Question: We just adopted a dog from a shelter and she is really sweet but she pees every time anyone new comes in the door and wants to pet her.

Salli: This behavior is call submissive or excited urination and is a very common problem with shelter dogs.

It happens when a shy or submissive dog is unsure about what is going to happen next.
The most important thing to do when dealing with this issue is to NOT scold the dog. Scolding will only make the problem worse.

The way to handle situations where this may occur is to have everyone involved ignore the dog until the big excitement has past, then let the dog approach each new person on her own terms. To go even further, you can ask people to pet her when they are sitting down.

Your relationship with your dog needs to be one where he has a good work ethic. That he believes that doing things when you ask means good things for him will be forthcoming.