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As a dog owner, things don't get much worse than waking up in the morning and standing in a nice cold puddle of pee! If you have an English Bulldog puppy, or you have a bulldog that hasn't been toilet trained, this might be a frequent event for you!
We're here to tell you not to stress, with a little patience and perseverance in your dogs toilet training, you can stop your English Bulldog peeing in the house.
Why does an English Bulldog pee in the house?
There are several reasons that your English Bulldog may be peeing in your house, and it's important to understand the root cause of the problem to help stop it.
Your bulldog will pee in your house if;
They aren't toilet trained
They are stressed or suffering from depression
They are suffering from separation anxiety
They are experiencing urinary health problems
They aren't been let outside enough
All the problems listed above can be helped, and you will be able to stop your English Bulldog peeing in your house.
Why does my English Bulldog pee so much?
If you feel like your English Bulldog is peeing a lot, or that they have recently increased the amount that they pee, then your dog is likely suffering from a medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection.
The average healthy bulldog will produce approximately 10 to 20 ml of urine for each pound of body weight per day. Ideally adult dogs should be allowed outside to relieve themselves at least 3-5 times a day.
If your dog is peeing more than this, and the amount of times that they require to go to the toilet has increased, then we recommend taking your dog to a vet so that they can help find the cause of the problem.
How do I potty train my English Bulldog Puppy?
Getting an English Bulldog puppy is an extremely exciting time, however, if you don't carry out the necessary training for your new dog, you'll only end up frustrated and at your whits end as the dog gets older, and becomes more used to performing the behaviours you wish it didn't.
To start potty training your English Bulldog, you will need the following:
Puppy Training Pads (View on Amazon)
Crate (View on Amazon)
Plenty of wipes and tissue
The first thing you need to do when starting to potty train your puppy is build a routine for their toileting needs. Aim to take your puppy out for a wee first thing on the morning, last thing on a night before bed and every hour during the day.
The next thing to do is ensure you have your eating routine set-out. Your puppy will likely need the toilet once they have eaten, so make sure that the toilet routine you have set out coincides with your puppies eating routine. Also ensure that your aren't allowing your dog to over indulge, the more they eat and drink will mean that they will require to go to the toilet more.
Puppy pads are a great way to start introducing your bulldog to toilet training. The purpose of the puppy pad is not only to reduce mess, but also to get your dog used to the idea of going to the toilet in an area that you've selected. Overtime, your bulldog puppy will learn to associate the pad itself with areas where it is okay to toilet, and at this stage it is good to move the mad outside to help them adapt.
Crates are an effective way of toilet training your English Bulldog puppy at the beginning. It helps to avoid mess, helps you keep a closer eye for signs he needs to go and, most crucially, teaches him to hold it until he is let outside to toilet.
Using a phrase that your English Bulldog can associate with going to the toilet is key. Our bulldogs associate the phrase “go toilet” with its time to go outside and use the toilet.
When your English Bulldog puppy has finished his pee or poop in the right place, you should give them a reward or positive reinforcement with praise. By rewarding good behaviour you will start a pattern of success which can lead to far faster house breaking and training.
Tips for cleaning up English Bulldog pee
Cleaning up dog pee is no fun task, and if you have a dog that pees in your home often you'll likely end up with a home smelling of dog urine - which non of us want! That's why we've put together our tips for cleaning up English Bulldog pee!
Cleaning dog pee off of a carpet
We've all had nightmares about our bulldog peeing on our carpet, because lets be honest - there's nothing worse than a pee soaked carpet! Here are our tips on how to clean dog pee of your carpet and make sure the odour doesn't stick.
Get together some old rags which are in your home
Fill a cleaning bucket with cleaning solutions (Our recommendations below)
Dip your rag in the cleaning solution and scrub the dog pee spot thoroughly, repeating the process 3 - 5 times
Clean off your rags, and then proceed to scrub the carpet again with vinegar and warm water to help remove the odours of the dog pee
Now you have thoroughly scrubbed your carpet, leave it to dry
Once dry, use a deodorizer, like baking soda, to ensure a fresh smelling carpet. Just sprinkle a little on top and let it sit. Wipe or vacuum the baking soda off the carpet.
If the steps above haven't fully cleaned the pee of your carpet, or the carpet still smells, it may be time to look at using a professional carpet cleaner. A carpet cleaner can rinse deep and thoroughly, pulling pee and grim from the carpet.
Cleaning dog pee off of hard wood flooring
The trick to cleaning dog pee off of your hard wood flooring is to be quick, the last thing you want to happen is for the pee to start soaking through your floor boards and becoming ingrained in the wood.
Below are our steps for cleaning dog pee off of hard wood flooring.
Soak up your dogs pee using paper towels, layer them on-top of the pee patch and allow the paper towels to soak up the liquid. Once they have soaked up the liquid pick them up and discard of them.
Cover the area in baking soda and allow this to sit overnight
Hoover away the baking soda
Mix warm water and white vinegar in a cup at a ratio of 1:1. Dampen a soft rag with the solution, wring well and wipe the affected area to remove as much lingering odour as possible.
Wipe the spot with clean water and dry very well with a towel. Do not leave the spot wet.
The steps above will help you clean dog pee off of your hard wood flooring and ensure that it doesn't end up leaving your floor smelling of pee.
Removing the smell of dog urine off of fabric
If you are unlucky enough that your dog has peed on your bed or your clothing, you may be worried that your clothing will end up sticking of dog urine. There are a few tips which we've listed below that will help remove the smell of dog urine from fabric.
Begin by soaking the area with area with cold water. Hold the wrong side under the tap and let the full force of the water flush the urine out of the fibers of the fabric.
Machine wash the fabric, following the washing instructions, and use a heavy Laundry Detergent and one cup of white vinegar. The white vinegar will help to remove the odour from the fabric.
If the stain is old and the odour is strong, mix a solution of one gallon of cool water and two cups of white distilled vinegar. Completely submerge the fabric and allow it to soak overnight. Wash as recommended above.
Additional dog pee cleaning tips
Do not use Hydrogen Peroxide: Don't use hydrogen peroxide to clean up your dogs pee. The chemicals in it can cause a chemical reaction with the urine which can damage the surface that the urine is on, as well as release harmful gasses.
Window cleaner can work well: By using an ammonia based cleaning spray, such as Windex, we are able to disinfect the impacted area and neutralize much of the ammonia and urea salts.
Baking Soda can help eliminate odours: Sodium bicarbonate won’t eliminate all odours, but it will bond with more volatile fatty acids and convert these acids into more inert and less smelly compounds.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my English Bulldog peeing in his bed?
The most likely cause that your English Bulldog is peeing in his bed is that they are suffering from a urinary tract infection. It may also be that your bulldog is marking their territory, by doing this they are letting other dogs in your property know that it is their property and no one else should be using his bed.
If your English Bulldog is peeing in his bed it can be extremely frustrating, but it takes time, patience to try and stop this behaviour. Keep a very close eye on your bulldog and if you notice anything different about their behaviour, take them to see if a vet to see if it is a potential medical issue that is causing them to pee in their own bed.
How long can bulldogs hold their pee?
The longest that a bulldog can hold their pee is around 10-12 hours. This however, does not mean that you can leave your bulldog for up to 12 hours and they won't pee in your house.
The average bulldog will need to go to the toilet at least 4-5 times per day, this is on average every 8-hours, and depending on how much water your dog consumes in the day this may increase.
We recommend not leaving your bulldog for a period longer than 4-5 hours if you are worried that they may pee in your home.
Conclusion
The correct training, a lot of patience and persistence is what is required to stop your English Bulldog peeing in your home.