How to Stop Your Dog From Marking Your Furniture
Dog marking--the act of deliberately urinating on furniture in order to leave a scent behind--is unpleasant, unsanitary and destructive, as well as frustrating to the owner. You may wonder why your dog is doing his business in your home. The truth is that it is a dominance issue; your dog--with no malice intended--is simply questioning your leadership as "alpha" or "top dog" in the house. Fortunately, you can solve this problem by making some simple changes in the way you interact with your dog, so that you can assume or regain your leadership position. If you show calm, firm yet kind leadership, your dog will respond by respecting you and your possessions.
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Things You'll Need
- Enzymatic cleaner formulated for pet stains and odor
- White paper towels
- Steam cleaner (optional)
- Hair dryer
Instructions
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Spay or neuter your dog, if you have not already done so. Although scent marking is more common among male dogs, it is not unheard of for females to do so too; in both sexes, the act of neutering and spaying can help cut down on the marking instinct. Also, in addition to not contributing to the problem of unwanted puppies, your dog will have less chance of developing certain health and behavior problems.
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Remove all traces of odor from marked furniture, using an enzymatic cleaner specially formulated to neutralize odor. You may need to repeat the cleaning process several times; blotting each time with damp white paper towels, until there is no stain or odor on the towels. If you have a steam cleaner, this will give you superb results. Dry fabrics well with a hair dryer.
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Make "target" furniture inaccessible to your dog, if possible. Erect barriers, move pieces into another room and keep them behind closed doors. You will be able to reintroduce them into the decor after the marking problem is solved.
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Immediately say, "No!" in a deep, commanding voice, when you see your dog backing up to furniture, sidling near it or making other moves to scent mark. Leash him and take him outside to urinate, then praise him lavishly.
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Make your dog sit, stay or perform some other obedience command, before you give him food, water, treats or playtime. It is important to remind your dog that you are boss. According to the Free Dog Training Info website, dogs who feel that they are in charge are significantly more likely to "discipline" others with aggressive behavior, and be possessive with their food. You can give treats and play with your dog as enthusiastically as you ever did, but he has to earn it.
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Stick to a consistent regimen of feeding and frequent, regular walking, to encourage good outdoor elimination habits.
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Teach your dog to "heel" while walking on the leash, or review the technique if you have lately become lax and allowed your dog to pull you around. Dictating where, and how fast your dog walks when he is with you can reinforce your leadership.
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Walk your dog on the leash in the house as well as outdoors. Walk him past furniture he has marked in the past, not allowing him to stop and sniff at it. Praise him when is walking nicely at heel.
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Consult a veterinarian if your dog continues to scent mark the furniture in spite of your efforts. She will examine the dog to see if there is a physical problem, and may be able to prescribe a course of medication to help in the training process.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have an item in your household that your dog seems to find disturbing, such as a spray bottle or a scary-looking puppet, it is worth a try to set it near furniture, as a deterrent.
Never use ammonia to clean furniture or carpet your dog has marked--the odor is too similar in smell to urine.
Keep your dog off the furniture, at least until the marking issue is resolved. Dogs tend to feel more dominant when they are up high.
Never scream at him at your dog or hit him if you catch him scent marking. Not only is it inhumane, but ineffective in solving the problem.
References
- Photo Credit dog image by Oleg Salamaha from Fotolia.com
