By: Lori Verni
If your dog is lifting his leg along your furniture, trash can, or other areas of your home, you have more than just a housebreaking issue… you also have a respect problem. More common with male dogs, but also sometimes with females, territorial marking can be a serious problem to say the least.
Perhaps your dog is trying to dominate you (as in “My dog urinates along my easy chair”). Or maybe your dog is trying to dominate someone else, (e.g; the baby’s room, the cat’s scratching post, your other dog’s bed, etc.).
Truthfully, if your dog is dominating the household by marking his scent, urinating is only the tip of your problem! Dogs who feel they’re in charge are also significantly more likely to “discipline” others with aggressive behavior, be possessive over their food, or at the very least, listen less in general. Following, are some dog training tips to help you prevent or alleviate territorial marking/leg lifting problems:
In order to alleviate this problem, you’ll need to do all of the following:
1) Get your dog spayed or neutered. This can help considerably in cutting down on the instinct to mark his scent.
2) Thoroughly clean all of the affected areas with an odor neutralizer. Learn more about the importance of using an odor neutralizer here.
3) Dog obedience training will be paramount in resolving this issue. Work with your dog on a leash all around your home, especially in the areas where he’s marked in the past. See more articles about dog obedience training here.
5) Earn your dog’s respect in additional ways too: Don’t allow your dog on the furniture. Make him sit/stay before receiving food, water, treats, or petting. Discontinue letting your dog train you into doing things… like throwing the ball because he barks while you’re on the phone. Work on the heel command, so your dog doesn’t pull when you walk him. And make other changes so your dog no longer feels like he’s in charge.
6) Personally leash walk your dog outside to do his business and praise lavishly. Regulate feeding and watering schedules, and supervise or confine when indoors.
7) Look for opportunities to catch your dog in the act of marking on things. You don’t have to wait until he’s physically urinating. If you see your dog sidling up to the easy chair and are positive his plan is to urinate, go ahead and correct him then. Be particularly diligent in areas that have been a problem in the past. Never correct your dog after the fact.
Remember, dogs are instinctively pack animals. If your dog clearly sees you as the Alpha, he wouldn’t dare mark his scent in your territory… your territory being the entire house and all of its contents!
