Help! Marking in the house

[Levans9201]

Hello

We have 4 dogs.Two BC's and two puppy shih-tzus. The BC's are 11 and 5 years old. We occasionally would find some pee (marking) in the house in the last few years. But it was not often at all. We got the 2 puppies about 9 months ago. All 4 dogs get along fine. They even play together etc..

Now when we leave the house and come home we find alot of pee. Usually in the same spots in the house. It is always alot. It was not everytime we left the house only now and again. Usually the pups were crated. But not always So we thought it was the pups. It started to get worse. I could not leave the house for 10 minutes with out coming home to pee.

Not knowing who keeps doing it. We set up the video cam and left the house. We did this several times. Each time it was our oldest BC. As soon as we walked out the back door he would hike his leg in the kitchen. Then run out back. He would come in and wander the house go back to the first spot where he peed and he would either hike his leg over the same spot or would find another spot to do it. One time one of the pups peed in the same spot. So we know who did it but do not understand why when he is completly house broke and knows better.

I need this to stop. I can not always leave them outside. WHich would solve the problem. Only when weather allows.

Could this be a age t hing or is it just oldest male marking his territory when i leave?

He has throid issues for years. Takes pills 2 times a day to control it. He also recently tore ligaments in his knee so on meds for that as well.

 

What can we do to stop this? I almost wonder if he does it out of anxiety that i have left. Over the years he is very afraid of storms etc... he is very attatched to me. Follows me around the house etc.

 

When we do crate the pups or leave them in the laundry room the older BC still pees. Could he be jealous of the pups? I need suggestions please to stop this. We have brand new floors down and he is ruining them!

[2 Devils]

I would make sure you are cleaning the area really well.

 

I would make sure the older bc does not have any urinary problem that could be causing him to do this.

 

If everything is fine medical wise: 1. either crate the older bc or get an xpen 2. try preventing access to the other where he pees

 

You can't stop the issue unless you can't be there when it happens so you have to some how limit access or crate/xpen the dog peeing.

[border_collie_crazy]

sounds like he is staking out his territory from your pups, fraid I have no clue what to do about it though, I have that problem as well, my terrier mix, doesnt mark if other dogs are not around, but because I have 5 others, he is forever marking the entire house, havent figered out how to stop it yet

[bc4pack]

VET CHECK!!!! Could be a UTI, kidney infection.... even possibly the beginnings of cognitive dysfunction....

Do get it checked out.

[mosstheboss2000]

Ruling out medical conditions I would use a Belly Band. Basically just goes around and velcro's together and covers his penis.

If he pees he will pee on himself. Dogs HATE this ... I use them alot as I get alot of intact males into rescue who have no problem peeing on the wall and already have learned to avoid me!

It works like a charm

Cindy

[border_collie_crazy]

yes, a Belly band usually works so you can give that a try. I didnt suggest it because it made my Terrier worse, intsead of being upset about peeing on himself and stopping, he just got more determined to mark his mark known by lifting his leg so much within a 30 second period that the urine soaked right through lol

[Shetlander]

What meds is he on? Some could be causing the increased urination. I'd also want to rule out health issues, including making sure his thyroid meds are at the right dosage. If everything comes back fine, then you can fairly safely assume it is behavioral. I had the same issue develop with my Lhasa when Quinn was around the same age as your puppies. And one of my friends also had an older dog who began marking indoors as her male BC approached his first birthday. Are they male or female?

 

What I ended up needing to do with the Lhasa was crate him when I leave in a very comfy crate, his own little room which he will not mark. Even keeping him in the kitchen with Quinn nowhere near him, he was marking. I think the crating reduces his stress a good deal, though getting rid of Quinn would reduce it a whole lot more. However, since that ain't gonna happen, this seems to work for us.

 

So, after ruling out health issues and getting the pee spots as clean as humanly possible, I'd look at containing the dog so that he either will not mark while you are gone or else the damage will be limited. I do think in some cases, the dog feels more secure if he has a safe den to hang out in and not need to worry about taking care of the whole house or property.

[Levans9201]

Thankyou for all of your responces.

First of all medically he is good.His throid was checked and is managed fine by his meds. He gets a pain pill for his bad knee every other day and I checked with the vet and more urination is not a issue with either meds.

 

I have tried seperating the pups for him while i am gone. He just pees on the door where the pups are and again under the kitchen table and sometimes in the living room. Seperation does not help.

 

As far as crateing the one that is peeing. Or locking him up in the laundry room, did not work. he did not pee but was so mad that the others were out and he wasnt that he tore up the door pretty bad.

 

The only other issue he has when he does pee outside and runs up he tends to leak a bit of urine. We have had him checked vet says he is just getting older and usually is in a hurry to get back to me and so he dribbles. ( like little boys i guess LOL )Just in a hurry!

 

The other thing i do not understand as long as someone is home. Not neccisarily me he will not mark in the house at all. As soon as I leave or we all leave bang he does it.

 

Could he be doing it as me the master has left and he is telling the pups that he is now in charge?

 

I have tile floor in the kitchen and clean the area including the chairs with bleach each time. I know the area is good and clean. My issue is when he does it on the brand new wood floors. Much harder to clean. There is no way to block off the wood floors as it is thru out the entire downstairs except the kitchen. Doggy door is in the kitchen. I do leave them all outside when weather premits. He is very afraid of thunder and storms in general. Also this is texas it is real hot in the summer time.

Any other suggestions??????

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Is this dog intact? Cord had mild prostatitis and it caused the urine dribbling you describe, as well as being very fussy about where he'd pee (discomfort during urination). He'd also get regular UTIs, but they were never bad enough to cause the symptoms he was having.

 

It's been going away pretty rapidly since he was neutered a couple of months ago.