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[XxSwansonxX]

I have a dog who is about 3 years old and for about a year or so he has been peeing on my furniture. Not all the furniture, however, he has distinct places. On a chair, on a small stool, on a little bench thingy, on the back door and on a laundry basket when he gets the chance.

He goes out often enough and this only occurs when anyone is out of the house, even for a short amount of time. He knows what he has done because when someone walks in the door he puts his ears down and looks guilty.

Are there any suggestiongs that can help me to keep him or teach him not to pee on the furniture?

[Jynx]

first is he neutered? if not, I'd start there. It won't cure it, but it might restrict it somewhat.

2nd, now that he's been doing it, he will continue to do it, he should NEVER be left loose alone, or he will continue,,

3rd, when you are home, tether him to you so you can avoid it happening if it does happen when your around, he should ALWAYS be supervised.

4th, if you haven't done so, I would thoroughly clean the areas with a pet odor/stain /neutralizer because he as I said, he will continue to go in the same areas..

I would say he has to much "freedom" when your not around , and even tho he may "know" he shouldn't do this, you cannot reprimand him for something you haven't caught him in the act of doing.

Good luck
Diane

[Boemy]

If he's not neutered, get him neutered. It may not change the behavior but then again it may. A coworker of mine got her two dogs neutered after they'd been peeing on the furniture and it completely eliminated the behavior.

[RedyreRottweilers]

I echo what the others said.

Neuter the dog
Crate the dog when you are not observing him

[Doberluv]

I'd do what Jynx suggested.

He does not know he did something morally wrong because he's a dog and he doesn't have human morals. That being out of the way, his guilt look is because when you come home, that is a predictor of something not so pleasant coming along...perhaps you've scolded him upon noticing what he's done in the past? Or showing some unusual body language that means "uh-oh....trouble."

What he's doing is dog behavior....an instinct to mark their territory. It can come about from insecurity as well. What he's doing is not wrong to him. It's normal. Punishment won't teach him anything but to be more unsure of you. He may become more clingy, thus more marking.

If you do catch him in the act, interrupt him..."eh, eh!" or clap your hands....and scoot him outside. Reward him with a treat and praise if he marks or just pees outside. If you're not right there, there's nothing you can do about it. The more he does this, the more he's reinforced. And it goes on and on...just like it has for the last few years.

He may be showing possession of these "distinct" places....your chair, your laundry basket etc. These things have your scent on them and he may have a little seperation anxiety when you're gone. He may feel insecure and it's like he's saying, "mine, mine, mine." Peeing on things is used as a marking possession behavior.

He's been doing it for so long that it may be extremely difficult to change now. Have you had this dog from a pup or did you get him as an adult?

Does he ever do it when you're in the same room?

How long is he left alone at a time?

You will have to supervise him and confine him to a small, dog proof room when you're gone. And never take your eyes off him when you're around.

I'd, in addition look up NILIF (google) And follow some of that. How much obedience practice do you do and how much exercise does he get?

He may need more stimulating things to do while you're gone. Stuffed Kong toys, hidden treats and toys where he has to find them, as long as he can get to them. Good exercise before you leave. Maybe someone to take him out and play or walk during the day?

Hope this gets fixed up.

[XxSwansonxX]

Thanks for your replies!:)

To answer some of the questions no he is not neutered. We have had him since he was a puppy and didn't have any trouble with training him. He listens, gets lots of excersise (although because of the cold winter he's just getting short walks right now), and never does this while we're at home.

I will follow these suggestions although I don't see us getting him neutered.

Please keep the suggestions coming! Hehe

[Maxy24]

why won't you get your dog neutered? Just like a male un- neutered cat will mark thier territory so will a dog. Plus it reduces aggression and if your dog ever happens to get out of your yard you don't have to worry about him getting another dog pregnant (neutered dogs are also less likely to roam in the first place). you will also avoid certain cancers and reduce urinary tract infections. I'm sure you've already heard this stuff but you should really consider neutering, why don't you think you will get him neutered?

[Aurora171989]

hey hey hey, swanson is asking for suggestions, NOT criticism.

back to your thread

[dr2little]

Aurora, I don't think anyone was trying to be negative. Maxy 24 had some great points.

While neutering is not a cure all, I truly believe that it's a must in this situation for sure.

I too would have him altered as soon as possible. Keep in mind that doing it this late will result in a lag time where the testosterone takes a while to lower. The neutering may make your job a bit easier but you will still have to start house training from scratch.

Also, you'll have a real clean up job trying to properly remove the smell of urine from his favorite mark spots. Anything that you can't clean should be tossed if at all possible.

Like everyone else said (great advise):) , he has to be supervised at all times so that this does not start to occur again while he learns the rules. Punishing after the fact, even if he appears to know he's done wrong is just not appropriate.

I have to add that I had an intact male (16 months old when he came to me) who literally stopped lifting his leg to even attempt a mark just shortly after his neuter. Of course I made sure to supervise but boy did he catch on fast without his dazzies.;) It can have a great impact on this particular behavior.

You'd also be wise to address his seperation anxiety issues too. Like Doberluv said too, he makes some pretty specific choices of where to mark.

[elegy]

To answer some of the questions no he is not neutered. We have had him since he was a puppy and didn't have any trouble with training him. He listens, gets lots of excersise (although because of the cold winter he's just getting short walks right now), and never does this while we're at home.

if he's peeing all over your house, then i think you ARE having trouble training him. i personally think that, at heart, marking in the house is a training and housebreaking issue. he does it because he's given the opportunity and every time he does it, he's reinforcing it even further.

he needs to be crate trained or otherwise confined when you're not there so that he doesn't continue to make mistakes.

[Maxy24]

sorry if i sounded harsh but i didn't mean to be, i just see neutering as a way to help with the peeing, and that it has so many benefits. I also agree that you should use an enzymatic cleaner on all the places your dog pees so that their is no detectable smell (remember even if you can't smell it your dog might be able to). Also you will have to retrain house training, and keep him confined either to a crate or room without a carpet while you can't watch him, until he is fully trained.

[XxSwansonxX]

Hi

I haven't had the opportunity to come to the site so I'm sorry for the silence.:D Anyways, we haven't got him neutered because of other factors here not because I'm lazy or anything. And I'm not saying anyone implied I was lazy.

My dog is trained well it's just this problem. Whenever we are home he asks to go out when he needs to. I was wondering if he had a more regular excersing schedual would that help at all?

Thanks for everyones suggestions and more are welcome!

[XxSwansonxX]

I don't think I worded that question well. My question is would it help if he were on a regular, consistant excersise schedual.

Thanks!

[Aussie Red]

Swanson there is a very big difference between marking and having to pee. A dog that is not altered is marking territory and this will continue no matter what you do to try to change it. Being intact he has raging hormones and is doing what is natural for a male dog to do. After a period of time he will become brash enough to do it right in front of you. If you walk him I am sure you are having to stop alot as he hikes his leg too. A fixed male won't do this or if it is fixed later on like your dog it will lessen over time. The best time to do this is before they become full males. As for the other posters here it is the best advice and well meant but I have a question for you ? Is there a reason that inhibits you from fixing this young man ? Do you intend to breed him ? If not then you might reconsider getting him nutered because if this behavior continues you and your family may get sick and tired of it and feel that getting rid of him is the answer when infact fixing him is. I mean that in the nicest way.

[Jynx]

being on a consistent regular schedule certainly wouldn't hurt, but I doubt it will cure him of hiking his leg when your not around. Reason being, he's getting away with it now, you aren't there to see the behavior, and he knows it, you can't correct or stop it if your not there, so it will continue. He has no reason to stop..I'd definately start with a crate while your not there.

Diane