Submissive Urination

[Gilly]

Couldn't believe it last night, my friends brother came around to see Fudge last night as he's not seen him in ages, I have never seen Fudge like this before, he completely wet himslef all over the living room carpet and left a wee trail into the kitchen I keep harping on about how I think he's a dominant dog as he's never been submissive to me ever ???This man is a complete dog lover and crouched down to say hello ( he has 2 dogs himself) Fudge was so low on his belly crawling accross the carpet I'm sure he must have aquired friction burns He has never been like this with anyone male or female before, even when I tell fudge NO he's still cocky and barks at me etc generally being unruly, whats my friend got that I haven't got 'cos I want some of it
any advice greatly appreciated                    

[stueymac]

Not sure what it is exactly Gilly, but some people just seem to have an 'aura' that makes dogs submissive. Again our Libby would only behave like this with a couple of people that we know (one of my work colleagues being one of them) everyone would get the usual Libby treatment "Hello, I'm Libby, can I lick your face, bite your hands, feet, shoes, anything really, just give me some attention, NOW!"
Once, the above mentioned colleague came to the house and she did exactly what Fudge did, only managed to get onto the sofa then had a wee! Not nice! Very difficult to get a sofa in the washing machine!
This probably hasnt helped any Gilly! So if anyone has any ideas as to what makes our 'darling doggies' be submissive with some people and not others, then please fill us in!
I might add that Libby is now 3years old and no longer exhibits much submissive behaviour (except when being told off!) so I presume Fudge will 'grow out of it' too maybe?                    

[Jane S]

When dogs hit adolescence, hormonal changes can make them sometimes spook or act out of character (eg submissively) at things/people they had previously had no problem with. It's usually just a phase - bitches can do it as well as dogs & the fact Fudge hadn't seen this chap for a long time just probably took him by surprise & made him come over "all peculiar".  Or it could just be that the friend's brother has the magic touch  

Jane                    

[joanne]

Hi Gilly,

Just to let you know, Jenna has always done this and once peed all over the delivery mans note book as he put it down to say hello to her.
She doesnt do it with us anymore as we have learnt how to react to her when we first see her in a morning or when we come in from work (or shopping in my case  ).  I have to tell people like my mum to ignore her for a while, then to say hello without bending down over her.  This seems to let her excitedness cool down abit.
It can be a bit of a pain but I'm told she will grow out of it.

By the way, Jenna and Fudge are really' looky likey' on their photos aren't they.  Michele if you read this perhaps you can tell me if Jenna looks like a working cocker .
Maybe she really is half red setter and I've been duped.                    

[Jane S]

Hi Joanne

Jenna looks like a Working Cocker type to me - as with show-type Cockers, you get variations (even more so with Working Cockers as breeders don't breed for appearance) but she looks similar to the Working Cockers I've seen. Her colouring looks like solid liver &  livers (chocolates) are much more common in Working lines than show lines.

Jane                    

[Michele]

Hi Joanne,
Have to agree with Jane, Jenna definately looks like a working cocker and a lovely looking girly she is too!                    

[joanne]

Thanks Jane,

Without ever seeing another Working Cocker we (my husband and I) always had a little bit of doubt especially as they seem so rare up here in Knaresborough.  Only one couple has said 'oh that's a nice cocker spaniel' and everyone else says' is it some sort of spaniel then'

I even contacted the breeder again to double check the father of Jenna was a working cocker (which she reassured me he was).

thanks again
joanne                    

[Mike]

Jenna looks a lot like my SPRINGER spaniel. Although they are different colours - my springer is liver and white - the liver colour is very similar to Jenna's. The facial features and ears (length of, and straightness of har) especially are very similar. I mean, I'm not saying Jenna is a springer but these breeds are very closely related. I might post a picture of my springer in your Photo thread - hope I dont get told off by any Cocker purists                      

[Mike]

sorry, i dont have a suitable photo to hand, and am away for a week starting from midday - when i get back i'll try and remember to dig out the best example from home. My cocker's completely different - she's just a ball of curly hair, as you'll have seen from the pciture I posted last week. It looks like she's had a perm  

we had exactly same problems with the springer urinating when someone came to the house, and got over that problem by exactly what you did - ignoring her when we got home or when anyone entered the house. It was either that worked, or she grew out of it (prob a combination of both)                    

[joanne]

Thanks to everyone who replied about Jenna.

I had to laugh when Stueymac was telling us about Libby weeing on the settee (not that that is funny), because Jenna has done the same thing, getting so excited she chases around the room bounding over the chairs.  It is nice to hear that other peoples dogs behave in a similar way.

Joanne                    

[Gilly]

Hi everyone,
Yes joanne I agree Jenna and Fudge are very 'Looky Likey' although he's a bit chunkier built. I wish Fudge was more submissive to me, he's a cocky little so and so. Everybody keeps telling me he'll calm down, eventually Have you got kids Joanne, as Fudge trys to control my kids he jumps all over them, pulls my little ones blanket and barks at them the minute I leave the room As for me well, most of the time he takes no notice of what I say to him, except for the basic commands, if I tell him NO he just jumps and barks at me, it's realy infuriating considering he peed his pants and then fawned all over a my friends brother.   I've read every doggy book going and still don't feel like I'm top dog, Does anyone have a simple 5 plan as to how to re-establish my leadership, as I feel like a total failure                    

[joanne]

Hi Gilly,

Yes I have two children aged 8 and 6.  Jenna loves them to bits but can be a bit rough with her mouth sometimes.  I too have a problem in that Jenna does not always listen to me.  I think I am too soft on her sometimes and so she thinks she can win me over, I reacon we will have to start putting our foot down more!                    

[shaendix]

Hi Gilly - I wonder if Fudge knows that you really mean "no" when you say it.  Sounds to me like he is just ignoring you a bit.  Do you think that "no" followed by removing to outside or another room might reinforce your dominance?
As for the submissive stuff - my 7 month old Stella is going through a similar phase - she has always seemed really outgoing and I thought she was well socialised but I took her to a friends the other day and she completely freaked, tried to hide behind me and under anything she could find.  No amount of reassurance seemed enough.  So now I am embarking on another round of socialising . Just wonder if this is an adolescent thing.  I hope she will grow out of it.