How do I stop my dog from peeing in the house?

A dog does not just starting peeing in his own house for the fun of it. Ask yourself if your dog is merely peeing in the house, or is he marking his territory?

A big clue is normally found in the location. If the dog is peeing against upright objects then it is probably an attempt to mark his territory. Remember though, male dogs normally cock their legs when they pee so they necessarily pee against upright objects.

A good clue is also the amount of urine involved.

Small puddles are normally indicative of marking behaviour, while drowning in dog urine means your dog is regarding the house as his new toilet.

Copious amounts normally means the dog is urinating due to a physical need, and either couldn't, or didn't want to, go out.

Easy solution: If your dog pees during the night it is usually enough to let him drink water earlier, rather than later at night, and take him outside for a pee before going to bed. Careful though! You don't want to dehydrate the poor little guy!

The first step in solving a problem with your dog marking territory inside the house is understanding why dogs mark their territory.

A dog has a sense of smell that is significantly better developed than that of a human. Incidentally, this is why it's a bad idea to take your home-grown stash on holiday with you. Airport dogs can smell that stuff a mile away.

While a dog's urine might smell offensive to us humans, it's as good as a letter to other dogs. It tells them who he is, and whether or not he or she is available to mate. It also establishes dominance over other dogs ("I was here first, so this is my turf"), and helps to dispel his feelings of insecurity and builds confidence.

If your dog is struggling with confidence problems, any sudden change in his home environment can trigger this behaviour because they engender feelings of anxiety. For instance; the arrival of a new baby may mean that your dog is now not getting as much attention as previously. He'll start marking territory to establish his dominance over the new member of the pack, and to reaffirm his place in the pecking order. If you think your dog is having confidence issues, then take a look at my other lens namely, How you can tell if your dog suffers from Seperation Anxiety.

Usually dogs mark outside the house because they don't feel the need to mark inside the house. They feel secure and safe inside the house, they know everyone inside the house and their position is secure. It's when they feel they need to establish dominance inside the pack that they start marking inside the house.

Small dogs are more inclined to pee inside the house than larger dogs; males are more likely to mark than females. Two or more dogs in the same house may regard each other as competition and are then more prone to marking.

While marking is a natural thing for your dog to do, he needs to understand that he does not have to do this inside the house. He needs to feel he is a respected and valued member of the family. Helping your dog feel secure in your love for him will go a long way to alleviating the problem.

A few very important things to remember is:

Have him checked by your vet: If this is a recent development with a dog that has never exhibited this type of behaviour the best thing you can do is take him to the vet. It is possible that there may be an underlying medical condition, such as a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) that causes his incontinence.

Do not shout, rant or rave at him: This is counter productive and will make the problem worse, not better.

You can prevent the habit forming by neutering (ouch!) Neutering at an early age can prevent the habit forming, or can stop marking behaviour. Of course neutering is not always an option should you want him to breed, but please discuss this with your vet before taking any irreversible action.

Try the Supervision Method Try to catch him in the act. Dogs learn (much as humans do) by operational conditioning. Watch your dog closely when he starts exhibiting signs that he might be thinking of marking. Such signs can include sniffing, or circling in spots where he has marked before. When he starts to lift his leg make some noise to distract him and get his attention. Giving him a clear "NO" command and diverting his attention will distract him and, if he was going to mark, will change his mind. If he really needs to pee, take him outside to play ball or something, and he will do it outside the house.

Remember to be consistent. Treat him the same way every time you see him exhibiting marking symptoms, or attempting to mark. I cannot stress the fact enough that at no time should you shout at him, or hit him - you will only make the problem worse.

In order to speed up the learning process be sure to lavish praise upon him when he pees where you want him to. Your dog learns fastest from your positive responses to his behaviour.

Do some research: How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days

Click here for The Best Potty Training Course I have ever seen

and finally click here for The best all-round Canine Training Solution I have ever run across!

Train him early and train him right!

Clean the spots where he marked or peed thoroughly, but don't use ammonia. Dog urine contains ammonia and instead of deterring him it will only make him think some other strange dog is leaving messages. Instead use a solution of water and vinegar to wash the areas thoroughly.

Alternatively, you can use Bicarbonate of soda or this Sure-Fire solution for getting rid of the odor. If your dog cannot smell the old urine he won't be tempted to leave his own little messages.

It's always best if you don't make too much of a fuss over the whole thing. You can easily change your dog's behaviour and get him to pee where you want him to, i.e. outside the house!

Remember, if you start the training as early as possible - preferably when he's still only a puppy - the problem is likely to be more manageable.

Finally, you can have a well behaved dog that is a pleasure to have around. Take a look at one of the best all round Canine Training Courses on the market today by clicking here and see if it makes a difference to your life.

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Peeing is not a problem, it is merely a symptom.

Once you understand why your dog is peeing inside rather than outside the house, you are more than halfway to solving the issue.

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