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If you just started to house train your new puppy, you are prepared for accidents to happen. But, the thing no one warns you about is that your pup will pee outside and then go inside and pee again! What’s that about, and is it normal if a puppy keeps peeing inside after being outside?
The first time my puppy did that, I was completely baffled by his behavior. We had just come back inside from a successful potty, and as soon as he was off leash he squatted and peed again in the middle of the carpet. And let me tell you, cleaning up urine stains from a white carpet is even harder than it may seem!
PRO TIP: you’ll want to use an enzymatic cleaner when cleaning up potty messes. Our favorite is Rocco & Roxie’s Stain And Odor Remover.
Needless to say, the whole experience left me extremely frustrated, and I was worried that my pup would form a habit of peeing inside the house.
As someone who is obsessed with cleanliness, I decided then and there that I couldn’t live in a home that smells of puppy pee. Armed with enzymatic cleaners and potty training guides, I was determined to nip this problem in the bud!
In this article, I’ll tell you why your puppy pees inside after going outside and what you can do to stop it from happening. Keep on reading to learn more!
Why Does My Puppy Pee Inside After Going Outside?
If you are in the process of potty training your puppy, certain behaviors such as peeing inside the house after being outside will leave you scratching your head. The first thing you will ask yourself is “why?”
I know I wondered why my puppy was doing this and whether this was some sort of revenge. But if that were the case, what did I do wrong to deserve this?
Knowing what I know now, I realize how silly I was being—my pup wasn’t on some bizarre revenge quest or trying to make my life miserable. As it turned out, he had an actual medical problem, which I’ll tell you about in a bit.
The only way you will ever resolve inappropriate urination is to figure out why your puppy keeps on peeing inside after being outside. Once you identify the reason behind this behavior, you will know what to do to stop your pup from peeing inside the house.
Below, I’ll list the most common reasons puppies may pee inside after being outside on a regular walk.
1. Your Puppy Has A Medical Condition
Puppies, like older dogs, can, unfortunately, develop all sorts of diseases and infections that can cause increased urination. There is no point in questioning or changing your puppy’s training routine if the answer to your problem is as simple as a prescription for antibiotics.
A lot of different medical conditions can cause a puppy to repeatedly squat and pee inside the house after peeing outside. The most common one is a urinary tract infection, which was exactly the problem my puppy had.
If your puppy pees inside the house after being outside and is also only releasing a few drops of pee, he may have a urinary infection.
Furthermore, other medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease can also cause your pup to urinate frequently. Your pup may also obsessively lick its genital area, drink more water, and ask to go outside repeatedly.
Even if your puppy isn’t exhibiting any of these other behaviors, you should take them to the veterinarian. Inappropriate peeing in itself can be a sign that your pooch has a health problem.
Your vet will most likely take a urine sample from your pup and do a urinalysis and probably a urine culture. These tests will show if your pup has bacteria and abnormal cells in its urine.
If the tests confirm a urinary tract infection, your vet will prescribe antibiotics that will kill all the bacteria that are causing your pooch to frequently pee inside the house.
However, if it turns out that your puppy doesn’t have urinary issues, your vet may want to do additional tests to rule out other conditions that can cause inappropriate urination. These tests will depend on your pup’s other potential symptoms, and the treatment will be determined based on a diagnosis.
2. Your Puppy Isn’t Completely Potty Trained Yet
Another reason your puppy pees inside after going outside is that they aren’t entirely potty trained yet. It’s not uncommon for first-time owners to think their puppy is completely house trained just because a few days have gone by without peeing accidents.
Naturally, you start to relax, giving your puppy more alone time inside the house, when all of a sudden you come across a puddle on the floor. And because you believe that your pup is already potty trained, you fail to consider the alternative.
House training a puppy won’t happen overnight—it takes a lot of time, patience, and consistency to properly potty train a dog.
Generally, it’s safe to say that your pooch is potty trained only if they haven’t had an accident in the past six months. Anything less and you will be lying to yourself and expecting too much from your pup way too soon.
In the light of things, be honest: Is your puppy really potty trained or not?
If the answer is no, don’t worry! Start or continue house training your puppy as you did before, and don’t expect a miracle to happen in a day, a week, or a month.
No dog was potty trained in one day, and it’s unrealistic to expect that from your pup, no matter how smart they are.
If you’re struggling with house training and don’t know how many times a day a puppy should poop and pee, take them out on a leash every hour. When they go potty, praise and reward copiously.
However, if your pup doesn’t do anything while outside, take them back in and keep them on a leash close to you, to prevent accidents. Take your pup for another potty break in 20 to 30 minutes, and if they go that time, praise, reward, and repeat.
As time goes by, you will be able to prolong the time between potty breaks and eventually train your pooch to hold it until it’s time for a walk.
PRO TIP: Don’t forget, anytime your puppy has an accident in the house you’ll want to use an enzymatic cleaner like Rocco & Roxie’s Stain And Odor Remover. Why? If you don’t completely remove the smell of urine your puppy will be compelled to pee in the same spot.
3. Your Puppy Isn’t Emptying Its Bladder Completely While Outside
Being outside is extremely exciting for puppies, especially first thing in the morning. Your pup may be too eager to see you and spend time with you outside that it fails to completely empty its bladder in the first go.
Some puppies also get so overstimulated or distracted by all the smells and sounds while in the backyard that they forget why they came out in the first place.
In this case, the puppy will remember that they have unfinished business only after they come back inside the house. If your puppy quickly pees while outside and then comes inside and pees again, you may be dealing with an overly excitable pup.
For an easily excitable puppy, staying outside a bit longer and giving your pooch extra time to potty should do the trick. Staying out a few minutes longer will give you a good idea of whether or not your puppy needs to pee more. Some pups may even pee three or four times when given the opportunity.
Another thing that helps with easily distracted puppies that forget that they need to pee is training them to go in a designated potty area. This means you will have to pick a spot in your backyard that will serve only for peeing and pooping.
Taking your pup day in and day out to the same spot may be boring, but it will teach them to focus on the task at hand.
To encourage your pup to empty their bladder completely, just walk around the designated potty area in small circles that will discourage sniffing and exploring. After your puppy pees, you should praise them and offer treats. Small training treats like Zuke’s Mini Naturals work best when working with your puppy.
If you have a completely fenced-in yard, you can let your puppy off-leash after they finish peeing completely. This way, you are teaching your pup that they will earn some fun time to sniff around and explore only after going potty.
And by going to pee in the same area day after day, your pup will be able to focus on peeing rather than be distracted by all the fun things in the yard.
4. You’re Praising And Rewarding Your Puppy Too Soon
Picture this: You’re outside and your pup just started peeing in their designated potty area.
You’re so over the moon about your pup’s accomplishment that you start doling out treats too soon, distracting your puppy and interrupting the urine flow. Now you have a puppy with a half-full bladder and a tummy full of treats!
So once you go back inside, your pup will remember that they still need to pee and finish the job on your brand new carpet. If your puppy pees after going outside or is coming back to you excited after releasing a few drops, you might be an untimely reward-giver.
Even if you have just realized the error of your ways, don’t despair! Just start waiting until your pup finishes peeing before offering praise and treats. And if your pup stops mid-pee and turns to you for a reward, don’t give any treats or praise until they pee again.
Dole out rewards only after you are certain that your puppy has emptied its bladder completely.
5. Your Pup Still Doesn’t Have Full Bladder Control
If your puppy will only pee inside the house, you need to remember that young pups don’t have complete control over their bladder. Most puppies aren’t able to hold it until they are about 4-6 months old, and this is the time most accidents happen.
You should also monitor your pup’s water intake since everything that goes into your puppy must come out at some point.
If your puppy drank too much water, they will have a much stronger urge to pee and may not be able to completely empty their bladder in one go. In that case, your pup will pee outside and then go back inside only to realize that they need to pee again.
Keep in mind that puppies tend to drink the most in the morning, after waking up, after eating kibble, and after playing. That means that your pup is more likely to have an accident inside the house after these situations.
So, to prevent inappropriate urination, be one step ahead and take your puppy out for a walk:
- First thing in the morning
- After a meal
- And after an exciting playing session.
Don’t forget to give your pooch a chance to empty their bladder fully while out, even if that means prolonging the potty break for a few minutes. Also, always reward your pup for a job well done before heading back inside.
FAQs About A Puppy Peeing Inside
What do you do when you catch your puppy peeing indoors?
Whenever you catch your puppy peeing inside, interrupt them right away saying “eh, eh, eh”. Then, pick up your pooch and take him outside to his designated potty area.
Tell your puppy to go pee, or use your cue word for elimination, and then praise and reward your pup after they finish peeing in the proper place.
Make sure that your puppy has fully emptied its bladder before you start praising them and giving treats.
DO NOT:
- Yell
- Scold
- Punish your puppy for peeing inside the house
- Rubbing your pup’s nose in the urine puddle won’t work either, so don’t do it, no matter how frustrated you are.
Try to always stay calm and patient anytime your puppy does something inappropriate.
Why does my puppy refuse to go potty outside?
Fear and anxiety are the most common reasons why a puppy refuses to urinate outside and continues to have accidents inside the house. There is a chance that your pup had a bad experience while being outside on a potty break and is now scared of reliving the same bad thing.
To get your puppy to pee outside comfortably, consider whether there is anything that may be stressing your dog out and causing it to be afraid.
Are there any loud sounds such as a lawnmower or construction site nearby? Unfamiliar smells left by other dogs or leftover holiday decorations can also be the things that are making your pup nervous to pee outside.
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: If your puppy is showing signs of stress you may want to try a product like the Thundershirt. We got one for Raven and it works well with her noise anxiety.
How long should you wait outside for your puppy to pee?
You should give your puppy 15 minutes to go potty outside. Take your pup to their designated potty area and give them the cue to pee. If you think that your pooch hasn’t emptied their bladder completely, walk around the potty area and give them a chance to eliminate again.
After you are sure that your pooch has finished peeing, praise and reward them and spend a few minutes playing in the yard. However, if your pup doesn’t pee within 15 minutes, take them back inside, put him in his crate, and wait around 15 min before taking them outside for potty again.
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: We crate train all of our puppies. Our favorite crate is the wire MidWest LifeStages Crates. We still have and use the first one we bought over 17 years ago!
How do you train a stubborn puppy to pee outside?
Although it might seem impossible, even stubborn puppies can be potty trained to pee outside. Keep in mind, that it takes up to six months to properly house train a puppy, so stick to training and stay patient and consistent.
You’ll also need to put your puppy on a regular feeding schedule, so they will eliminate at the same time every day.
Don’t forget, that puppies have small bladders and poor bladder control, so you will need to take them out to pee every two hours in the beginning. As your pup grows and develops bladder control, they will need fewer potty breaks.
What is the hardest dog to potty train?
Small dog breeds, especially those from the terrier group, can be exceptionally hard to potty train. Jack Russel terriers and Yorkshire terriers are notoriously hard to house train due to their stubborn nature and the fact that they are easily distracted.
If you have trouble potty training your small pup, set up a designated potty spot in your backyard. Make sure there isn’t anything that can distract your dog from the task at hand, and reward and praise them extensively after they pee in the right spot.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many reasons why your puppy keeps on peeing inside the house after being outside.
While your pup’s accidents may seem like some type of revenge, there are many factors—some medical, some behavioral, and some training-related—that can cause your pup to pee inside the house. The most likely reasons for your pup’s peeing accidents are:
- Urinary tract infections
- The puppy isn’t properly house trained
- Your pup is easily excited and forgets to empty its bladder completely
In the end, figuring out why your puppy is peeing inside after being outside is the only way you will deal with inappropriate urination and stop cleaning pee puddles once and for all!
PRO TIP: Don’t forget, puppies often pee in the same spot whether outside or in your home. Make sure you always thoroughly clean up potty accidents with an enzymatic cleaner like Rocco & Roxie’s Stain And Odor Remover.
Is your puppy having potty training problems?
If so, tell ask us questions or leave us a comment below.
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29 comments
I have an eight-month-old female Australian Shepherd that I got at 8 weeks old. This is not my first puppy, nor my first herding breed. I have house trained 7 other dogs over the years and I have never had the following problem before. This Aussie has no accidents in her crate at night and will go 3 to 6 weeks with no pee accidents (She has never had a poo accident since I got her.) and then out of the blue she will pee just when I thought she was finally solid. I feed her at the same time each day, I still potty her when she comes out of the crate after I feed her, and after she plays. I am baffled! All my other dogs were solid and trustworthy not to pee by 6 months. She isn’t behaving in a way that would suggest a UTI either. What do I need to do? I am at my wit’s end!!!!
My 5 mother old bulky will go out on walks for an hour and nothing but the minute she comes in bam all over the floor she will even go in her crate and refuses to go outside someone help please
Why does my pup poop in his cage after being outside all day
I have a 3 month Old labradoodle I take her and my other dog on constant walk she won’t do nothing outside but the minute I get in the house she pees and poops this is real aggravating
my 3 month old bull arab x labrador refuses to go to the toilet outside he will completely hold it until he is inside, once he is done he knows he has done wrong because he puts his head down and sits away from people, he was doing so well and had minimal accidents until my 3 year old daughter taught him to play with his puppy training pads please help i feel like its just a lost cause and to make him outside dog. he is also very particular about going in my daughters room every chance he gets he is one of the hardest puppys i have ever had to toilet train
6 week old Siberian Husky pup will poop in same area every day but will not pee, no happen how long he is out.
He will come inside and pee in various places. Pee pads down and he pee next to pad. HELP!!
It’s trying to go on the pad as it learned to just not the best aim lol try removing the pad now because that’s what it knows as it’s place to go
My 5 month lab is not going outside for pee poo at night, she is very stubborn to go outside even if I wait for half an hour. What to do? She know that to pee indoor is wrong, but she is doing the same at night.
Hi I have 5 month old labradoodle. He being peeing on his puppy pads successfully. Since he got his third shot, we feel safe to take him out to do his business. But it’s been a month, and he still hasn’t gotten into the the routine. He waits until he gets home to pee on the puppy pads! We can’t get mad too since we trained him to pee on the pads!
My 12 week old puppy was doing well going outside now she will only go inside even after just being outside why is that
I have a 5 month old Great Dane we’ve had for a couple days. She is such a wonderful dog , great fit for our family, except she refuses to potty outside. She will walk and sniff like she wants to but won’t then the second inside she pees on the floor
Try moving the pads closerand closer and closer to the door, then out the door.
Hello! I have a one year old Pomsky that I’ve had for about 2 months. He will be outside for up to an hour and then come back inside and pee on several things. He is unaltered right now. How do I break the vicious cycle of take him out, he pees, come in and he pees more?
Have a 10 week old german shepherd pup got him at around 9 weeks ik its not an overnight thing but accidents in the house are a real pain trying about anything no luck yet
We just got our dog yesterday and he’s peeing inside and not outside, what do I do
I have a 5 month old White Eskimo she is so cute but refuses to go potty outside. I have never seen such a stubborn dog. Because of this she will spend all day in her crated area and every 45 minutes take her out. It’s not working. Even if she does go outside she won’t empty all the way and will pee all over furniture, floors, etc. Help my husband wants to get rid of her. I’m trying so hard and it’s so frustrating. She’s crate trained and is doing well with that, but not potty training. I feel like such a failure.
My 12 week old puppy was doing well going outside now she will only go inside even after just being outside why is that
10 week old puppy. On a leash inside, very closely observed, we take her outside very frequently, but she hardly ever pees outside, or if she does it’s a tiny pee, then the second she’s inside she pees. She has peed on 4 of our dog beds, our entrance carpet, our area rug. All have been cleaned and then removed since she just keeps on peeing on them desite scoldings. We almost literally have to keep her in her Kennel otherwise she is peeing everywhere. She goes for long walks, will not pee outside. We praise her, encourage her, limit water so she’s not just exploding, been to the vet, she’s started antibiotics that did nothing to help, and on top of these frustrations, she’s also marking in the house, peeing all over her new toys. She’s spayed, not our first dog, wanting to give up on this dog because it’s beyond frustrating and we’re out of ideas. She can’t live in her crate, but just a minute ago, after going outside, she walked in, layed down on a small blanket and had a huge pee while laying there. I can’t do this anymore!
CHRISTINA, I am having the same exact problem. I do not expect my puppy *who is now 5 months old! ( I’VE HAD her for 10 weeks now). I feel so stupid for getting a puppy. I thought I was prepared, but I had no idea how much they resist peeing outside/insist on peeing inside.
My puppy is confined to the kitchen only, pees RIGHT in front of me in there (though I have yelled when she does this!) if she has the rare opportunity to get into another room, she will absolutely do so and pee or poop in said room.
I give her treats when she pees outside and positive re-enforcement. But she can’t seem to keep up the good behavior even when she gets on a streak. Which prompted my vet to give her antibiotics thinking she MUST have a UTI.
I am at a loss. It’s getting to the point where she is spending more and more and more time in her crate. I really wanted to love her, but I am starting to resent her.
I have two puppies and the male puppy pee outside but the female puppy didn’t like to pee outside no matter I kept her to the crate and go to the backyard again, she still refused to pee outside.
I have a 13 week old Lab puppy that will only pee outside in the middle of the night. When it’s day time she won’t go outside much. Most accidents are in the house. She can be outside forever and as soon as she comes in she goes to the bathroom. Also, she’s going in her crate as it is was a litter box ♀️Help….
My 16 week old puppy was doing well going outside now he will only go inside even after just being outside why is that?
My dad has a 4 year old Bichon dog he recently adopted from another couple. They said he was poddy trained but this dog urinates inside and outside deliberately. He has been checked for urinary track infections and that is not the case.
He pees at least once a day, maybe twice. Different places in the house. You constantly have to watch him as he strays away into the other rooms to do it. He has complete access to outside as my Dad leaves the door open for him all day.
My belief is the dog has had 2 previous owners and has been now adopted by my Dad and I feel he has abandonment issues because of these 3 owners. When my Dad leaves the room or goes outside, the dog cries and goes nuts. He gets frantic and spaaaes out whenever my dad gets away from him. Even for a minute. I have had dogs before and know when there is behavioral problem. I just don’t know how to fix it because my dad isn’t consistant with him and doesn’t even scold him or take any kind of action when he does it. Please advise if you have a possible solution for us.
Thank you
We’re fostering a (est. 9 month?) old female terrier mix that is constantly jumping up in our larger dog’s face and trying to initiate play with her. Our larger dog gets understandably annoyed and after she’s had enough she bares her teeth and growls which causes the puppy to submissively pee. I’ve been clicker training the puppy “off” into a “sit” but the minute I walk away she does it again and I’m constantly mopping up tiny puddles of pee. Even after she has emptied her bladder outside there still seems to be enough remaining to submissively pee. She it otherwise house trained and goes through the night. We foster puppies and kittens pretty regularly and our big dog has been fine with them, this puppy very persistently just wants to be in her face constantly and I’m wondering if there is anything else I can do?
We have a 3 month old bully mix that has extreme separation anxiety and no prior potty training whatsoever. His previous owners just left him and his other 3 siblings to poo and pee in a room when ever they wanted and I’m guessing because he spent so long with them in a room and was never left alone, that’s what led to the separation anxiety. We are trying to crate train and potty train at the same time and it seems like both are going no where. Or seems like they conflict with eachother some how. At night he screams in his crate for hours before finally going to bed and that’s IF we dont have to take him out to clean up poo and or pee because anytime he’s left alone he cries and screams and then that’s when he decides to go pee or poo. We’ve done the whole take him out every hour and he just sits there and sits there. For up to an hour if we let him. And once we take him back inside he will pee randomly or wait till we crate him to poo or pee in there just so we have to take him out again and he doesn’t have to be in there. When he is out he is totally fine and a very well behaved pup. He’s not destructive, doesn’t chew on things doesnt nip when playing and is very chill and will just lay there or play fine when we play with him. But the crate and potty training are a totally different story and we can’t just let him have free run of the house. My wife and I have no idea what to do. It seems like nothing is working. We praise him and give him treats when he goes outside and then sure enough he’ll have an accident the next go around. She works from home but can’t spend every waking minute following him around to make sure he doesn’t have an accident or to catch him right before in order to take him outside and praise him of he decides to go outside. And we have been getting very little sleep. It seems like more work than taking care of a new born child. Please help!
I have a 12 week old border terrier cross jack Russell taking out for regular toilet breaks but with in minutes she is peeing indoors More then once, this is not our first dog
We’ve got two 6 month old pups, they hold it in overnight, they go outside for 20 minutes pee and come in and poo. They poo outside and pee indoors we’ve done absolutely everything suggested but nothing works! They are destructive as well, they have torn carpet on the stairs as well as the banister. They are beyond, they have toys, bones, biscuits but they chew regardless
I have a 13 week old caviler King Charles . She doesn’t sleep in a crate . The will bark for hues at night , when we first got her she didn’t have accidents in the house . She holds it all night . We take her out every few hours she pees and poops outside then comes in 15-29 min later pees in house and sometimes poops she barley drinks water
I just got a dog on Wednesday last week. She is 9 months old. We take her outside constantly and she has a routine feeding schedule, but she won’t go to the bathroom outside. She always goes to the bathroom in this one spot in our house. How do I get her to go to the bathroom outside?