Illness

• Any housetrained dog that suddenly begins urinating or defecating in the home is usually ill. There could be an infection or other illness causing the dog to relieve itself.
  
  

Fear

• Puppies and dogs under 2 years old are prone to submission urination. Dogs signal that a person or another dog is dominant by suddenly urinating as if they are helpless.
  
  

Age

• Due to arthritis or cognitive dysfunction syndrome ("doggy Alzheimer's"), older dogs may not remember where they must urinate/defecate or cannot physically get outside in time.
  
  

New Dog

• Dogs or puppies brought into new homes or places to stay will be unsure where to urinate/defecate and often have accidents.
  
  

No Training

• Dogs that have lived their entire lives outside in kennels, such as racing greyhounds, are not housetrained and do not realize that they must urinate/defecate outside.