How to Stop Dogs Peeing in the House

Before we can look at solutions to stop a dog from marking in the house we need to understand the difference between territory marking and just peeing.

Signs of territory marking include:

·         When a dog urinates against upright objects such as doors, walls, furniture and even its owner. The dog will often mark new objects which he feels he then owns.

·         Markings are normally small quantities. The reason for small quantities is so that the dog can mark at numerous different locations without having to wait for its bladder to refill and with dogs strong sense of smell only small amounts of urine are required to mark.

·         Lifting of the leg while urinating is a clear sign of the dog marking his territory.

As a general rule, small dogs are more likely to mark in the house, the same goes for males making more than females.

Dogs instinctively mark their territories with urine to serve as messages to other dogs that may smell these markers. Messages include information on the dogs’ sexual status, its health and as a message to others that this is his domain. It is near impossible to stop a dog from marking its territory.

If there is more than one dog in the house, especially males they will mark and re-mark on a regular basis if there are dominance issues.

New members to the family such as dogs, cats and even a new-born baby can cause a dog to start making in the house, the reason for this is that the dog may feel less loved and feel the need to show its dominance over the new member.

Signs of peeing (toilet breaks):

·         The dog will normally pee on flat surfaces such as the floor.

·         Pee puddles will be substantially larger as the dog is totally relieving its bladder.

Solutions to keep a dog from urinating in the house:

Keep in mind your dog will naturally urinate more on colder days.

·         Give your dog water to drink earlier so that before you go to bed you can take the dog outside for hopefully its last pee for the night.

·         By simply showing more affection and attention more often, your dog may decrease the frequency of marking significantly as this gives your dog a greater sense of security within the family.

·         Neutering the dog from a young age can stop dog from marking in the house but will also prevent the dog from breeding.

·         Break the habit before it develops. Start off by restricting the dogs’ movement through your house like closing as many doors as possible. Keep a close eye on your dog to see when it is getting ready for a pee. Signs of getting ready to pee include sniffing or circling the same spot. Just as he lifts his leg to pee make a noise to distract him, when he looks at you “NO” Command him. Keep supervising until the habit is broken, it may take a few days to a few weeks. It is very important not to hit him or shout at the dog as this will only break down his confidence which may result in increased marking.

·         When your dog marks its territory outside ‘Praise’ him. This will boost his confidence and encourage him to urinate outside of the house.

·         Clean any pee as soon as possible using a half/half mixture of vinegar and water. Cleaning away the scent should hopefully discourage the dog from re-marking. Do not use any cleaner that has ammonia as dogs’ urine contains ammonia and your dog may confuse the scent of the ammonia as being the scent of another dog and result in him re-marking the area.

So as you can see there are a number of reasons as to why your do may be peeing in your house and there are couple solutions to stop a dog marking in the house. But if you are concerned that it may be a health issue then take the dog to the vet just to check it out.

Good Luck!

How to Stop Dogs Eating Poop

There are a number of different reasons as to why dogs eat their own poop. It may be very difficult to pin-point exactly why they develop such a habit.

Below are a few explanations as well as solutions to stop your dog from eating its poop.

 

DIET:

If you are very concerned about your loved dog you should consider taking her to vet just in case there is a possible health issue.

One of the most common causes of dogs eating their poop is a lack of required nutrients in the diet which may leave the dog still hungry after meals. A hungry dog will often look for other sources of sustenance. A healthy balanced diet will help the dog to more efficiently absorb the required nutrients from its food.

When deciding on a good quality dog food, consult with a vet as to what is good for your particular dog breed and the dogs’ age.

Another reason why dogs eat their poop and other animals poop is a possibility of internal parasites which sap nutrients out of the dogs’ diet, leaving the dog hungry after meals.

TRAINING AND OBEDIENCE:

Training may stop a dog from eating its own poop but a very important point to remember is not to punish a dog for eating its poop as punishment is unfair if the dog can’t help its self, especially if it is a health or diet issue. The dog may also eat its poop to avoid punishment especially when doing its business in the house.

When he tries to eat the poop “NO” or “Leave It” Command him and lead him away from the poop. If he walks away reward him (Good Dog) and give him a treat.

You can also try distracting him away from the poop with a treat.

Lead the dog away from the poop and distract it by playing with it or giving it an activity to do which will take its mind away from the poop.

CLEAN ENVIRONMENT:

As soon as possible clean up your dogs poop, this will take away the opportunity of it eating it.

Regular cleaning may stop this horrible habit.

Large amounts of dog poop especially in confined areas may cause a dog to clean it its self by eating it.

REDUCE STRESS AND LONELINESS:

• Untidy and unhealthy environment can cause stress and disease.
• Dogs need regular exercise.
• They require playtime to help stimulate the mind and avoid boredom.
• Living in confined spaces for extended periods can be stressful.
• Dogs need to be praised for good behaviour.
• Companionship such as another dog can improve a dogs’ mental state.

All of the above if left unattended may cause a dog to start eating its poop.

ADD SOME INGREDIENTS TO YOUR DOGS POOP:

There are a number of ‘Ingredients’ one can add to your dogs poop to stop him from eating it but first consult with your vet before using any of them as the dog may be allergic to certain ingredients and too many additives may cause an imbalance in the digestive system.

Add some hot and spicy sauce, wasabi or a lemon juice to the freshly laid parcel, this will definitely make the taste of the poop a lot more unpleasant and hopefully discourage the dog from eating it.

Certain additives such as meat tenderizer, pineapple juice and pumpkin when mixed into the dogs’ food give the poop an even more uninviting taste.

CONCLUSION:

As you can see the are a number of different ways to stop your dog from eating its own poop but the best solution is prevention of this habit so first try decipher what the cause is before you try to treat it.

Good Luck!!