Just pee already!

[Samina, Snickers and Duke]

Duke is a toy Labradoodle that joined our family last August.  He was 11 months old & not neutered when we got him.  We had him neutered right after we got him.  He's a sweet little dog & a joy to have around, but I do have two problems that I'm hoping to get input on:

• Duke doesn't seem to ever just pee & empty his bladder.  He marks everywhere (outside, not indoors).  We've had dogs before, but all of our male dogs, including Snickers , have been neutered before they started the marking behavior.  How do I get Duke to knock it off?  I've tried to stop him when we walk, but then every other second of the walk consists of my telling him to stop that.  It's not a lot of fun & I can't ever quite figure out if he's emptied his bladder! 

• I cannot get this dog to sit.  I haven't take him to any training classes yet - I'm going to have to get that scheduled once my busy season is over.  Meanwhile, how can I teach him to sit?  The usual methods of holding a treat over his head don't work.  He just jumps up or backs away.  I've gently pulled his hind legs forward to force him into a sitting position. He'll sit when I do that, but he bounces right back up as soon as I let go. 

Any ideas?  Thanks, all.

[Adina P]

Just curious how small is he?

Is the pee issue one where you want him to empty MORE of his bladder on walks or one where you simply would like him to quit marking? I think dogs who mark tend to want to hold on to pee so they can mark. My first thought would be to train him to heel on walks because heeling and marking are mutually exclusive. I train in an 'old fashioned' way and don't use treats (though I am well familiar with the treat luring way to train 'sit'). In the training method I use, heel comes before 'sit'. So as the dog is heeling and you begin to train your dog to sit when you stop (part of heeling) you apply some upward pressure (pulling) up on the collar and some downward pressure (pushing) on the rump. It's more specific than that but best I can do to summarize in words. Of course I use a choke chain so that makes a difference. I have a video somewhere...

I wonder if you could train him to pee on command? AND if during this training you could take keep him away from all things worth marking on (bushes, fire hydrants, tree trunks)?

[Adina P]

Okay videos.  With your tiny dog you'll have to bend over a lot more.  You won't be necessarily heeling into a sit, but it might give you an idea...?



And for a final view:

[Samina, Snickers and Duke]

By the way, I just love that utterly bored yawn of Roscoe's in that last video!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Love watching your videos, Adina.

[Lauria Orr]

Great videos, Adina!

[Samina, Snickers and Duke]

Duke weighs about 12 lbs.  He's a little guy.  For the sitting, I have tried the "pull up on the leash" method & it does work, but only when he's on leash!  He's smart, but stubborn. 

I don't object to the occasional marking, but I would love to train him to pee on command & void his bladder (or at least stop feeling like he's got to mark every 5 seconds).  Snickers will pee when I ask him to do so.  I can't figure out how to get Duke to associate the command with the action, since he rarely seems to just pee to void his bladder.  I don't want to associate the marking behavior with the "go potty" command, so I've been a bit flummoxed on that one.

[Adina P]

So he'll sit on command on leash without you positioning him?

[Samina, Snickers and Duke]

Not really.  I can pull him up into a sit, but he won't hold that if I ease off on the leash.  I'm wondering if it's just uncomfortable for him to sit?  He doesn't assume the position all that often on his own...

[Dawn Ross]

With the sit, can you get him back against a wall and then lure him into sit? Or stand behind and lure him so that the only way he can get the treat is to sit and look up? Or have someone else stand behind him?

I'm not sure about the peeing thing. I've always just accepted the behavior, so long as it was outdoors.

[Samina, Snickers and Duke]

Good idea!  I've not tried that, but I will for the sit.  I wouldn't object to the occasional marking, but this dog feels like he's got to mark virtually every vertical surface we encounter.  Every mailbox post, tree trunk, shrub, overly tall blade of grass sticking out, everything!  It's just no fun to walk with him, because we're not really walking. 

[Brittney & Cally]

The only thing I can suggest for the marking on a walk is do not let him sniff or pee at all. Make a walk serious, just walk! Maybe once or twice you can let him go but do not give him the opportunity otherwise. Keep him at your side and do not let him stray!

[Samina, Snickers and Duke]

Will try that too, thanks!