Ann asked…
“Do you have a solution for a male dog who likes to mark his territory sometimes but on the inside of the house? He only does it sometimes, not all the time and there are no other dogs in the apartment?”
Here is the solution we sent her:
Marking behavior is common with male dogs, especially if they are intact (ie, not been neutered).
The best initial advice I can give you is to make sure any trace of his markings are cleaned up properly (a solution of biological washing powder and warm water will do the trick) and limit where he is allowed to go in the house unsupervised while you work on training him.
To get on top of this behavior will take a little time and patience I’m afraid. If your dog hasn’t been neutered, I would suggest you consult with your vet to discuss how beneficial it would be based on your circumstances – that would probably see the quickest improvement. If you are not happy doing that, then the steps I would suggest are as follows:
- Clean any soiled areas and (until training is complete) limit where your dog is allowed to go
- Re-establish his potty routine
- Watch him like a hawk! As soon as you see any indication that he is going to mark, quietly take him by the collar or scruff of the neck lead him outside. This will serve two purposes, the first being that he will instinctively stop peeing as you start to lead him, and the second being that he will begin to learn that the urge to mark is something meant only for outdoors
If you are still struggling after trying the above, there are plenty of advanced techniques in two of the courses I recommend: Ultimate House Training Guide from Kingdom of Pets and Hands Off Dog Training from Chet Womach (you can see Chet at work in this free dog training video)
