How Does a Dog Mark Territory?

Territorial Musings

Like fingerprints to a human, a dog's urine produces a unique smell that is solely that dog's. While the smell may not last forever, it will serve as at least a temporary warning that this territory belongs to him and violation of the borders could mean a fight. As a dog has little sense of a "home" that doesn't need to be marked, this can lead to urinating inside the house, as well as outdoors. While much of their independent, wild spirit has been bred out of them over thousands of years, territoriality remains a strong instinct.

How a Dog Marks Its Territory

Dogs use short bursts of urine when they are marking a particular territory. You may have watched your dog go from tree to tree, lifting his leg for only a brief moment at each stop and wondered, "Why doesn't he just take care of it in one long stream?" When the dog is truly ready to relieve himself, he will do just that. This tree-to-tree urine fest has little to do with emptying the bladder and everything to do with marking territory. Close notice may even reveal that little or no urine comes out at each stop. To the dog, the mere act of lifting the leg is more important than the final outcome.

Reasons Behind It

There are several reasons that a dog might want to mark its territory. Of course, we've already outlined the basics behind marking, but there are smaller, subtler reasons behind it as well. For one thing, a dog's urine can reveal much about the dog's current state. A sick dog will produce urine that smells differently than when he is well. This can serve as a warning to other dogs that to stay away would be in their best interest. Urine can also reveal a dog in heat and serve as a welcoming invite to dogs of the opposite sex. Finally, marking territory can be a simple act of aggression and dominance.