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Territory Marking
i have two male dogs..they are both very teritorial..if one pees somewhere in the house then the other one will right behind the first..or if they smell one dog then the other will pee there..is there anything i can do to stop this? please help!
Answer:
Dogs are territorial animals and can stake claim to a particular spot or object. Urine marking is not a house soiling problem. As you indicated, it is considered territorial behavior.
There are a number of things you can do to help deal with the problem, but to actually resolve it, you will need to understand and address the reason your dog feels the need to mark his territory.
Things you can do:
Clean soiled areas. Do not use strong smelling cleaners and do not use cleaners that contain ammonia. Be sure to use a pet enzyme on the areas after you have cleaned them. You may need to use a black light in order to locate the soiled areas that have already dried. Pet enzymes and black lights are sold in most pet stores.
- Keep objects such as new items in a closet. Don’t leave them where the dog will feel the need to indicate ownership of the new object.
- Restrict access to doors and windows. Doors and windows can cause a dog stress because he can see and hear other animals and people outside.
- Monitor your dog at all times so that you can interrupt any indication that he is going to mark. Do not yell. An interruption should simply be a noise (such as “eh”) to get your dog’s attention. Take him outside on leash to urinate and treat and praise if he urinates in an appropriate location. Tether him to you by attaching the leash to your belt loop. If you unable to watch him, put him in his crate.
- Put your dog’s food bowl on the spot that keeps getting marked. Dogs don’t like to urinate in their dining room.
- Put your dog on a Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) program. This means that he must always do something prior to being given something. For example, before he receives his dinner bowl, he must sit and wait. You have control over all things that are important in his life. You control all of the resources … playing, attention, food, walks, access to the outdoors, going for a ride in the car. Anything and everything that your dog wants comes from you. Make him work for each and every item. This is a safe, non-confrontational way to establish your position as leader. Establishing yourself as leader can remove stress from a dog and therefore, diminish his need to mark the territory.
- Spay or neuter your dog.
- Work with a behaviorist to understand potential conflicts between your animals.
The two common underlying reasons for marking territory are dominance and anxiety. In order to fully resolve the territory marking, you need to determine why your dog is marking. Contact your veterinarian for recommendations on behaviorists in your area.
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