Reactions in dogs - part 3

 Continued from part 2 .......

But why is it that my dog shakes and pees on the floor when they are excited when perhaps a friend visits? They aren’t scared of them. In fact, they appear to love it when our friend comes round.

Well the reason for this is that the same physical responses that occur in response to fear also occur in response to excitement. When we become excited by something, we experience the same physical responses of those that are caused by fear. Once again, our heart rate quickens, we increase our breathing to take in more oxygen, our senses seem more heightened, we don’t feel hungry as our digestion slows (we experience the “butterflies in our stomach” feeling). Often excitement causes us to need to urinate – although this doesn’t usually happen all over our friend’s new trainers! Many of us will have experienced this just before playing sport or performing tasks we enjoy – that sudden need to pee. In addition, as our muscles tense and build ready for action we start to shake.  

Its exactly the same in dogs. As your friend enters the house the dog’s excitement levels increase – beyond that of when they heard the doorbell ring. They are now in a heightened state and the body is reacting to it. As they run in for a fuss, shaking with excitement and jump up your friend in an uncontrollable manner their bladders release momentarily and they pee all over your friends best new trainers. The usual reaction to this is either laughing or telling the dog off whilst apologising profusely! Both of which, tend to increase the heightened state in your dog intensifying their reaction

Continued in part 4....