Marking territory in the house!

[Delilah]

Hello! I was wondering if anyone who owns a dog, or ever has..if they know of anyway to get it to stop marking territory inside the house.

I have a 14 month old Yellow Lab/German Shepperd mix and he has been marking his territory inside the house for about 6 months. It is somewhat of an annoyance, especially when he does it on furniture!

He goes to the bathroom outside, and I bring him inside and he will go around the kitchen table peeing on every single chair.

I have tried a bunch of things..I bought this spray at walmart I think it was, that is supposed to get them to not want to mark that spot anymore, but he still does. Tried covering the spots with different fabric, and than someone suggested turning those places into spots where he eats..the whole.."dont **** where you eat" idea.

Still nothing works, and having to clean up pee from upholstery and carpet everyday is not exactly my favorite hobby.

Anyway, anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Oh and here is a picture of my little fella..

[LilacDragon]

Do you see him doing this?

[Scrat]

BAILIFF!!! Whack his PP!!

[jennyswan]

I've heard somewhere that they do this if they feel their territory is threatened. Is there a dog next door or something?

I found some tips:

For Dogs and Cats

Eliminate the Urge
To prevent your pet from spraying the same spot over and over again, you need to eliminate the urine odor completely. That means it's not a good idea to use ammonia to clean the spot. To an animal, ammonia smells like urine. Visit a local pet supply store and ask for a pet urine neutralizer such as Nature's Miracle, which is designed to kill urine odors. If your pet can't smell the urine, he won't refresh the fading odor on that spot.

Shed New Light on the Problem
To make sure you catch all the problem spots when cleaning up after your pet, pick up a special black light from a pet or home supply store. It will show urine-soiled areas of the carpet in white or eerie blue, in places you can't see in daylight.

That'll Fix Him
Although the problem is not always related to sex, you can sometimes prevent a male dog or cat from marking or spraying inside the house by having the animal neutered as soon as is appropriate. If you're not sure just when that is for your particular pet, check with your vet or local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). You'll find the number for the SPCA in the Yellow Pages of your local phone book, listed under Animal Shelters.

Keep an Eye on Him
You can prevent later unpleasant surprises if, when you get a new pet, you supervise the animal at all times -- or as much as possible. A very small dog can mark a spot in your house for months, and you may not even know it (unless you catch her in the act). That's because a tiny dog has an even tinier bladder, so she releases an almost unnoticeable amount of urine. Similarly, the urine of fixed cats is not very pungent, so you may not smell it right away. Three months later, when you notice an unpleasant smell in the sofa, it may be too late to correct the behavior.

For Dogs Only

Make Up Your Mind!
One way to keep your dog from urinating or marking in the house is to teach him the "Inside" and "Outside" commands. Here's how it works. Get yourself a handful of treats. Take Bowser to the open front door, then toss one treat outside. As he runs to get the treat, give the command "Outside" or just "Out." Next, toss a treat inside the house and give the command "Inside" or "In." Repeat this exercise over and over again, until you're confident that your dog knows the meaning of these directives. The next step is supervision. When you see your dog starting to sniff an area, or when you think he's about to lift his leg, give the "Outside" command in a firm voice, then get him outside. He'll learn that this behavior is okay when he's outside but unacceptable inside.

Gotcha!
To stop your dog from marking territory, you must catch him in the act. One good correction to use is a "shake can." To make a shake can, rinse and drip-dry a soda can and place about ten pennies or screws inside. Tape the can opening closed with some electrical or duct tape. When you see your dog starting to sniff or raise his leg, shout "No!" Simultaneously, toss the shake can onto the floor near him or just give it a good shake. The sound, coupled with your verbal correction, will stop him from doing what he was about to do -- which was to mark your territory.

For Cats Only

Lemon Tea for Kitty Pee
If your cat is spraying the walls of your house, here's a way to break the habit. Dip a cotton ball in some lemon extract (available in the spice section of your supermarket). Squeeze out the excess and place the cotton in a metal tea ball (designed to hold loose tea). Hang the ball by its hook near where your cat is spraying. The smell will repel some cats. Refresh the ball once a week until the cat is retrained.

Dining Room This Way, Toilet That Way
Once you've cleaned up a spot where your cat has been spraying, you can reinforce the idea that she shouldn't mark that area by placing a small plate or bowl of food in the spot. That lets her know that the area is a feeding station. Leave food there every day for at least 21 days, and the spraying in that spot should end. Copyright © 1999 by Rodale Press, Inc.

I used to do just as that pooch is doing.....then the wife had me go under the knife......

[jennyswan]

Originally Posted by Clipper

I used to do just as that pooch is doing.....then the wife had me go under the knife......

You are too funny!!

Originally Posted by jennyswan

You are too funny!!

Yeah and I laugh with a high squeaking sound too......

[Scrat]

I used to do just as that pooch is doing.....then the wife had me go under the knife......

Shouldn't you be called "Clipped" instead of Clipper?

From what I have learned you simply have to keep an eye on him and be strict. Don't be sheepish either, there is no democracy in dogdom. He may be doing this because he thinks he's the boss and marking his turf.

Shouldn't you be called "Clipped" instead of Clipper?

LOL! Don't be giving folks here any ideas pal.....

[Delilah]

Originally Posted by LilacDragon

Do you see him doing this?

Yes, I have caught him during the act a few times..and I immediately took him outside and told him to pee there. But he'll just stare at me like I am a crazy person and roll in some dirt.