Hi Julie, My dog is completely housetrained within my own home - the problem is he feels a need to mark in OTHER people\’s homes (and occasionally in places that are sort of gray areas, like garages or patios — not really a home, not really outside). He especially marks in houses that have dogs. It\’s not that he\’s incontinent or really has to go — I really feel he\’s purposely leaving his calling card. When I\’m there with him in someone else\’s place, I try to watch him like a hawk but 1) that\’s exhausting and no fun and 2) when you\’re socializing, you\’re bound to be distracted at some point. This also makes me hesitate when someone else offers to dog sit him for me at their house — something that would occasionally be very convenient! I have no idea how to go about stopping this, since he seems very aware that he has to do it only when no one\’s watching.
Tracy

Hello Tracy,

I can understand how frustrating this could be when you want to be at a friend’s house and have to worry about him peeing on your friends furniture! Marking territory is a totally different issue than housetraining. It is an instinctual behavior that dogs use to communicate to other dogs. The scent of their urine lets other dogs know all about them. Some dogs mark their territory out of stress or anxiety and others to let the dogs in the area know they are here and they may want to dominate this territory.

Since dominance issues or anxiety issues can be the reason behind the marking you can sometimes eliminate the problem by working on those issues through a positive based obedience program like the one I offer online at: webDogTrainer

If it is a dominance issue and you can communicate to your dog what you expect of them through a positive program you can often eliminate the problem. If it is an anxiety issue, positive obedience can build a dogs confidence and also eliminate the problem.

Here are some suggestions to eliminate the problem:

1. Neuter. Some studies suggest that neutering can help solve male dogs from marking territory as a problem behavior so that could be something to consider if you haven’t done so already.
2. Begin a positive based obedience program with your dog so that you can communicate what is acceptable and what isn’t to your dog more effectively.
3. Use a leash. Practice having your dog on leash in the area you plan to socialize with friends and work on catching him in the act to stop the behavior before it starts. Sometimes if you let the rules be known in the beginning they will understand your expectations of them. Do not punish your dog by hitting them for this kind of behavior or any other behavior or you may cause more problems. Positive based programs are more effective. Watch your dog carefully and you will get good at spotting their body language BEFORE they mark so you can stop the behavior easily and without punishment. If you see them about to mark, quickly say No and move them away from the spot. Take them out to empty their bladder and watch them carefully when you bring them back in. You need to be consistent for this to work.
4. Remove all urine odors with special odor neutralizers so that you remove the temptation to mark a spot where they smell urine.
5. Prevention. Either keep your dog on leash with you or confine them to an area that will prevent them from marking when you are not able to watch them.
6. If all else fails you can try something like a bellyband that fits around a dogs belly and covers their penis temporarily. You can place an absorbable material inside of it so if they start to urinate the urine will not get on friends furniture. I do not have personal experience with this so I cannot say if this is a good option or not but I have heard of it. You can ask your Vet about it to be sure it is a safe option if you choose to try it.

I know you can solve this problem and enjoy bringing your dog with you to friends again soon!

Let me know what you think!
Happy New Year!

Julie
www.webDogTrainer.com 

Like this info?  Comments are appreciated!