Help for Dog Markings in the House

Dogs identify the world around them primarily through the sense of smell. When your dog marks items either inside or outside of the home, it's his way to let other dogs know where he has been and what he is claiming as his own. It is never desirable for a dog to mark inside the house. There is more than one way to help your dog realize this is not OK.

  1. Catching the Dog in the Act

    • Catching your male or female dog in the act or just before the act of relieving itself is the best way to reinforce not marking. To accomplish this, watch for signs that your dog may lift its leg or offer a quick squat. This can include doing circles with its nose intently on one or more objects or sniffing intently along the edge of an item. Just before the relieves itself, clap your hands sharply or say "No" in a loud voice to startle the dog. If it's a small dog, pick it up as soon as you can, even if the dog has already begun marking. Picking up the dog will interrupt the behavior. Take the dog outside and allow it relieve itself or mark outside. Praise the dog when this happens and bring it back inside.

    Help the Dog to Establish Territory

    • Dogs mark to establish territory and this gives the dog a sense of security. Give the dog a sense of security and territory in other ways by placing different items around the house that belong to the dog. For example, leave a toy or two in each room and a chew bone in the area where it likes to lay to chew. Create a safe place for the dog to run to whenever it feels fear or feels the need to retreat to stay calm. This safe place should never be associated with punishment, discipline or negativity. For example, place a crate container in one corner of the room, with comfortable blankets inside or gently over the top of it -- enough to still allow ample airflow. If the dog is demonstrating unwanted behavior or if it runs to this safe place, cease discipline.

    The Attachment Strategy

    • Keeping the dog near you as much as possible can help you catch his before he marks his territory, and it will give the dog the feeling of security. For example, keep the dog on a 4- to 6-foot leash and keep the leash attached to your wrist. Go about your daily business, walking through your home, performing your own normal routines. Doing this for three to 10 days will give you both a chance to bond and to learn each others habits. This also helps the dog to realize it no longer has to mark in the house to accomplish a feeling of security or possession.

    Disciplining and Cleaning

    • Never hit the dog or otherwise harm it when the dog marks in the house. Always clean up the marked area with an urine enzyme-destroying solution that can be found at many national chain pet stores. Smaller pet stores and livestock co-ops may also carry these items. Follow the directions on the bottle. Using an enzyme-destroying cleanser will keep the dog from smelling a spot where it previously marked and therefore will discourage the dog to mark again. If all of these methods have been tried and you are not seeing any progress, have the dog seen by a veterinarian to rule out any possible medical issues your dog may be facing.