Do Dogs Pee Out of Spite in the House? Or For Attention When Mad?

When I was a little kid, we happened to have a dog called Larry who was always so spiteful,the pee monster. Or at least that is what my dad called him. Well almost the same meaning; the words were just a bit different. Larry our dog would occasionally pee inside the house every month or so, usually after he had been scolded for something bad he did.

I have looked back on those days when Larry the dog did pee in the house since and really wondered whether our dog was peeing out of spite for us because he had been scolded, for any form of attention, or just because he was angry with the fact that he was being disciplined by my very strict father.

I have decided to research what the science is and what dog behavior specialists think about this behaviour in dogs. Here is what I have discovered about whether dogs urinate inside the house out of spite or not.

Do dogs urinate on things out of spite?

 Dogs never pee to spite you, or when they are angry or for any form of attention and revenge. Instead they will urinate inside the house to communicate their anxiety, fear, likely health problems, marking territories, or simply just because they have no other likely option but to pee indoors. 

There is actually a whole lot more to it which I wanted to share about why dogs do not really urinate out of revenge or spite. Here is what studies shows us about dogs behavioral pattern and why they are urinating in your house.

Can dogs urinate in your house out of spite ?

This is exact same thing that my father would do. He would really shout at Larry the dog for something the dog did, that could be stealing of food or chewing on a shoe. In the next 30 or so minutes , Larry would go urinate somewhere inside our house  and sometimes it could be on my parents.

Do understand whether your dogs urinate in the house out of spite or you have to place some context around that point every time they urinate. What you are doing is projecting your human feelings on your dog.

My father’s automatic response was always to then shout and seriously scold Larry further, saying that the dog was urinating out of revenge for being scolded at first.

Now, my dear dad was not any form of psychologist, but I do not think you have to be in this example.

Our dog was constantly urinating in the house to easily communicate his feelings. His feelings were not of being angry, or  really spiteful, or a vengeful act. They were feelings of being really scared,so confused, and really anxious, which in dogs, can cause or make them urinate indoors.

It was a vicious constant cycle.

Dog’s Do Not Understand What Revenge Is And Are Not Spiteful Creatures By Nature.

The bottom of the line is dogs do not understand what revenge is and will never act out of spite. They have no thinking concept of revenge, as their brain is  majorly focused on food, fun, warmth, and essentially survival. in their packs where there is a clear hierarchical order.

He might be about to urinate on my jacket, but it is not out of spite or revenge.

Dogs live in the present moment and have a totally different concept of time to us. It is not how we might likely store up a memory or an event that happened and hold a grudge to get revenge later in the future.

A dog will not look at a situation and suddenly make the decision that he or she needs to punish you out of spite or revenge.

Instead, dogs develop,mentally a separation from anxiety, fear, health problems, and territorial markings  which lead them to  urinate inside the house.

Time dependent, you might look on them urinating indoors and relate it back to something you did to them earlier on (according to human time) and relate their actions with revenge or being spiteful.

You could believe your dog is urinating indoors out of spite, or to get any form of attention, or because he might be angry.

It is really not the case.

Here is all the possible reasons it could be happening.

Why is my dog acting out and urinating in the house?

If your dog urinates inside the house, do not rub their nose in it, do not shout, do not hit them either. Those actions will actually make it even worse, they will urinate more, and it could look like this is their revenge out of spite.

It is actually not.

Instead understand why it is occurring, which could be for the following reasons.

1. Dogs Urinate Out Of Anxiety And Fear

As pointed out with my own childhood memories, our dog Larry was urinating in the house because he was really afraid of my father’s reactions to his stubborn behaviors. Not because he was trying to take out revenge or because he was angry with us or with my dad.

Though it may appear that your dog is getting back at you, particularly if they urinate ontop of your furniture, they are not. It is just their way of communicating their feelings.

2. Dogs Urinate To Mark Territory Or When They Get Jealous

Dogs will most times become really anxious over their territory when a new baby is present in the house, perhaps a new pet has been introduced or new person. Though revenge or spiteful acts are not dog emotions, there is evidence that jealousy certainly is, and that emotion manifests itself with them marking their territorial.

In fact, it is not unheard of for dogs to urinate on or near their own food bowls when their territory is being threatened and when they feel jealous.

3. Dogs Urinate Due To An Underlying Health Issue

Though it could appear that your dog has urinated in the house for attention or spite of being angry with you, you might want to ignore the timings. It could be the sign of an underlying health issue which you have not picked up on.

And it is no blame on you if you have not as they are not always so obvious.

Health issues than can lead to dogs urinating indoors including urinary tract infections, kidney diseases, and bladder infections.

4. Dogs Urinate When They Can Not Hold Their Bladder

Sometimes the easiest of answers are usually the right ones.

If you have been out all day, just to come back with dog urine all over your furniture, he has not urinated out of spite or revenge.

It is very possible your dog was not able to hold his bladder for that long period.

5. Dogs Urinate In The House When They Are Not House Trained

And the most obvious fact for last; your dog has not been properly house trained to not urinate in the house. Is it really of any surprise that your puppy has peed on the floor?

So, do not shout. It was not a spiteful or vengeful act, just a case of not knowing the proper rules of the house yet.

Conclusion 

When dogs urinate indoors it is to either communicate their feelings such as anxiety, because they had no choice, or due to an underlying health problem.

They do not understand the very concept of revenge.

They are not vengeful creatures.

They are not urinating to get your attention.

Try looking at the bigger picture here before passing a judgement call like my father used to.