Dogs spray urine to mark their territory and let other animals know an area belongs to them. They may also spray to let other dogs know they are available for mating or to express dominance. In some cases, insecure dogs do it to help build their self-confidence. No matter what the reason, indoor urine marking is unpleasant and potentially damaging. Fortunately, there are ways to encourage a dog to stop.
Things You'll Need
- Horn or whistle
- Motion detector
- Shelf paper
- Aluminum foil
- Electrified mat
Instructions
Sterilize your dog as soon as possible. Early spaying and neutering helps to make dogs less likely to spray.
Blow a whistle or a loud horn when you think your dog is getting ready to spray. This may distract him and allow you to redirect his attention onto other things.
Install a motion detector to detect when your dog has entered an area in which he's sprayed. This sort of device can emit a startling sound that may discourage your dog from spraying.
Use sticky shelf paper to line areas your dog visits to spray. This may help to discourage him from spraying the covered areas.
Put aluminum foil on furniture your dog prefers to spray. When she tries to spray it again, the foil will make a noise she won't like. It may also cause the urine to splash back at her, discouraging her even further.
Use an electrified mat to deliver a low-level electrical shock to your dog when he attempts to enter an area in which he's sprayed before. The electrical shocks are slight and harmless, and people can step over the mat or move it out of the way as necessary.
Help your pet get used to being home alone gradually by leaving her home alone for short periods of time and slowly moving on to leaving her at home alone all day. Some dogs spray because of separation anxiety.
Establish dominance with your dog. Train him to let you walk into your home first and to stay off your bed. Do not allow him to jump on you or other people. Allowing this behavior may make your dog feel as if he's your equal or superior. Establishing your dominance may help him to obey you when you give him a command to stay out of a particular area or stop spraying.
Supervise your pet after a spraying incident. Make sure she's in sight whenever she's inside for at least a few weeks after an incident. If you cannot keep an eye on her, put her in a dog crate or outside temporarily.
Eliminate odors in the areas your dog likes to mark. You may do this by purchasing dog urine odor eliminator to apply to the area your dog has sprayed. You can find this type of product at a pet store or home maintenance shop.