Dog marking

[Alleychick]

Hey everyone!!! I gotta question....i have a 7 yr old male pit bull. He has always been outside i'm told, he is not fixed, therefore he marks everything! If i get him nuetered will he stop doing that? I am wanting to bring him inside especially in the winter but i cant unless he stops doing it. Any suggestions??

 

[lockedhearts]

At his age he probably will not stop. I had a 3 year old done last year and he still marks, but he is housebroken and will not go in the house.

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

Neutering "should" help as will keeping a constant eye on him, the moment you see him getting ready to mark, distract him, and take him outside to potty. Keep everything that he does mark meticulously clean so that he wont remark smelly areas. You can try a belly band on him. Good luck and I am sure others will have input better than mine lol

 

[hollyclyff]

Maybe, maybe not. Can't hurt to try though. I've known people with dogs that it helped with, but I had a confirmed marker neutered at 3 years and we never did break him of the habit. He was a dachshund though and they are notoriously stubborn, so...

 

[Brindlebtch]

Treat him like a puppy and start crate training him. He just doesn't know any better. Time to teach him. Lots of good info on the internet about it.

Since he is 7 marking has probably become a habit and won't stop just because he is neutered. He will still need crate training.

Try to remove all previous marking and accident odors.

 

[Brindlebtch]

I did this with a 6 year old AmStaff (not neutered) and it worked very well. Just crate train him like you would a puppy.

 

[bufforp89]

At that age it is very unlikley he will stop. What you can do when he is in is tie him to yourself on a long leash so that he is under your constant supervision. Then when he goes to mark tell him NO! and give the leash a sharp tug (not to hard though! you dont want to hurt the old feller!) after a few months it might stop. I went through the same thing with an old dog that had been outside his whole life. He never compleatly stopped but it did get better. Good Luck.

 

[plight79]

I would agree that your pup probably has some deeply ingrained habits...that said, with some consistent training, you will be able to make progress with him. Having him altered will definitely make a difference, the rest is up to you to teach him proper behavior for living in the house. You will definitely need to be vigilent about removing all trace of urine from any other dog from your home. Nature's Miracle and Simple Solutions are good products...make sure you follow instructions esp for the old spots.

Physical corrections will not stop your dog from marking. If you discipline the dog while he is marking, he will just learn to mark where you can't see him. The umbillical leash will be helpful though. Keep the dog near you and watch closely for the mark. You will know when he is getting ready to do it. Get him outside before he marks. This is going to take a lot of time and effort, but with consistent clear training, you will be able to improve the problem. If you are unable to monitor him, put him in hios crate...the crate is an invaluable tool. You need to make sure it is a positive place for him, so make sure you NEVER use it as a punishment. Give him a marrow bone or stuffed Kong to chew on while he is there...many people feed their dogs in their crates to build positive association. If a dog is comfortable and happy in his crate, it makes your life and the dogs a lot less stressful.

If you are commited to neutering and training, this dog will definitely improve the behavior. Also, good for you for taking this dog in. Neutering and getting him off the chain will be the best things for him. If he is used to being chained, there are going to be other behavior problems that arise when you bring him in the house. This is not his fault as he was never taught how to live in the house. There are lots of resources on the web, some good, some bad. If you use your judgement and find a source of positive training info, you should be OK. Thanks and good luck!!!


Here is an article to get you started:

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=2284&S=1

 

[Skyesrocket]

If nothing else works you can put a belly band on him. I have heard that some males will not mark while wearing one because they know they will get a wet belly.

 

[Alleychick]

Thanks everybody for all the insight and info. Ill keep my fingers crossed and let everybody know!!