Why does a dog mark at home or in an apartment: what to do and how to wean it off

The most disgusting of all bad dog habits is marking in the apartment. This is not about random puppy mistakes, but about the desire to leave your mark on the history of every corner, sofa or curtain. This is often due to puberty, the dog’s position in a small “pack” and gaps in training. Less commonly, the problem is caused by external stress factors or health conditions. Owners should refrain from punishment, figure out the reason and decide what to do.

What to do if your dog marks in the house

Why does a dog mark its territory?

Contrary to our concepts, dog physiology is not a bad habit. Both “boys” and “girls” are capable of placing tags. But most often it is male dogs who mark their territory. This practically does not depend on age, much less on the breed, weight and size of the dog.

Animals thus express superiority, since the marks (urine) have a sharp, specific odor. For a person, this is an unpleasant embarrassment - when furniture, shoes, walls or even the bed acquire a pungent amber. Moreover, there is no obvious guilt of the four-legged animal - after all, this is a common instinct. The pet purposefully interrupts the owner's (or foreign) smell with his own, thereby demonstrating that the territory belongs exclusively to him.

How and why do dogs do this? When an animal does this, it empties its bladder a little at a time and in different strictly defined places. Anyone who has encountered this has probably noticed that the pet leaves marks following the same route.

Here's what the owner needs to know:

1. Dogs mark deliberately. First, they sniff everything and most often mark the place where they smell a foreign (foreign) odor.
2. A mark is a way to show a sense of superiority, one’s own priority, and to distinguish oneself as a leader.
3. Most often, dogs pay attention to objects that have entered the house from outside, foreign things with a foreign smell. Thus, the dog is about property - after all, after a mark, any thing has a certain pronounced smell. This is a manner of self-affirmation and self-defense from “strangers”.
4. Often dogs begin to mark corners as a result of psychological trauma - if the dog was scolded by the owner, kept locked up indoors for a long time, possibly without walking, the dog is constrained by prohibitions (you cannot enter the room, bark, chew, make noise and scratch the floor).
5. Sometimes a pet changes its behavior and begins to involuntarily leave marks due to more significant stress: a move or rearrangement in the house affecting the pet’s personal space, the loss of an owner (close friend), resentment, revenge, difficult relationships with family members - all this is a reason. Over time, the situation often changes for the better.

There is another reason for this behavior, which is objective in nature - this is the animal’s puberty. Only very small puppies do not mark. Moreover, not only males, but even females can mark during heat.

The owner must be prepared for this - prohibitions will not help here, since the usual physiological instinct cannot be trained.

During puberty, dogs do this much more often, and any methods to change the pet’s behavior will most likely be ineffective.

Meaning of labels

An animal's mark is a sign that they leave for a communicative purpose. It helps to delineate the habitat of individuals or groups in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts and provide food for everyone, find a mate for procreation, or mark the path. Dogs use urine for this. Bears mark their territory with excrement, and deer strip the bark of trees.

Each scent is individual and is a business card. Behavioral scientists believe that dogs can use their markings to determine the approximate sex, age and even size of the animal that left it. The higher the dog is in the hierarchy, the higher he needs to put a mark or leave it on top of someone else’s in order to overlap and minimize the value.

Tags are of great importance for communication and finding a partner. It is necessary to inform all surrounding relatives that the “comrades” here are ready to reproduce. Bitches especially actively begin to study the marks of male dogs before hunting. They cannot cover them, but they leave theirs nearby.

The habit of marking territory is an integral part of behavior

How to stop a dog from marking at home

For a pet to realize its mistake and stop marking in the house, it will take the owner’s endurance and patience, as well as a kind attitude and affection. Yelling and punishing the dog definitely won’t fix it.

The most important thing is to understand that this is not involuntary emptying of the bladder. In this case, the dog relieves itself at once, without pursuing logic (does not sniff, does not choose a place for a long time).

What should you do if your dog definitely leaves marks and doesn’t go to the toilet as usual? Wash, treat with chlorine-containing products or scented sprays? No.

There are some methods that can help solve the problem - if not completely, then partially.

Remember! Experts believe that a dog will never leave marks where it eats, plays and stores things (toys, bedding).

Castration

The radical method is castration, which solves the problem in 90% of cases. But you should resort to this method only after you try to “establish” your relationship with your pet through the following recommendations. Only if the hierarchy is established and there are no health problems, the issue is resolved surgically. But this is not always useful: perhaps the animal is able to wean itself from a bad habit without surgical intervention. Most often, after puberty, dogs become less interested in this behavior - over time, they mark less often in inappropriate places, respect boundaries and dominance.

This method absolutely loses its relevance if in the future the owner intends to get offspring from the pet. In this case, you will have to teach the dog good manners without surgery.

Training methods

The weakness of the owner can determine the outcome of the situation.

If the animal feels approval or prohibitions and obeys your commands, then it will be much easier to teach it to control its natural instincts:

1. It is useful to let your dog know that all the food in the apartment belongs only to you. Allow them to start eating on command - only after your permission.
2. Treat your dog with his favorite treat only after following the command.
3. While walking, practice the “Nearby” command.
4. Even during the game, observe the hierarchy - pause, control the situation.

The practice of submitting to the owner helps to overcome the unpleasant instinct. Certain places, especially favorite ones for marks, should become taboo. Bed, sofa, chair, porch, any place in a private yard - just keep the animal away from these objects. In this case, the dog loses leadership and no longer seeks to mark the territory.

More frequent walks

A dog that has been walked and run around is less likely to remember these “nonsense.” Exhausted, the dog will be more likely to be hungry and inclined to rest than to search for places to mark. Therefore, experts often recommend starting to wean yourself from the bad habit of marking with walks. Practice more outdoor games, teach commands and obedience, and distract the animal.

Aids

Hand-made hygiene products and special solutions that can once and for all discourage the desire to do dirty tricks in the room help to cope with the pranks of your pet.

Cleaning the house

The places chosen by the pet in the apartment or house are thoroughly washed with water with the addition of detergent and chlorine. The latter is used with extreme caution - too much concentration will harm not only the dog’s sense of smell, but will also cause vapor poisoning in humans.

Chlorine is used in a highly diluted form, and after treatment the four-legged animal is not allowed near the washed area for some time. A good alternative to bleach is vinegar. You shouldn’t be overzealous with it either, although it helps remove unpleasant odors forever.

How to get rid of the smell

Pets' sense of smell is very sensitive. This should be used to discourage a bitch or dog from wanting to mark in the apartment. There are substances that a prankster definitely won’t like. The most common of them:

• citrus essential oils;
• tobacco;
• ground red pepper.

These liquid or granular substances are left where the naughty woman defecates. First, this area of ​​the apartment or house is thoroughly washed, and only then tobacco or pepper is scattered. The oil is dripped onto a cloth or piece of paper and left in a treasured corner.

When is a veterinarian needed?

First of all, it is necessary to exclude any diseases - and these may not only be problems with the reproductive organs. If you notice discharge from the genitals of an animal, there is drowsiness or lethargy, loss of appetite - the pet clearly has health problems. A dog may empty its bladder involuntarily as a result of illness. These could be kidney problems, diabetes, polydipsia, and even ordinary cystitis, which also occurs in pets. Older pets may also suffer from urinary incontinence. To identify pathology, be sure to contact a veterinary clinic. The specialist will prescribe tests, ultrasound and make a diagnosis.

Why does an animal relieve itself in the house?

A small two- to three-month-old Yorkie or a grown dog can continue to relieve itself on the bed for a long time, despite all human efforts. Being an intelligent animal, this pet usually has pretty good reasons for this behavior that need to be understood.

1. The owner did not spend enough time and did not start accustoming the animal to the street when it was still very small. The development of the reflex for the fulfillment of natural needs should be carried out gradually from childhood. This is not very simple, but it is necessary for the comfort of the owner and his pet.
2. Irregular walks and long breaks between them force the dog to break all prohibitions, because he simply cannot stand it anymore. You need to treat your pet more carefully, take it for walks, and follow a routine.
3. A pet may leave a puddle or pile on the floor out of a sense of insulted dignity if it believes that it was unfairly punished or offended. They recommend showing affection towards your dog more often and praising it for good deeds.

If the above reasons do not apply and the pet continues to defecate on the floor, you need to pay attention to other signs

How to get rid of odor

Before eliminating the cause, we carry out general cleaning in all places with marks. To do this, it is necessary not only to wash the surfaces, that is, according to the dog’s definition, to “mask” the smell, but to completely eliminate the mark, since the dog will always sense two smells with his delicate sense of smell - his own and the cleaning products.

How to properly care for a male dog - brief instructions below:

1. We choose a high-quality odor remover (with specific enzymes). Detergents with a special formula for removing marks are sold in veterinary stores.
2. We clean thoroughly, especially paying attention to the places where the dog has marked.
3. We ventilate the room.
4. The procedure may have to be repeated not once, but several times. If the pet carefully sniffs in those places where it left “its mark,” it means that the smell could not be completely eliminated.

There are other ways to wean your dog from a bad habit. Some breeders buy special “panties” for dogs and use them at home during the period of hormonal surge - which you cannot do in order to save property and relationships with your beloved pet. You can also use veterinary products with a repellent odor - experts will be able to recommend specific drugs (Sex Barrier - treatment of areas with marks, supposedly scares away a naughty dog). Treatment with this product helps to scare the pet away from the place where the animal is accustomed to marking corners. But this method cannot be called effective, since it works selectively and does not help in all cases.

Preventive measures

First you need to understand the reasons for this behavior. This may be due to both physiological and psychological problems. The following preventive measures should be applied:

• use a prohibiting signal - clap and the word “no”;
• exclude the influence of certain social factors on the animal;
• limit access to objects on which the animal leaves marks;
• keep the dog away from doors and windows;
• place dog bowls and treats near the marking areas;
• The places that the dog previously marked must be made inaccessible and unattractive by treating them with special means.

Pet behavior correction

Correcting the behavior of a pet that leaves marks in the apartment will take more than one day. First of all, you need to find out the reason for this behavior. You should not put off solving the problem; at the very first signs you should begin weaning.

What not to do

Weaning off marks is a long process. Without screaming, swearing and negative emotions. The animal reacts sharply to this. And he may experience stress from punishments and this kind of “discipline” - the dog may begin to mark again in retaliation for the negative. This also happens:

1. Under no circumstances should physical punishment be used.
2. Don't raise your voice. Train the animal. Show your hierarchy through the right commands.
3. Wrong: locking up, putting on a leash and keeping your pet at bay. In dogs, this has nothing to do with their instinct to mark.

Try to express your dissatisfaction in a commanding voice, and once again go through all the points suggested above. Find out whether the cause of this behavior is illness or age. Be more patient with your pets.

Eliminating prerequisites

First, you should watch your pet. If leaving marks is associated with stress or fear, you need to help the dog get rid of the phobia.

How to stop a cat from marking territory in an apartment

If an animal marks its territory in front of its owner, he is trying to show his dominance. In this case, it is necessary to show who is boss in the house. During the educational process, consistency, confidence, firmness and calm should be shown. The dog must learn to respect its owner, but not be afraid of him. Your pet should be rewarded for its achievements and good behavior.

Another dog in the house may also be a reason for leaving marks. For some time it is recommended to separate the animals into different rooms. Difficulties may arise if the dogs are of the same sex. Then only castration of one of them will help.

A pet can also leave marks out of resentment. In this case, it is better not to pay attention to it. You can leave him without playing together, giving him treats or walking, thereby showing that his behavior is not approved by the owner.

Note! A dog can leave marks just before its owner leaves home. For her, this is associated with loneliness and fear of separation. In such a situation, you should create pleasant emotions in the dog; you can give him his favorite treat or toy.

Solutions to the problem

How to wean a dog from marking corners: brief conclusions

Remember, you should not keep your dog in fear - you need to control it, with love and tender affection.

If the dog is healthy and fully satisfies its needs - that is, it is walked, fed, spoiled by the attention and love of its owner, devoted and obedient, but continues to mark corners - most likely, this has already become a habit, and the problem needs to be actively worked on.

Possible reasons

The objects of their marks, as a rule, are entrance doors, corners, small objects that stand separately in apartments, etc. As for the street, these can be trees, bushes, pillars, curbs surrounding the assigned territory, or car wheels , which have recently filled the courtyards near multi-storey buildings.

This behavior in dogs begins when they reach puberty, and it can be very difficult to wean your pet from this instinct, but it is possible if you show understanding of what is happening and perseverance in this matter.

Naturally, punishing a dog for such behavior will not achieve anything. The owner must show dissatisfaction with this act of his, emphasize with all his appearance that he is behaving badly, but in no case punish him. But it will be useful to observe your pet and understand why he behaves this way. Moreover, there are not so many reasons for such an act of an animal:

• The owner has not demonstrated his superiority enough, and the dog is trying to “snatch” his leadership;
• The pet does not feel safe or is in a state of stress and warns that this is its territory, which it will defend;
• There are several competing dogs of the same sex living in the apartment;
• A big insult to the owner who scolded the dog for misbehavior is to mark his shoes, any thing and everything that smells of him in retaliation;
• Jealousy that begins to torment a pet at the slightest change in the usual environment or
• When a new tenant appears, he feels that he is losing his superiority, and therefore instinctively marks, thus declaring his rights to primacy;
• If the old marks are not removed, then the pet can sniff them and apply new ones.

Among the problems of this dog behavior, the following should also be noted:

• an overabundance of joy from meeting his beloved owner, whom he rarely sees or has not seen for several days;
• melancholy and sadness when the dog is left alone or in the care of strangers;
• fear - if when the first puddle appeared on the floor the dog suffered physical punishment, then it will do the same. It may be impossible to get out of this vicious circle;
• ailments of the genitourinary system;
• insufficient walking time, so the animal did not have time to cope with its natural needs.

Processing marked places

To wean your dog from marking on pieces of furniture in the apartment, corners and other favorite places, it is necessary to treat soiled surfaces.

Industrial products

In pet stores you can buy products that will help get rid of the corrosive smell of dog urine and

will prevent the appearance of new marks. Among them:

• Liquidator;
• Smart spray;
• Fresh;
• Eco life powder for marks and urine odor.

Home Remedies

If the dog begins to mark in the apartment, you can use a folk remedy that gets rid of the smell of urine. In addition, this will not allow the animal to return to the “scene of the crime” to continue what was started. You will need vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and soda.

1. First you need to thoroughly dry the area using porous paper or an absorbent diaper.
2. Moisten the treated area generously with vinegar and water solution. To do this, take 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. To prevent the liquid from spreading beyond the required diameter, cover the top with a paper napkin or towel. You must wait until the surface is completely dry.
3. Sprinkle regular baking soda on the area stained with urine.
4. Mix 100 grams of hydrogen peroxide with 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent and add 100 grams of water. Mix thoroughly. Using a spray bottle, generously spray the surface sprinkled with soda.
5. Leave for 3 hours. Then carefully remove the residue with a washing vacuum cleaner or a damp cloth.

This method is convenient because it does not require large expenses. The chemical processes occurring during treatment will rid the marked area of ​​odor. This method can wean the dog from marking objects in the apartment.

To discourage a male dog from tagging, you will need to be calm and patient. Screaming and a rude attitude will not achieve success in parenting. An even, friendly attitude towards your pet promotes mutual understanding and quick weaning from a bad habit.

What to do?

There can be many reasons why a dog pees on the bed. Only by understanding and finding out the essence of the problem can you fight it. An adult animal may have the following motives for an offense:

The dog often sleeps in the same bed as its owner. As a result, the pet begins to consider the bed a very comfortable and, most importantly, a pleasant place to relieve its natural needs. The dog tries to attract the attention of the owner when he too rarely walks, plays with it or feeds it. Sometimes animals do “wet” things in bed due to fear of loneliness. This phenomenon happens when the pet is often left alone at home. A dog can take revenge on a person for something. Moreover, the reason can be either too harsh treatment or errors in upbringing. In the latter case, the pet decides that he is the boss of the house and the bed is his property.

In this case, it is important to correct the behavior of not only the animal, but also the breeder himself. Stress often causes a dog to urinate on the bed. This happens when moving, the birth of a child in the family, or the appearance of a new animal in the house.

Perhaps in this way the dog is trying to remind himself of himself. That's why the dog started peeing on the bed. Illness may also be the cause. If a dog has trouble urinating, manifested by pain, then it looks for the most comfortable toilet, which is the bed.

Correcting behavior

When trying to wean your four-legged friend from such a problem, first of all you need to do a general cleaning of the house. The main thing is that there is no smell from dog marks in the house. All areas marked by your pet should be washed thoroughly.

However, it is not recommended to use chlorine-containing products, as they will only increase the smell of urine. In addition, chlorine makes the animal want to cover its smell with its own. Therefore, the smell of chlorine can provoke the appearance of new marks.

Nowadays there are many drugs on the market that eliminate unwanted odors. So it won't be too difficult. By the way, you can use ordinary vinegar in this case. By rinsing the surface with the mark left behind, you can ensure that your pet does not do the same thing again. You can also use things with the owner’s scent, placing them in corners and in places chosen by the dog for marking.

If all these methods did not give positive results, and there were no stressful situations that contributed to this behavior of the pet, and there are no health problems, then you should begin raising it using an enclosure. Having placed the animal there, it is necessary to re-accustom it to relieve itself in the designated place. When he gets used to it, the boundaries of the enclosure can be expanded, and the dog can be praised and encouraged for urinating in the same place. Usually she begins to live by the proposed rules after 2-3 weeks.