How to Stop Dogs from Urinating in the Car

how to stop a dog that pees in the car

Do you find that your furry friend likes to relieve themselves inside your vehicle? That can be a real mess, and can make travelling with your dog a real struggle. Not everyone enjoys trips in the car, but there are some ways to discourage your dog from urinating while you are driving. We’ll give you our best tips for those who want to know how to stop a dog that pees in the car.

So your canine friend can’t seem to control himself when you are on the road. There are a few things you should check before assuming it’s a behavioral problem, and then a few things you can do once you’ve ruled out medical problems.

1. Does your dog have a urinary tract infection? UTI’s are very common reasons for dogs who seem to pee all over the place. If your car is the only place this is occurring, then it’s safe to start thinking about it being a behavioral problem.

2. The first thing you want to do is to clean the area where “accidents” have occurred in the past. If the dog can smell that they’ve urinated in a spot previously, they are more likely to do it again.

3. Generally, urinating in the car is a sign of anxiety, excitement, or territorial marking. So doing your best to remain calm before and during a car ride can be helpful. Avoid getting the dog worked up by saying things like “wanna go for a car ride?”

4. It also might help to get a crate for travelling. Make sure it’s the right size for your dog, but you want it to be snug enough that the dog can’t pee in one corner and be comfortable sitting away from it in another corner. Just enough space to lay down and sit up.

5. Sometimes it can help to give your dog a distraction during car rides. Examples are things for them to chew on to keep them occupied. Practice with shorter trips and slowly see if you can work up to longer ones without any urination problems.

6. If the peeing is a territorial problem, it can also be a bad idea to have other strange dogs in the vehicle. Your canine friend might feel the need to claim the space by marking it.

Those are our top tips for getting your dog to behave well in the car! Any ideas you want to add? leave them in the comments below!

As always, here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine, we want to make sure you are driving safely and without distraction. We wish you luck in getting your furry friend to behave well in the car, as a happy driver makes a safer road for everyone!