Marking (not in pencil)

[Viking Lady]

Just recently we were discussing this a little bit when it had become a new problem with Luke. What I didn't ask, or remember, is if this is something that training can deal with or is it an instinct? I think we had discussed if neutering helped at all. He did it twice tonight and I yelled "Hey!" and he stopped both times. But he is beginning to do it every time he comes in the house.

[ZooCrew]

Training can help, but only if you started right away when he first started doing this.  I know you can train it out of them b/c they don't allow service dogs to lift a leg..........a t least not the group I worked with.

I will tell you it is a very hard habit to break.  I battled with Nigel over this for some time.  I won't say he's completely broke, but I haven't noticed any new spots in a long time.  But then again, he only squirts out  few drops at a time so it takes a long time of buildup before I normally even notice.        But I've come to the conclusion at least in his case its due to separation anxiety b/c he's not done it when I'm home. I now make sure he's almost always kenneled when I leave even if hubby is home.

But I have heard of people having success with the detraining of this habit.

[sc.trojans]

If it is true marking, then neutering absolutely helps.  Every rescue I get is always intact (I only foster males) and they always came into my home marking - until they're neutered and then it is very very easy to train out - 24 hours in this house and its gone.  Without neutering, training is an uphill battle but can be done for some.

[Viking Lady]

In defense of "HEY!", I did scold him loudly,after that saying No! Bad Dog! and @%#&@!.... "Hey" stopped the faucet, so to speak. Within 10 minutes he tried again in another room. Both times he sniffed first, and then lifted his leg. Now I read that Clifford did it on his road trip to Granma's in Indiana.

[ZooCrew]

Well, apparently I spoke too soon.    I thought I had smelled a urine smell in the bedroom the last couple of days but couldn't find where it was coming from.  I had checked the bedspread corners (which were the usual first choice) but didn't see anything. 

but apparently that was b/c the room has no lighting.  I opened the curtains this morning and when I came back from the bathroom I smelled urine again.  I looked closely and saw a huge pee stain on the one edge of the bedspread.  Since Gunther doesn't mark I know who it was.      Who knows how long that was there?

So now I am wondering if he's doing this at night?  In the mornings before I wake up?  he isn't allowed upstairs by himself (b/c of this problem) so I don't see how he's doing it in the afternoons when I'm home.

and unfortunately in his case he doesn't care how many times I catch him in the act.  I think he's mentally challenged.    I caught him in the act a few times when he first started at my parents.  Unfortunately he remembers for about 2 min and then gets over it.   

[Viking Lady]

That's exactly what Luke did. It's like he said,"Oh I thought you meant don't pee in the other room." I know he knows better, it's like he doesn't care.

[lookingfornewf]

Yes Clifford did mark at my Mom's and I didn't yell at him too loudly there because I didn't want to call too much attention from everybody else. He also marked in our basement recently and my husband said he did yell at him big time. The first time when he did it at Petsmart I thought that was just because other dogs had. I certainly don't want this to become a regular problem. I was going to wait until about 18-24 months to neuter him just because I had read too many places that it was better to wait until they were mostly done growing. I'm starting to think just in case it may help he may be getting neutered very soon.

[Viking Lady]

That's what I'm thinking about the neutering. I was going to wait til the first of the year cuz Luke will be 1 year old Feb 8th. I'm at my mom's and I have washed this guest room bedspread 3 times already. Every time I've yelled at him my mom's upstairs saying "Did you call me?". I feel like a kid that's gonna get in trouble.