Sherry Davis: Steps to correct dog marking
| Sunday, Dec 27 2009 11:49 AM
Last Updated Sunday, Dec 27 2009 11:49 AM
Why does male marking seem to be a bigger problem with small dogs than large dogs?
Right off the bat, I can tell you that people who get a Mastiff or Shepherd are usually smart enough to figure out how much damage urine marking can do to their house. They start training their puppy to urinate outside from day one.
Then we have small and toy breed owners. They bring the puppy home, give him too much freedom and from the start, he is marking in the house.
A little bit here, a little bit there. No big deal. It's such a tiny amount. We'll just wipe it up. That's all just part of getting a new puppy. Right?
Housebreaking mistakes should not be confused with marking. However, NEVER give a puppy an opportunity to urinate in the house. The odor of those little mistakes has a way of inviting a male dog back for an encore performance.
REASONS DOGS MARK
In most cases, intact males are more likely to mark than neutered males, but I've dealt with both situations. So what gives?
For one, don't keep intact males and females together. That's asking the boys to play "I can match your pee and raise you three squirts." If your male is intact and your next-door neighbor's female comes in heat, he may start marking to advertise his intentions to other suitors.
The most sensible thing to do is to neuter.
Neutering a male before sexually maturity makes sense to prevent marking and your vet is the best one to advise you on the appropriate time for that.
However, keeping a neutered male with an intact female is no guarantee against marking. If the male reaches sexual maturity before he is neutered, he may still mark even though he can't breed her. Spay her.
Being a trainer and exhibitor of dogs, I can honestly say there is no reason to keep intact dogs, unless they participate in conformation shows or performance venues where reproduction of desired characteristics and abilities is the point or if they're in law enforcement where a stronger temperament is required.
Small and toy dogs seem to have more marking problems for several reasons. Among them, they reach sexual maturity sooner than their large breed counterparts, and because of their size, their mistakes can initially go unnoticed.
Dogs of all sizes need a clean-cut picture of where their place is in the "pack" dynamic. Failure to do so can create a dog that will mark out of anxiety in the owner's absence. In some cases, a dog overly-attached to one owner may mark when another family member comes into the vicinity of the area/person the dog considers "property."
Also, the introduction of a new dog into the home can cause a dog to mark out of insecurity or dominance.
Other dogs mark in frustration. Think of the excitable dog that watches other dogs through the window, races back and forth and marks to indicate to the intruder the boundaries of his property.
Male marking can be difficult to correct, but by determining the cause and correction plan, it can be controlled.
STEPS FOR CORRECTION
1. No unsupervised freedom in the house during the re-training period.
2. All areas where marking has occurred must be treated with an enzyme-based odor-neutralizer. I suggest you buy a black light to locate all the areas you didn't realize your dog has marked.
3. Correct any attempt to mark in a calm firm manner, but DO NOT punish a dog for marking as the chances are you will create more anxiety and the dog will attempt to mark out of your sight.
4. Crate or confine the dog to a small area in the house when you are away. Most dogs don't want to stay close to their urine so will hold it.
5. It you can't bear to confine your dog, teach him to wear a belly band when he is loose in the house. This will usually inhibit marking, as the dog doesn't like the feeling of urine close to his body.
The belly band can also signal what pattern of behavior triggers the dog's marking.
6. After cleaning heavily marked, or "favorite" areas, block them with some obstacle or piece of furniture to disrupt the dog's usual pattern. I've found that "boundary" or "repellent" sprays actually encourage many dogs to remark to cover the smell.
7. Do not allow your dog to mark trees and shrubs at will when walking on leash just because you're outside. Control the walk and only allow him to eliminate on a release command.
8. If the dog's marking is associated with dominance behavior, you should combine the above steps with a training program to re-establish a balanced relationship between you and your dog.
If you are bringing home a new puppy, use pee pads, but DO NOT distribute them in multiple rooms. That is same as telling the puppy it is OK to pee ALL OVER THE HOUSE. Create a penned-in area where your puppy is taken to eliminate or is kept when he can't be watched. Recently, I watched a client's puppy go from one side of the kitchen where a pee pad was placed to another side and pee on the rug. How is a square pee pad different than a square kitchen rug?
Dogs behave as they're taught.
Sherry Davis is a dog trainer/owner of CSI 4 K9s. E-mail her at doglady@ bakersfield.com. These are her opinions and not necessarily those of The Californian.
