# marking!!!!!



## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

Harry understands that he should either use the pee pad or go outside when going to the bathroom most of the time. 
He does have occasional accidents, but I think that's because he is still on one medication, which in addition to other things acts as a diuretic. My problem is though.... Harry is marking everywhere... and it is driving me crazy. I am soooo tired of dragging the big green clean machine up and down the steps!!!! If I see him marking, I clap to startle him and then push him away and say no in a loud voice... but most of the time I'm too late. Any suggestions on how to
get him to stop? And ... any suggestions on clearing up any residual urine smell?

Thanks,
Debbie


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> Harry understands that he should either use the pee pad or go outside when going to the bathroom most of the time.
> He does have occasional accidents, but I think that's because he is still on one medication, which in addition to other things acts as a diuretic. My problem is though.... Harry is marking everywhere... and it is driving me crazy. I am soooo tired of dragging the big green clean machine up and down the steps!!!! If I see him marking, I clap to startle him and then push him away and say no in a loud voice... but most of the time I'm too late. Any suggestions on how to
> get him to stop? And ... any suggestions on clearing up any residual urine smell?
> 
> ...


ugh! Poor thing(s). You say you are "too late"...what I think you need to do is confine him for a bit--not in a crate, but maybe gated in whatever room you all spend the most time in so that you can constantly keep an eye on him. Then when you see him marking, do as you did but do it at the moment he is in the act, not after. When it's under control you can give him freedom again.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Back to housetraining 101. Treat him like a baby puppy and do not give him a chance to have an accident. I have trained adult shelter dogs not to mark by treating it as a housetraining transgression. He needs to be confined or leashed to you and actively supervised at all times. Reward him for going in the right spot. I do give my dogs one place (here in TN it is the park) where I say "go mark" and tell them they are good for doing it there. 

I have used the Wrath of Mom method if I catch him in the act early on in the marking game (in Soda's case, I held his chin hair and reamed him out in a strong voice). If they've been doing it for a while, that's fairly useless. If he does it in front of you, interupt him with a loud "uh oh" and pop him in his crate while you clean up.


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## gatiger40 (Jun 7, 2007)

Try a belly band while he is in the house that may help too.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

How's it going today?

I read JMM's response about reaming out Soda and I can never forget my response to the first and only time I ever saw Ollie try to mark in the house. He was still young and was gated in the kitchen at almost all times (since that's where I am 90% of the time anyway)--he went over to the kitchen table leg and lifted his leg--I was only a few feet away and screamed "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Scared the living daylights out of him and he NEVER tried it again, LOL! Believe me, at the moment it wasn't any technique that I had heard about, just knee-jerk reaction. But it worked, lol.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

Since our move I have been having problems with Harley marking inside too. He NEVER does it when I am home, he only does it when I am at work. Of course if he needs to go, and I'm not here, then he has no options, but he used to ONLY pee in the bathroom when I wasn't home, but since our move I am finding he has marked the kitchen bin, the coffee table leg, and the dining table leg.

How can I stop this when I am not home!? Our house is tiny, and they are already confined to the kitchen, laundry (where there is a pee pad, which does get used) living room and the bathroom.

Any advice?


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## DickLaw (Feb 2, 2008)

> Harry understands that he should either use the pee pad or go outside when going to the bathroom most of the time.
> He does have occasional accidents, but I think that's because he is still on one medication, which in addition to other things acts as a diuretic. My problem is though.... Harry is marking everywhere... and it is driving me crazy. I am soooo tired of dragging the big green clean machine up and down the steps!!!! If I see him marking, I clap to startle him and then push him away and say no in a loud voice... but most of the time I'm too late. Any suggestions on how to
> get him to stop? And ... any suggestions on clearing up any residual urine smell?
> 
> ...


I doubt the dog is "marking" throughout the available home area, they seldom do it as graffitti - he just does not understand what you desire. This beautiful six month Maltese we now have insisted on doing her eliminations on the rug for 5 1/2 months, even after spending much outside she would wait and do her thing inside - we tried all the usual things without success (as reported here previously). About 10 days ago we were working in the yard and caught her in the act of pooping - immediately grabbed her, brought inside and gave her a a lot of praise and a treat. She has already almost completely stopped her inside act in favor of doing it outside and then comming inside to stare at the refrigerator top where the treats are kept. It is working and we acceot it. 
I once had a georgeous Black & Tan cocker (obained as a near gift through frustration of the breeder/owner from failure to show at westchester the day before - he only wanted to mark, fight or chase the girls), we had the same problem for a while and cleared it as above. The above suggestion is about our beautiful dog that appears to be a large (ten inch tall) Maltese (not the poodle we purched)?
DickLaw


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Confine Harley to the bathroom only.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

> Confine Harley to the bathroom only.[/B]


Oh, I really, really respect your opinion Jackie, and I'm quite positive it will work, but our bathroom is TINY - there is a sink, a shower & a toilet - the floor space is about the size of a small fridge. Not to mention Dakota would probably scratch at the other side of the door all day long. I'm not sure I could do it - I would worry myself sick all day. I have cleaned the floors & everything with white vinegar to neutralise the smell, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

Ok, I need to get over myself - I will TRY to give this a try. I need to do something. Thank you.


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## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

Harry is making progress. Yesterday and today I was his shadow. If I saw him start to lift his leg I yelled and pushed him away. He hasn't marked anything today because I didn't give him a chance to... I hope that he catches on soon... I'll keep working... thanks for the advice everyone!!!

Debbie


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

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How about an x-pen around the front of the bathroom so you have a bit more room but they are still restricted. I use x-pens as gates for odd areas all of the time.


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