Urination in Goldens

by Clare Francke
(Southbury, CT, USA)

Our 7 year old Golden barely EVER has the urgency to go out and pee. He may pee two - three times per day.

My concern is two-fold...First, is that normal that he can go so long, drinking what seems to be normal amounts of water? Then, secondly, when he does go out, he pees for quite a long period of time...a long stream at first and then holding his leg up for a longer period squirting out the last bit.

He has never shown any signs of incontinence ... don't know if I have any reason to be concerned. Just wanted some information/assurance.

Golden Lover


Response from Golden Retriever Magic:


I am happy to hear that your Golden does not have incontinence or leaking of urine. It seems that he is able to hold his urine for prolonged periods of time and that is not necessarily a worrisome condition.

One important issue is that you should make sure he has enough opportunity to go outside and urinate. If he is routinely at home for several hours without the option to relieve himself outside, he may be holding his urine for fear of soiling his home. This then can become a habit and can be detrimental to his health (both physical and mental).

Although holding urine is not always a sign of more dangerous conditions, it may predispose some dogs to infection. Also, any kind of obstruction to the urinary tract must be evaluated. I would recommend that you take him to the vet once to have him checked thoroughly. If the vet does not see anything particularly concerning, just that fact that your Golden is able to hold his urine for prolonged periods of time does not necessarily translate into a more dire condition.