Stop Your Dog Marking
What to do to stop your dog from marking? First you need to understand why dogs mark their territory. While to a person urine is just a waste product, to dogs it is a message.
Dogs can get a lot of information about other dogs by using their noses. Marking is a way to claim territory, determine social order, as well as advertise for a mate (in both male and female dogs).
It can also be used to make unfamiliar places smell like home or protect what a dog perceives as his or her territory, rather than physically challenging any interloper.
What appears to be dog marking can also be the result of a medical problem such as a urinary tract infection so it is advisable to have your dog checked first, to make sure that there is no medical reason
Don’t confuse dog marking and housebreaking, a large puddle on the floor is unlikely to be marking, it’s more likely just a sign that your dog hasn’t yet mastered this or was unable to wait any longer.
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As dog marking is one way that dogs advertise for a mate, neutering or spaying can be highly effective. 69% of male dogs and most female dogs will stop marking once that have been de-sexed. If the dog is de-sexed before it has learned to mark it’s territory it may never develop this habit.
If the dog is spayed or neutered after the development of this natural behavior you will have to allow time for the hormones to stop circulating and for the dog to unlearn what has become a habit.
De-sexing your dog is not the only answer, you can stop your dog marking, by helping your dog to beak the habit. This will require close supervision, particularly in the beginning. Although this training might seem to be difficult initially it is defiantly worth the peace of mind that comes when you stop your dog marking.
Your task will be easier if you confine your dog to one area of the house where it will be easy for you to supervise. You might find it helpful to use baby gates to restrict your dogs access to areas you can’t block off in other ways.
You will need to make yourself a noise maker, you can use a empty drink can or plastic bottle and put some coins, pebbles or metal washers in side sealing your noise maker with tape or the bottle lid.
Watch you dog closely for any signs that he or she is thinking about marking. Typical signs could be sniffing and or circling, then the moment your dog begins to lifts it’s leg or squat, make a loud noise with your noise maker. This should to get your dogs attention and could even startle him or her, interrupting the behavior.
As you dog looks at you give a firm command in a stern voice ” No Pee”. If your dog tries to resume the marking behavior, repeat the process. You can also stop your dog from marking with something fun like throwing a ball or a game.
Constantly interrupting the dog marking behavior, is the key to this training. You may find that after a couple of days the marking behavior will have significantly decreased you will not need such intense supervision.
When you dog marks in a acceptable place outside such as a tree, praise him , he will learn as just quickly from positive responses in reward for good behavior as he does in interrupting and stopping the dog marking in unacceptable places.