wasn’t even allowed on our mattress.
For the subsequent few days, I did what I discussed earlier. I took a step again, restricted her freedom round the home, and made certain she didn’t have one other accident in the home. I additionally had her checked for a urinary tract an infection.
A number of days later she went into warmth so I chalked it up as hormone-related.
8-Month-Outdated Pet Potty Coaching Regression
Elsa’s random accident was a long-lost reminiscence till she was 8 months outdated.
This time she ran over to her comfortable cozy doggy mattress, squatted, and pee’d!
What the !”@:#!!! bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep!
2 months of no accidents, then one other random accident!!!
This time it couldn’t be blamed on hormones. Elsa was potty skilled (so far as I knew), why did she have an accident.
We took a step again, restricted her freedom, and made certain she had no accidents for every week. The whole lot was again to regular or so I assumed.
9-Month-Outdated Pet Potty Coaching Regression
At this level, I used to be a lot much less assured that Elsa actually knew she was to not go potty in the home. Nonetheless, somewhat over a month handed and I started to decrease my guard till…
ANOTHER ACCIDENT!!!
This time she jumped on our model new bean bag, squatted, and pee’d!!!
Now what was it that George W. Bush stated:
“There’s an outdated saying in Tennessee—I do know it’s in Texas, most likely in Tennessee—that claims, ‘Idiot me as soon as, disgrace on…disgrace on you. Idiot me—you’ll be able to’t get fooled once more.’”
Properly, there have to be a proverb for “idiot me 3 occasions” as a result of I’m an fool or perhaps I’ll should coin a brand new time period.
Anyhow after Elsa fooled me for the third time I sat down and thought deeply about why she was having accidents in the home after she was supposedly “potty skilled”.
SPOILER ALERT: If you wish to skip on to why Elsa was peeing in the home after already being potty skilled soar to potty coaching level #8 under.
Why Has My Pet Began Peeing In The Home Once more?
Let’s begin from the highest with the reason why your pet is likely to be having accidents in the home once more:
1. Your Pet Is Not Potty Educated
Lots of people attempt to advance their puppies by means of potty coaching too shortly and begin giving them an excessive amount of freedom round the home. This ends in your pet form of understanding potty coaching, however not completely.
The result’s they nonetheless have accidents in the home, however perhaps not as incessantly as they did if you first began engaged on their potty coaching.
2. Your Pet Is Younger And Doesn’t Have Management Of His Bladder
Bladder management is often not an issue for a 6-month-old pet. Nonetheless, I get lots of people telling me their 8-week-old pet, 10-week, 12-week, and 14+ week-old pet continues to be having accidents in the home.
Some distinctive puppies could also be potty skilled as early as 10 weeks outdated. Nonetheless, most is not going to have full management of their bladder. Generally a younger pet received’t know he has to potty till it’s too late.
3. Your Pet Is Sick
We had a number of occasions when Linus was sick and had diarrhea accidents in the home. In case your pet is sick he could not be capable to management his bowels (or pee as in level #4).
In case your pet is sick then go to your vet for a correct analysis and therapy.
4. Your Pet Has A Urinary Tract An infection (UTI)
I separated this from #3 as a result of it’s a standard reason behind random accidents in the home.
When puppies get Urinary Tract Infections they typically have problem holding their pee. The end result: Accident in the home.
Should you suspect a UTI is the reason for your pup’s accidents then go to your vet for a correct analysis and therapy.
5. Your Pet Will get Excited
Poor little Kona, our good friend’s Dachshund German Shepherd combine. She used to get what we known as excita-pee!
Each time I came to visit she’d get so excited she’d have an accident in the home.
The answer to this one is to disregard the pet if you get dwelling so she doesn’t get excited. As soon as she calms down give her some calm reward and a reward.
6. Your Pet Is Incontinent
Incontinence – lack of voluntary management over urination or defecation.
We’re not going to enter element about doggy incontinence. Should you suspect incontinence is the reason for your pup’s accidents then go to your vet for a correct analysis and therapy.
7. Your Pet Can’t Maintain It That Lengthy
When Linus was 9 months outdated we took him tenting. He refused to pee on the dust and held it for over a 24-hour interval. Lastly, he let all of it out like Tom Hanks in A League of Their Personal.
Not like Linus, Stetson couldn’t maintain his pee way more than 4-6 hours. If he ever obtained left dwelling alone for an prolonged time period he’d typically occasions have an accident.
Each pet and canine is completely different. Some can maintain it for what looks like ceaselessly whereas others can solely final just a few hours whilst adults.
8. Your Pet Has To Go Potty, However You Didn’t Get Him Outdoors In Time
Let’s get again to our story about Elsa.
After considering lengthy and laborious about our 6-month, 8-month, and 9-month potty coaching accidents I got here to the conclusion that Elsa was potty skilled she simply didn’t talk to us the identical approach our different canine did.
Linus, Stetson, and Raven would all sit down by our terrace door and wait till we allow them to exterior. That is how they communicated to us they wanted to go exterior and potty.
Once we allow them to exterior they’d instantly do their enterprise after which wait by the door to be let again inside.
Elsa hardly ever waited by the door to be let exterior. Whereas she would wait on occasion we’d usually simply let her exterior when Raven waited by the door. Then allow them to again in when Raven waited to be let again in.
Right here’s what occurred: Elsa didn’t all the time go potty after we let her out with Raven and her sign to us that she wished to go exterior was getting very lively, pacing backwards and forwards, and placing her head on our lap.
This was/just isn’t a really easy cue and since we didn’t perceive we simply thought she was being a regular hyper zoomie pet bouncing round till finally, she had her accidents.
Our resolution? Two main factors:
- Quite than giving her free reign to go potty. l began leashing her and ensuring she went pee or poop after we let her exterior. This was our regular protocol with all of our information and repair canine puppies, however we gave Elsa somewhat extra leniency when potty coaching.
- We obtained a Sensible Bell and started engaged on coaching her to push the button when she wanted to go exterior. A transparent sign to make use of that she needed to go potty.
- Answer #1 – ensuring she went potty after we let her exterior truly solved the issue as we haven’t had an accident in over 4 months.
- Answer #2 – is a piece in progress, however a transparent sign from her that she has to potty will assist us keep away from any future accidents.
9. Your Pet Is Loading Up On Water
We had been speaking to the veterinarian at our native information canine assembly and he introduced this one up. He stated that some puppies attain a consolation stage of their new properties at round 4-6 months outdated.
As a result of they felt extra comfy at this age he felt like they had been apt to load up on water (ingesting loads at one time) after which subsequently have accidents in the home.
We had this occur as soon as with our present pet, Anna. At round 4 ½ months I keep in mind on occasion she would “load up on water”. Then, she’d pee a number of occasions in a 30-minute interval. A few of these had been exterior and a few had been inside. I keep in mind her peeing 7 occasions in about half-hour and considering what the heck is happening!
One of many suggestions from our information canine group is to all the time have recent water out there to your pup that approach your pet won’t ever really feel the necessity to “load up on water”.
10. Your Pet Is Teething
Guess what else occurs together with your pet at 4-6 months of age? Your pet begins teething!
Can teething actually be the offender for potty coaching regression? The brief reply is sure. The lengthy reply is teething is an uncomfortable course of on your pet. Similar to the rest, if you don’t really feel properly it could actually intervene with sure behaviors. On this case potty coaching.
FAQ’s – Pet Peeing In The Home Once more
Is It Regular For A 6-Month-Outdated Pet To Have Accidents?
We all the time wish to know what’s regular for our puppies. I do know I do. After elevating over a dozen service canine puppies I’ve my very own concepts of what’s “regular”.
Do I believe it’s regular for a 6-month-old pet to have accidents in the home?
ANSWER: No, I don’t suppose that is regular. Should you begin potty coaching your pet at round 8-10 weeks outdated then your pet will almost definitely be potty skilled by the point he’s 6 months outdated. Nonetheless, as we talked about on this article there are the reason why your pet could regress in his potty coaching.
How Lengthy Can A 6-Month-Outdated Pet Maintain Pee?
Let’s pick a number of completely different eventualities to reply this query:
1. You set your pet down for the night time in his crate. I’d anticipate your pet to carry his pee for a stable 8 hours with out an accident.
2. It’s worthwhile to crate your pet through the day. The information canine faculty requires that we don’t crate our 6-month-old puppies for greater than 4 hours through the day. Our pet will maintain his pee for not less than these 4 hours and possibly extra if he wanted to.
3. Your pet is taking part in within the yard with different puppies with entry to water. I’d anticipate my pet would most likely be peeing each half-hour on this state of affairs.
4. Your pet is at dwelling alone and allowed to roam the home. Each pet is completely different. We permit our older canine to roam the home and I wouldn’t belief them for greater than 3-4 hours. Whereas I wouldn’t permit a 6-month-old pet to roam the home alone if I did I most likely wouldn’t belief him to carry his pee for greater than 1-2 hours.
The ethical of the story. In case your pet is awake and lively with entry to water then he’ll doubtless should pee pretty incessantly. If he’s in his crate and resting then he’ll be capable to maintain his pee for much longer.
Why Is My 6 Month Outdated Pet Peeing In all places?
I can consider many the reason why a 6-month-old pet “seems” to be peeing in every single place:
- Your pet has a urinary tract an infection – this might trigger your pet to pee in any respect completely different occasions.
- Your pet drank a variety of water – our present pet, Anna pee’d 7 occasions in half-hour after ingesting a boatload of water!
- Your pet is taking part in – no joke, puppies pee about each 5 minutes when they’re taking part in.
- You’re not supervising your pet – puppies pee loads. In case your pet just isn’t potty skilled then it is best to keep watch over him 100% of the time when indoors. When your pet shows pre-potty actions (circling, sniffing, squatting) then get him exterior!
The above 4 are the commonest solutions. Our most important checklist has 10 causes for a pet peeing in the home once more that will most likely apply to this query as properly.
Conclusion
We’ve been spoiled. Raven, Linus, and Stetson all had been simple to potty prepare. We’ve additionally potty skilled over a dozen different puppies that went on to work as service canine with no drawback.
Elsa was an anomaly. Taking a step again and actually considering laborious about why she was having accidents in the home gave us a transparent resolution to the issue.
Our last resolution was merely to leash and ensure she went potty exterior each time we’d take her out for a potty break.
How about you? Are you having pet potty coaching issues?
Is your pet potty skilled, however out of the blue having accidents in the home?
What are you doing to resolve the issue?
Inform us about your experiences within the remark part under.
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UPDATE: This submit was initially posted on June twelfth, 2021. It has been up to date with new data based mostly on our experiences through the years.
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