Marking

[Stacy Cook]

We recently rescued a 4 year old cockapoo and he still marks inside the house! We have only had him for a few weeks and he was only neutered in June. Will he stop eventually?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Make sure you are using a good odor neutralizer on any areas where he is marking. Even if you can't smell anything, he can, and he will return to those places if you don't neutralize the scent of urine.

He probably isn't going to stop the behavior on his own, he's going to need some help from you. Don't allow him to be loose in the house without supervision; you need to be able to catch and correct him every time he marks. If you don't see it, you can't correct the behavior. When you catch him in the act, stop him with a loud "EH!"or"No!", and hustle him outdoors to the appropriate potty place immediately. If he performs where he should praise him to the moon and give him a treat. Just like housebreaking a puppy, he will soon get the idea.

SO: 1. neutralize odors 2. prevent marking opportunites 3. correct the marking behaviors 4. praise correct potty habits.

Thank you for adopting an older dog, and good luck!

[Ginny Nightingale]

I had a male that did this after being involved in AKC shows and "taught" to go indoors when at shows (they had cement areas for them to go potty in at the shows). I wish I had known Karen then! I agree totally with her suggestions and add to it that if you don't have a crate, get one and keep him in it at night and when you are not with him.

[Stacy Cook]

Thanks Karen we have been able to catch him in the act, and I am watching and crating him, I will use a deodorizer I have on the spots he marked where there is carpet. I wonder if it will work in the basement where he marked as well? I will try, and hope he eventually stops. I has not been too bad all in all, so I think he is learning. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

As the hormones leave, he will have less reason to mark.  We neutered our foster at about 18 months and we also greatly limited his area in our home.  We also crated him when we couldn't watch him.  We gradually increased it as he became more reliable. Karen's suggestions are exactly what we did with Sunny.

Our personal rescue was 2 when we got him and he marked a few times in our house his first couple of months, but I think it was a settling in time. He does still mark outside. 

Our DIL did not neuter her male until he was 5.  He marked quite a bit before the neutering and still occasionally marks in the house, but not often. 

When all of our dogs and the 'cousin' dogs get together at our house one of the males often marks once in our bedroom - can't catch the culprit, so I have no one to blame specifically.  It is always a one-shot deal by one dog only.  Before our DIL's dog was neutered, we put a belly band on him when he was at our house. 

[Stacy Cook]

Thanks, I was hoping when the hormones get less and less that he will stop marking as much. All in all about 5 times in the house, both upstairs and in the basement where our cats litter and food is, so not that bad in general I guess :-)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Can you use a marking belt while he is in the house?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I see Nancy mentioned a belly band ( same thing ) above

[Stacy Cook]

yes, do they sell the belly bands at the pet super stores? 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I think so. Do a search on Petedge.com just to see what's out there. That may help you get an idea and you can go from there.