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Urine marking

Urine marking

Urine marking is a natural, instinctive behavior in dogs, but it becomes inappropriate when dogs urinate in the house to identify their territory. It is most common with sexually intact male dogs, but intact female dogs and neutered dogs may also mark.

Underlying medical reasons for inappropriate urination, such as urinary tract infections, should be ruled out before a diagnosis of marking behavior is made. While neutering can often decrease or resolve the problem, behavior modification, environmental treatment, and elimination of anxiety triggers can help to reduce the behavior.

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What is urine marking?

Urine marking is a natural, instinctive behavior in dogs, but it is not desirable inside the house. Dogs, especially sexually intact male dogs, urinate on objects to mark their territory or to leave a message for other dogs. Urine marking behavior usually begins when the dog reaches sexual maturity.

What causes urine marking?

An intact male dog is most likely to mark when there is a female dog in heat nearby. Intact female dogs are also prone to marking when they are in heat. However, any dog may mark if another dog has urinated anywhere in the house. By urinating on the previous site of urination, the dog essentially “remarks” that location as its own territory. Unless the scent of the urine is completely removed, the dog is likely to keep urinating there.

In multi-dog households, dogs, especially of the same sex, may have conflicted relationships, which can result in urine marking.

Any anxiety-producing situation can trigger urine marking as well. Workmen in the house, the arrival of a new baby, or visiting relatives can all produce anxiety in a dog. Even the addition of a new TV or a new computer may unsettle a dog so that it feels compelled to mark the packing boxes. Your dog is not trying to get back at you – it’s just stressed and doing what comes naturally!

How is urine marking diagnosed?

Your veterinarian will ask when, where, and how often the behavior occurs. Tests should be carried out to rule out medical disorders that may be causing the problem. If there are no medical causes, your veterinarian will need to determine if incomplete housetraining or other behavioral conditions are causing the problem.

How can it be treated?

Overcoming urine marking usually requires multiple steps:

Neutering. If the dog is sexually intact, neutering is the first step. In many cases, male dogs that are neutered stop urine marking within weeks to months of the procedure. Female dogs that are spayed almost always stop the behavior. However, behavior modification is often needed as well.

Scent elimination. It is important to remove the scent of previous urine marks with a good enzymatic cleaner. Camouflaging the odor with another scent is not effective. An enzymatic cleaner can help neutralize the scent to prevent recurrences of the behavior. Many dogs won’t urinate where they eat, so you can also try feeding your dog in the location it used to mark.

Positive reinforcement. Never punish a dog for urine marking. Verbal and/or physical reprimands, including yelling “No” at your dog, can create more anxiety, which may only exacerbate the problem. Instead, supervise your pet closely. If you see the dog thinking about or starting to eliminate inside, interrupt him or her with a calm and upbeat cue, “Let’s go outside” or “Outside”, and bring the pet outside. When the dog urinates outside, reward him or her with praise and treats. Make sure to bring your dog outside frequently, always providing rewards for appropriate urination outdoors.

Confinement. During retraining, it helps to limit your dog’s access to frequently marked areas. You may need to confine your dog to a room or small area by shutting doors or by using baby gates or a crate. Acclimate your dog positively to the confinement area and ensure the management is not inducing additional anxiety or stress. Some dog’s urine mark due to separation distress and confinement could intensify their stress. As your dog’s behavior improves, you can gradually increase his or her freedom in the house. Be careful to frequently exercise your dog outside, so your dog does not become agitated with long periods of confinement.

Minimize anxieties. If you can identify the factors that are causing your dog anxiety, remove them or minimize their importance. With a new baby, for example, you can desensitize your dog by gradually increasing the amount of time your dog is exposed to the new baby. At the same time, use counterconditioning tactics, such as praising, petting, and rewarding your pet for calm behaviors around the baby, so it has positive associations with the child.

You may also consult your veterinarian about a D.A.P. Dog Appeasing Pheromone diffuser. By mimicking the pheromones produced by a mother dog to give her puppies a sense of calm and well-being, this product can help ease anxieties in dogs.

Medications. If you are unable to identify or eliminate stressors in your dog’ life, ask your veterinarian whether medication could help. In most cases, dogs are given a type of antidepressant. These drugs often take 4 to 6 weeks to make a difference. However, behavior modification is always the first choice and should continue, even with medications. If the problem continues, ask a veterinary behaviorist for help.

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