Male dog 5 yrd still marking in house?

Question

I have an uneutered male 5 yr old APBT. The dog is unbelieveably smart..knows well over 100 words. My problem is he continually marks in my house!! HE KNOWS NOT TO DO THIS....as soon as I go near his mess he clearly exhibits behavior of this is wrong..I don't have to say anything. Besides which he can say yes and no (indicated by giving me his paw unto a yes or no hand of mine) and clearly he knows he's not suppopsed to do this. The problem is when I leave the house he marks on the garbage pails in the house. I've tried reprimanding, yelling, hitting, locking away, putting in cage (he destroyed the 200 dollar indestructible cage, BTW)...he is miserable at these disciplinary methods, and so am I!!! Yet they don't seem to prevent the same behavior in the next time. It's too late for a simple neutering solution. I'm at my wits end...I need a really professional dog expert here. What can I do to stop this behavior of 5 years?

No. I said the dog is smart, didn't I? Also, I have decades of exp with dogs, own five right now. When I come he's ecstatic. He's not in appeasment mode. He'll bluff me that he was on perfect behavior...it's not until I investigate and he see's me spot his wrong-doings that he shows sorrow....try again.

Argh...good to know there is help, Liz. Thing is...he's a beautiful specimen of his breed and I want to breed him. My neighor has a like female puppy..so I'm looking at a good year of this before neutering becomes possible. It's good to know that it's not necessarily set in stone though!
For the girl who suggested a 'professional'...one, I COULD BE a professional, but you're right, I'd like someone like Caesar Milan to check this out...only, I have an animal shelter, for real...I have no money...ever. You'd be amazed at the amount of animal poundage that I care for.

Dumb girl, with the outside suggestion? Do you not think I know what a dog's elimination needs might consist of? I do. So does he. However, dogs can veritibly manufacture urine on demand. I dont' leave him outside because he's a pit...no fur, no kinda protection...also, block-headed...when he's online...he does nothing but pace...constantly. No relaxing, no laying down in the shade. APBT's should be house dogs, with regular exercise...which, BTW, for anyone else, he gets, several times a day..he's well trained! Will stay in the front yard, play with his tire...he can throw it and catch it all by himself...but I play with him too. It's nothing other than marking. I read that that could be a sign of insecurity...I got him at 9 weeks..and he was cowed. Since then I've done all I can to build him up, he's spoiled, really, the only rule is: You get whatever you want so long as you do whatever I say. He's smart, handsome, talented and proud usually...as he should be...just this

Mignon: I was excited with the first part of your answer...you seemed to know what you were talking about. The end was a huge let down. The dog is 5 yrs old...I had him since 9 wks..he is my surrogate CHILD! TRUST me he gets all the attention he could want or need. How you think he built up that vocabulary. He's the star of our house...everyone loves him, includes him. I let him sleep in my bed! Seriously...he's my shadow..>I let him hang out in the bathroom with me when I'm on the toilet, cus that's what he wants...I bring him to the store and buy him 100 dollars worth of toys...every month...cus that's what he wants. I HAVE TO LEAVE SOMETIMES>..and hiding things can't be a solution. Anyone else?

I like your style Elizabeth C! Unfortunately, the dog only exhibits this behavior when I am not home. :( I can't figure out how to catch him in the act and 'claim' the cans. I've tried the claiming itself...the dog hears me..he understands me. I donno. When I'm there he will do absoultely anything I can ask of him....this is a sucky situation for the both of us.

I was waiting for someone to tell me it makes no sense to ask a question only to cross off every anwer. Truth is though...this is something I CAN NOT figure out...I only cross off the answers I have already tried. So....why be so defensive? I honestly have a problem, and it's actually embarrassing....I'm looking for as many answers as I can get hoping to come across something that will work with Aragorn:The Blockness Monster! Don't hate me for it!

haven't received one answer that's going to help...so...no best answer. :(

Answer 1

Why not put the garbage cans where he can't get them.

Answer 2

~ It depends on the dog. How well is he housebroken? What personality type does he have? Some dogs will mark no matter what the minute they are in new house and either smell or see a dog regardless of the sex. Other unfixed dogs will not mark. Your probability of the dog marking at some point in your house is above average but the only way to tell is let him in. Some dogs mark like crazy outside, but never lift there leg inside. It is unfortunate that males are not fixed at an early age if they are not going to be breeders. I have done a lot of fostering and pet sitting and seen a lot of unfixed males who have a hard time going places because of their marking habits.

Answer 3

Okay, I'll give this a try, Cesar style.
In your response to MIGNON you said dog is spoiled and sleeps on your bed. In the dogs mind, you are equal, so he does not have to do what you say. Dog must be your follower or he is not going to be secure. You said he was 'cowed' when you got him. Building up the dog does not mean giving over your house and bed. It means giving him the security of knowing you are in charge of everything and he need not worry about being safe.

The dog is claiming the garbage cans, you need to "take" the claim away. Is it possible to put all but one away, and set him up. When he gets anywhere near the can you back him off. From now on he cannot go near the cans. I had a very smart chocolate Lab (female), she also had huge vocab and hand signs etc. She would get anxious when I left and chew up the TV remote or phone hand set. I finally set her up and caught her. It took several times, but she got it. I know I spoiled her, but she was my first dog away from home. I did not make the same mistake with the 4 subsequent dogs (including a pit) and they all have followed he as obedient relaxed and confidant Omega's of my pack (I have kids too).



Well I had to put my remotes and phones on top of the fridge till we stopped her, I guess you'll have to move the cans and de-scent the area.....Good luck. P.S. After the choc. Lab. I swore I'd never again have a dog smart as me. You might have to consider that too. Sucks, sometimes it's the only decent conversation you'll get....

Answer 4

well first off, when is this "reprimanding, yelling, hitting" happening?
because, as u said, he marks when u leave...
so are u doing this when u come home?
if so, thats why ur dog "looks" like he "knows" what he did.
dogs have an associative memory of about 0-3 secs. so u coming home, looking at what he did, and then reprimanding him means that he thinks u coming home is what is wrong in the situation, NOT the marking.
he obviously has gotten to the point where he automatically assumes the appeasement mode when u come home since he associates u arriving with getting reprimanded.

any punishments have to be at that exact moment, if not before. u have to be there to catch him the moment he sniffs and saddles up next to the trashcan and stop him dead in his tracks. not after he pees, and definitely not after he walks away or is onto another activity.


lastly, u can also try:
-DAP diffuser (emits pheremones to calm down stress behaviors like marking)
-No Mark spray on trashcan
-Putting the garbage pails away
-Asking ur vet about a horomone reducing injection to see if neutering will help



*****
well, since ur so knowledgeable...why r u on here?
appeasement mode or not...punishment after the fact with a dog never works, and if anything, aggrevates the situation. anyone can tell u that. so...keep doing what ur doing and keep seeing him not understanding.

Answer 5

First of all you need to stop with the yelling.
When he's done his dirty deed, you've found it, yes he knows you're going to be mad. Your process of No not allowed isn't working.
You're over disciplining your dog for urinating in the house. If he's not used to being in a crate/kennel then what's the point there. I've been told if you don't see it then there's nothing to do and I don't agree with that always.
The dog knows you're upset, just do the simple NO and let him outside. Clean up the mess and it's over. Still let the dog know he's loved--he's looking for acceptance/attention and he's not getting it while you're home so when you leave he marks.

Answer 6

what about putting something on top of the can that the he would want, a toy or a treat and claiming the can as yours that way. When he leaves the can he gets the treat or toy. Don't know if that would work ... just a thought since you are not there to catch him do it.

Answer 7

I'm not an expert but you could try putting a "Belly Band" on him when he's in the house. After a while he'll get annoyed with urinating on himself that maybe he'll stop marking.

Answer 8

neutering isn't just a simple solution...it is the solution....if neutered.....there is a high chance that the hiking of his leg will stop. I neutered my male when he was 7 years old after he started marking in the house....he stopped after the neuter and was a great house pet after that. Never had a problem wiith that sort of behavior after he was neutered.

Answer 9

Ask a pet trainer why is he doing this marking. Or bring him somewhere that can teach he how to behave better (even though he know a lot already).

Answer 10

What's the point of asking for advice if you're just going to criticise the responses you get? Perhaps your dogs behaviour would be better if he weren't quite so spoilt. And - you should NEVER hit your dog.