How to stop a dog from marking in the house
Dogs are often taught to use designated areas outside to relieve themselves, but what do you do if your dog starts urinating or defecating in the house? In this blog post, we will discuss some tips on how to stop your dog from marking in the house. We will also provide information on why dogs may engage in this behavior and how you can prevent it. Thank you for reading!
What Is Marking?
-Marking is when a dog lifts his leg and urinates on an object to deposit scent. Dogs will often mark around the house or objects to ensure that their territory has been marked. Marking is generally considered normal behavior for dogs, but they may also do it because they are stressed, fearful, anxious, or unwell.
Why Do Dogs Mark in the House?
–Dogs are pack animals, so they have an innate desire to follow a leader. If you do not establish yourself as the head of the pack, your dog may try to take on this role himself. This can lead to behaviors such as marking to mark your territory as theirs.
– Dogs may also mark indoors to claim new territory or if they are anxious about something, such as another pet or person coming into their home.
-Stress: A dog may also mark in the house if they are stressed or anxious. In these cases, it is important to identify the source of the stress and remove it from your pet’s environment. If there is not a clear cause for their anxiety, then you should work with a trainer to figure out what may be causing your dog to feel this way to keep them safe and creating a calm environment.
-A New Family Member: If your dog is marking indoors, it may be because you recently added another pet or person to the family. Before bringing someone new into their home, it is important to slowly introduce them so that your pet can get used to their presence and have positive experiences with this individual.
-Medical Issues: If your dog is marking in the house, it may be due to a medical issue. If you feel that this may be the case, then you should take your pet into see their veterinarian. They will be able to determine if there is an underlying medical condition causing your pet to mark in the house and put together a treatment plan for them.
How to Stop Your Dog from Marking in the House?
-Reassert Your Role as Pack Leader: To stop your dog from marking in the house, it is important that you show them that they have a leader. There are many ways that you can do this, including exercises such as teaching them to sit and stay.
-Addressing Medical Issues: If there is not an obvious reason why your pet is marking inside, then it may be due to a medical issue so taking them into see their veterinarian may help to alleviate this behavior. Depending on what is causing your dog’s marking, they may need to undergo treatment.
-Provide Plenty of Exercise/Attention: When dogs are full of energy, they tend not to engage in other behaviors that are inappropriate. By providing your pet with plenty of exercise and attention, they will be too busy to poop or urinate inside the house.
-Block Off or Remove the Marked Items: If you would like to remove the marked items from your dog’s access, then you will need to block them off or make them inaccessible. You can use baby gates or exercise pens as a way of keeping your pet away from those items and giving them an area where they are free to move around without having to worry about marking indoors. If this is not possible, then keep clean bedding on hand so that you can replace their old bedding with something new at a moment’s notice. This will reduce the possibility of a scent being left behind that could cause your pet to want to re-mark in the same spot.
-Interrupt Your Dog in the Act: One of the best ways to stop your dog from marking in the house is to interrupt them in the act before it has a chance to be completed. When you see that they are about to do their business, give them a command such as “no.” If they respond, then praise them and give them an alternative behavior.
Reassociate the “Offending” Object or Space:
-When your pet marks indoors, it is because they feel that this object or space belongs to them. You can use positive punishment and negative reinforcement to show your dog that the place they marked is no longer an area that they should consider as their own. For example, if it is their bedding, you can make a loud noise such as clapping your hands when they go near the object and/or move them away from it before getting down on one knee and rewarding them with small treats for not going anywhere near this item again.
-If you would like your dog not just to stop urinating inside but also start using an indoor bathroom space, then you will need to train this behavior and show your pet where this area is located. Place your dog’s bed or crate in front of this location so that when they wake up or return home from being out all day, they will instinctively know this is where they should go potty.
Conclusions:
-Dogs will mark in the house when they feel like their territory and pack leader is threatened. By training your pet to understand who the leader is, giving them plenty of exercise and attention, and blocking or removing objects that may be causing them to want to mark in the house, you can help them stop this behavior. However, if your dog happens to have a medical condition that causes this behavior then their veterinarian will need to assist you with addressing it so your pet stops marking indoors for good.
