House training
How do I stop my puppy from peeing when excited?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Keep greetings low key by approaching calmly, avoiding direct eye contact and leaning over the puppy, and let them settle for a few seconds before any petting begins, since excitement urination is triggered by overstimulation rather than a training gap. Most puppies grow out of this naturally by 6 to 12 months as their bladder control and confidence both mature.
Why calm greetings help so much
A puppy who is overwhelmed by an excited, high energy greeting, especially from a tall person leaning down or reaching over their head, is far more likely to leak a small amount of urine than one who is greeted at their level, calmly and quietly, with a moment to settle first.
What not to do about it
Never scold or react strongly to excitement urination, since it is involuntary and a frustrated reaction from you actually increases the anxiety that makes it worse, creating a cycle rather than solving anything. Building the puppy's overall confidence through gentle, positive experiences tends to resolve this faster than any direct correction ever could.
Key takeaways
- Calm, low key greetings at the puppy's level reduce the overstimulation that triggers excitement urination.
- Scolding an involuntary response increases anxiety and tends to make the pattern worse, not better.
- Most puppies naturally outgrow this by 6 to 12 months as confidence and bladder control mature.