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Dog Peeing: Interesting Background Into Why Dogs Urinate
People greet each other by making eye contact, shaking hands, and asking about the weather. More formal greetings - at Buckingham Palace, for example - might involve a curtsy or bow. For the most part, anything between "Hey!" and "Ma'am" is considered polite.
Dogs have greetings for different situations too. An informal introduction begins with a face sniff, followed by a sweeping sniff down the length of the body, and concluding with a sniff around the rear. When they're greeting someone they really want to please or someone really intimidates them, they give the ultimate courtesy: They pee!
It's hard to imagine urine as a form of flattery, but among dogs it symbolizes tremendous respect. Dogs view every individual as being a little more or a little less important than the rest.
To keep questions of rank crystal clear, dogs use body language to show respect to superiors and power to subordinates. They have many ways of expressing respect. Avoiding eye contact is one. Crouching down is another. When the message still isn't getting across, peeing on the floor clears up any ambiguity. It can be loosely translated as "You're the boss."
You Are Finally Home, And I have To Pee!
Splashes of urine aren't only a status signal. Dogs will sometimes urinate accidentally when they're so excited that they can hardly hold still. This usually occurs in young dogs, although adults sometimes do it too.
Part of the reason is bladder control - younger dogs don't have much. It doesn't help that the most exciting time of day - when their owners walk in the door - coincides with the time when their bladders are fullest. It's a tough combination!
It's easy to tell the difference between excitement and submissive urination. Dogs who crouch down very low or roll on their backs are peeing to show that they're submissive. Dogs who greet you by jumping and wiggling around are peeing because they're overexcited.
I'm Sorry!
The same dogs who urinate when they're excited also tend to do it when they get into trouble as well. And they do it for nearly the same reason. While some dogs are tough as nails, most aren't. When the people they love raise their voices, they'll do everything in their power to make the people happy again. They can't write notes or send flowers, so they pee. It's the equivalent of saying, "Sorry, sorry, sorry."
Dogs do this with other dogs too, and for good reason. The bigger, madder, more intimidating dog immediately recognizes the humility in the gesture. She'll usually walk away, satisfied that she has made her point.
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