Expert Trainer Reveals How to Stop Puppies From Having Accidents in the House

"We got a puppy from a coworker. She was about 2.5 months old. She's a Golden Lab mix now over 3 months. He told us she was house-trained and crate-trained and would sleep the night. The first two weeks were rough adjusting to her at night. She would whine and bark and have to go to the bathroom every two hours, but we've solved that.

Currently, the issue is: She didn't use to have so many accidents in the house.

But now, it feels like she has more accidents in the house every day, despite us taking her out multiple times an hour. And it's not an issue with holding it because she holds it at night and holds it all day when we're at work. I don't know what to do, and I don't want to give up on the puppy and give her back." —Joseph

Related: Why Your Dog Has Started Pooping in the House & How to Stop It

Hello Joseph,

I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing some potty-training challenges with your new Golden/Lab mix. I’m glad though that you are reaching out for some guidance. Potty training puppies is a process rather than a one-time ordeal and is similar to a road with curves and bumps rather than a straight highway. 

I know how frustrating it can feel when we think that our puppies have their potty training all figured out, only to undergo what feels like a regression. Many pet parents go through these phases with their puppies and often try to find some correlations, such as the teething process, routine changes and growth spurts. While these may not be direct causes of accidents, they may impact a puppy's behavior in ways that disrupt their progress.

The good news is that through consistency and ruling out several other forms of urination, it’s possible to get puppies back on track. Let’s break down what could be happening and look at some potential solutions.

Why Is My Puppy Suddenly Having Accidents Again?

Puppies undergo regressions during the potty-training process for various reasons. Pinpointing the exact reason can be challenging at times, but with careful observation and identifying certain patterns, it is possible to obtain some clues that will play a key role in effectively addressing the problem.

Following are some potential causes with solutions.

Medical Causes

Something important to exclude in the case of a puppy suddenly having accidents is medical issues. For example, puppies can sometimes develop urinary tract infections (UTIs). These can cause puppies to be quite miserable, causing them to pee more frequently and in small amounts. Left untreated, a UTI can lead to complications and may disrupt an otherwise successful potty-training process.

Solution: Although it may seem unlikely, since you mentioned that your puppy holds it well overnight and during the day, a vet visit is still important to exclude health issues that may lead to increased urination and accidents.

While urinary tract infections are quite common, puppies may sometimes also suffer from bladder stones, ectopic ureters and inadequate urethral sphincter tone. However, board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Lisa Radosta points out that typically, pups suffering from these will leak urine at other times, such as when they’re sleeping.

When taking your puppy to the vet, make sure to bring along a fresh urine sample for the exam. Vet staff can provide you instructions on how to collect a urine sample when you call to make the appointment. If you cannot provide a sample, the vet team can try to catch one on the day of the visit.

If you are also dealing with increased poop accidents, bring a stool sample as well. Sometimes, diet or the presence of parasites may cause puppies to poop softer and more than usual.

Related: Why Is My Dog Waking in the Middle of the Night to Poop?

Conflict Urination

Since you mentioned that your puppy is holding it well at night and when you are at work, we must consider the possibility of some conflict urination going on, so we should put this form of urination, along with excitement urination (discussed below), high on the list of possibilities.

Formerly known as submissive urination, conflict urination takes place when puppies feel friendly but are somewhat anxious in certain social settings. For example, we often see puppies tinkle when we are looming over them, such as when petting them, staring at them directly or scolding them using a stern tone of voice.

The peeing may occur as the puppy is greeting, jumping, walking, standing or rolling over her back to expose the belly. It’s ultimately a sign of a puppy not feeling entirely safe, and by urinating, they are trying to "appease" us. The accompanying body language often includes flattened ears, lip licking and a lowered head and body posture.

Something important to note is that this form of urination happens spontaneously and is not under conscious control, explains board-certified veterinarian Dr. Christine Calder.

Solution: It’s important to identify what social contexts trigger this form of urination. Pet parents and guests may need to avoid giving direct eye contact, looming over the puppy and reaching out to pet the puppy over the head. It’s also important to avoid using any form of punishment (physical or verbal), as this makes the situation worse (puppies pee as an appeasement gesture).

Excitement Urination

While conflict urination is associated with fear, this form of urination is associated with enthusiastic feelings. Indeed, as the name implies, it takes place when puppies are happily greeting their owners. Like conflict urination, excitement urination typically takes place in social contexts.

We commonly see these excitable puppies peeing when their pet parents come home from work or even walk into a room after being away for some time. The dog is typically wiggly and happily rushing to say "hi." These accidents can get quite messy, as the puppy is often moving around a lot. Even in this case, accidents aren’t a sign of inadequate house training, and punishment should be avoided, points out board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ellen Lindell.

Solution: When coming home from work or when guests are invited over, it’s best to immediately take the puppy out and give her the chance to urinate outside.

Giving the puppy something to do can help reduce her arousal levels. With puppies prone to this type of urination, I like to scatter a handful of kibble or treats to the ground so that they focus on picking these up. Guests should be instructed to act calmly around the puppy. If particular guests cannot comply, it’s best to keep the puppy confined when they visit.

Related: Why Do Tired Dogs Behave So Much Better?

Incomplete Potty Training

At the age of 3 months, puppies are still considered the equivalent of infants. Consider that their small bodies and minds are in the process of developing. It’s important to have expectations that are compatible with their physiological capabilities. Fluctuations and setbacks are not uncommon during the potty-training journey.

Although taking her out multiple times an hour may seem like a whole lot, it’s not unusual for young puppies to need to go potty very often. Young puppies have very fast metabolisms and limited bladder capacity, which means they cannot hold their urine for long periods. Just consider that a Labrador Retriever puppy has a bladder that is close in size to a lemon when it’s full, explains veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall.

So how often should a young puppy be taken out? Board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder suggests taking puppies under 4 months old outside every hour, but as often as every 15 minutes when they are playing and within 20 minutes of eating.

It is important to accompany the puppy outside for every outing and ensure they go potty. Young puppies can get distracted when outside and may forget to potty, only to remember once they’re back inside the house.

Solution: Potty training a puppy takes time. There are several guidelines that are important to follow. Puppies who are given too much freedom in the house too soon or who are not accompanied outside often end up having accidents in the house. These are common causes of regression. Make sure to clean puppy messes correctly in the house and reinforce outside elimination in a timely manner.

Most importantly, take steps to prevent accidents from happening in the home in the first place. This can mean setting the puppy on a feeding and pottying schedule and keeping a journal of the accidents. Here are several important tips for potty training puppies: how to potty train a puppy.

Why Do Puppies Have Better Bladder Control at Night?

It may seem surprising that puppies need to be taken outside so often when they’re active and playing, yet they can hold it for so long at night. Why is that? This is due to various factors.

Reduced Metabolism

At nighttime, when puppies are sleeping, their metabolism slows down considerably, leading to a lowered production of urine and stools.

Natural Instinct

Puppies have a natural instinct to not want to eliminate where they sleep. The use of a crate helps inculcate this instinct, making puppies less likely to have accidents in the crate. Of course, there are some exceptions, such as puppies raised in puppy mills where they are forced to sleep in their waste.

The fact that your puppy is “holding it” at night is a positive sign that your puppy has a good instinct to inhibit elimination in areas where she sleeps and that you have likely chosen a crate of the correct size. This helps reinforce the good habit of puppies holding it until they are let outside.

Reduced Stimulation

When puppies are in their crates and resting, their urge to go potty significantly reduces compared to when they are active, playing and experiencing all the excitement during the day. This explains why puppies often need to go potty less at nighttime and during the day when they are in a quiet area inside their crates.

Related: How to Housetrain a Puppy in 5 Days Using a Cardboard Box

Puppy Accidents Are Normal!

At the age of 3 months, your puppy is very young and is still in the process of learning. Setbacks are a normal part of the process. Like children, puppies need time to develop the necessary neuromuscular control and cognitive components in order to be fully potty trained.

Most puppies will get there as long as they are set up for success, positively reinforced for going in the correct area and there is no underlying physical problem.

Puppies aren’t generally fully potty trained until they are 6 to 9 months old. This doesn’t mean you’re destined to take your puppy out every 15 minutes until then. With patience, consistency and lots of positive reinforcement, your puppy can be helped to get back on track. Puppies can surely be challenging, but the rewards of a well-trained pup are totally worth it in the long run. You’ve got this!

Happy training!

References

• Kim, Jin-Hahn & Song, R.-H & Lee, D.-M & Lee, H.-S & Baek, D.-S & Park, J.-H & Park, Cheolwoo. (2012). Uncommon case of bladder struvite urolithiasis in a two month old puppy. Journal of Veterinary Clinics. 29. 268-270.

• Veterinary Information Network: When Excitement Causes Your Dog to Tinkles DVM360: Canine Housetraining Part 3: Elimination Training Tips

• Veterinary Information Network: 5 Steps to Successfully Potty Train Your Puppy or Adult Dog

• The Dog Trainer’s Complete Guide to a Happy, Well-Behaved Pet, by Jolanta Benal, 2011

Disclaimer: Dog training and behavior modification, particularly for challenges involving potential aggression (e.g., lunging, barking, growling, snapping, or biting), require in-person guidance from a qualified behavior professional. Online articles are for educational purposes only and do not replace personalized, professional intervention.

By using this information, you accept full responsibility for your dog’s actions and waive any liability claims related to their behavior. If your dog shows concerning behaviors, seek professional help immediately to ensure safety and proper care.