Marking is a normal dog behaviour, but when its in a place that we don't want it to happen it can affect your relationships with your dogs. Lets have a look at why they mark, and what you can do to stop them doing it in places you don't want it to happen.
As we all know dogs see through their noses, when exiting your home they are “hit” with around 37,000 different smells telling them all sorts of things about their environment. Obviously this differs depending on where you live and on the breed.
Dachshunds are built for scent, they are hunters and scent hounds. Their scent receiving receptors are significantly higher than the average dogs (although lower than a blood hounds), their long snout allows them to stick their mush into small holes, their small stature keeping them low to enable the ground sniffing, even their big ears help enhance smells and direction of sound of small critters which the smell may be leading to. They are snuffling, truffliing, mean smelling machines! Which means they really understand how important scent is, to receive……..and to give!
In areas of high traffic their snouts are prime height for exhausts and fumes so may often be overwhelmed by those chemical smells – a bit like walking into a perfume store! At the end, you can’t smell much at all. They even have a special gland that helps enhance their smell, and they use taste to enhance it even further. Ever seen them sneeze or snort when on a trail? That’s them clearing the gland that enhances their scent, or they’ve had a hit of a really really strong smell! In a pet shop, how many other dogs have left little deposits saying "Fido was 'ere!?"
So it makes sense that they communicate through scent to other animals too, just as we write signposts, marking behaviours are a dogs way of communicating to others in the area and will communicate different things. Age sex, reproductive status, health and emotional state.
Marking is usually triggered by hormonal changes as dogs reach puberty but can continue due to a number of things. Its not just male dogs that mark and cock their legs either, girls do it too! If you skip through this facebook video I did to about 5:50, you can see a classic example of my girls sneaking in behind me to pee in a hole…..why? Who knows, because they can! https://www.facebook.com/perfectlypolitedachshunds/videos/467308959382890
The chemical messengers in urine – pheromones are recognised by others of the same species. Essentially the dogs are sending pee-mails to others who may pass by.
Often after a thorough sniffy investigation of an area, a dog may leave a small deposit of urine – usually up something. Whilst marking is most commonly seen in entire males, neutered males and females will do the same. Usually marking is only a small amount of urine versus a full emptying of the bladder. It sends a message and whilst its not socially acceptable from a human perspective it is normal dog behaviour.
Why does marking happen?
Well, we can only guess, or make educated assessments as to why, until we meet a talking dog we will only ever be able to make assumptions. Historically, it was always said the dog was being “dominant,” trying to tell everyone it was their turf and they were the boss. However, as with all things research and our understanding has changed alongside our relationships with dogs and we know that isn’t the case. They are much more complex than we once thought – and they aren’t (we think) trying to take over the world…..although they may do a better job than many politicians!
Marking is different to toilet training and it can be very frustrating and embarrassing for people to have to deal with. Bottoms of curtains, plastic bags, a pair of trainers, up the leg of the dining table – and even up someone’s leg! Often male dogs in particular will favour vertical surfaces which may trigger an automatic response and not always an emotional response.
Marking is generally preceded and followed by a sequence of events, but can also be an indication of an underlying emotional issue. Of course, if your dog suddenly starts urinating indoors (especially big puddles) you should speak to your vet to discuss this, as you should with any sudden changes in behaviour.
After marking, the reinforcement from the action comes from turning back to have a sniff and satisfying themselves that that item smells of them.
Sometimes increased marking can be related to social changes in their environment – a new dog nearby, a female in season, changes in your home.
It can be related to anxiety – a desire to make the environment smell more familiar. Or to mask the scent of something they don’t want others to know about – for example another dog with poor health, puppies, or even an unwell human. A lot of anxious dogs do a lot of marking. By making things smell more familiar it helps them feel like they are “home.”
They might do it when you visit a friends or daycare to communicate to other dogs, a bit like the “about me” section on a website.
Lets look at why in a bit more detail - asking why is the key to how!
Well, first you need to identify why and when they are doing it. They aren’t being bad dogs! They are just being dogs – and it is a normal behaviour, but its not something we want to happen indoors.
Anxiety
They may have an anxious disposition already, but a confident dog may feel a bit unsettled at times. If they mark frequently, or it increases, especially in response to specific triggers e.g. loud noises, new visitors, changes in routine it could be related to anxiety levels.
Location of marking – often when its related to anxiety the marking occurs in areas where they feel vulnerable, it can often be near doors or windows.
Increases of other anxious behaviours – panting, pacing, defecation, destructive behaviours and barking or whining.
If anxiety is the likely culprit, addressing the source of this will help the marking behaviours. Paying attention to where and when it happens and looking at why they fell more on edge is the key to resolving the issue.
Insecurity
If they feel vulnerable they may mark to help them feel more secure in their environment. If they are sound sensitive, or you have a lot of comings and goings they may feel unsettled. Looking at how to help them feel safe and secure in that environment is key. Creating a safe haven where they can freely come and go at all times will help with this.
Excitement
When dogs are excited or over-stimulated they may mark. Trying to calm things down, especially at the start, taking them outside when meeting new dogs initially so they can send their pee-party peemails in appropriate places can be helpful.
Distraction
If your dog is worried by people and dogs, you may find they go up to something and pee. Its quite clever really, it offers a distraction to the interested party so your dog can create some space or feel calmer. The other dog may go off to sniff the area creating a bit of calm and distance whilst they investigate and leave their reply, and the human flaps around to get a cloth.
Frustration
If a dog feels a loss of control, maybe they are lacking or needing (or wanting) some attention they may mark as a way to express their needs. Obviously we don’t understand how to read peemails but do they know we can’t?
Maternal behaviours
A mother will probably pee over her puppies pee to mask their smell from potential threats. Ensuring the mother feels safe in her environment is key. I have seen males do the same. There is no reason I can see that an adult dog wouldn’t do similar when you have a new vulnerable guest -canine or human.
Habit
With habit, this means there isn’t really a observable reason to do it, its just what they’ve learned to do. For this I would recommend creating an environment where they can mark – e.g. a pee post outside. Careful observation and monitoring of pre marking behaviours, and quickly and calmly taking them outside giving them time to sniff and search for the best spot and some time after that incase they need to do it again. I’d restrict or block access to common spots, lift curtains off the floor, and plant pots whilst you address the issue. Make sure you use a urine neuteraliser to break down the enzymes and often covering the area with a stronger scent can help.
How to address it.
As you can see, marking isn’t just the sign of one thing. Whilst we do know it is a form of communication, looking at the dogs personality, when it happens and trying to think why from the dog’s perspective is key to resolving the issue.
1. Belly bands – I’m not a huge fan but they can help you relax a bit when you visit people’s homes. In theory they do remove an element of the self rewarding part of the behaviour as the scent isn’t left. Unfortunately belly bands can increase risks of infections and skin issues so really shouldn’t be used frequently or for long periods of time. Blog on this here: https://www.perfectlypolitedachshunds.com/post/belly-bands-and-nappies-and-toileting-problems
2. Back to basics with the toilet training. If it is more than just a quick mark, then I’d go back to basics with toilet training, but try to think about when it happens. Several blogs on various aspects of toilet training here: https://www.perfectlypolitedachshunds.com/blog/search/toilet%20training
3. Work on the root cause of their anxiety. As with us, simply addressing the symptoms does not address the cause, and thus the problem is always there. Separation related issues, reactivity on walks, resource guarding behaviours may also lead to increased marking. They themselves are the manifestation of an emotional imbalance. Dig a little deeper – try to help them overcome the underlying issues with the help of a professional. This blog looks at the world from a dachshund perspective – things are very different when you are 6 inches tall! https://www.perfectlypolitedachshunds.com/post/honey-i-shrunk-the-dachshund
4. Create opportunities for your dog to go on sniffy adventures – whether in the garden or on walks and let them sniff and mark. Some research suggests letting them sniff and mark for the first part of a walk helps reduce arousal and continued sniffing and marking later in the walk. Remember the wall of smells they hit when they exit your home – by letting them make it smell more familiar it will help them relax more.
5. If they are adolescents and just starting to cock their leg (how short does that hurrar last when they first cock their legs btw) don’t let a habit set in. Create opportunities and environments that are suitable and micromanage.
6. Restrict access to rooms you cannot monitor to reduce practice and rehearsal. After its happened its too late, that’s on you. Don’t tell them off, this can increase anxiety around toileting (and more) and potentially increase the issue – and sneaky toilets. Calmly clean the area, ideally without them insight and make a note of what led to it – were you busy? Stressed? Were they?
7. Keep a peemail diary. Try and work out a routine of the ones you miss. What happens before, what may lead to it. This isn’t just about them, but you too. Dogs pick up on our emotions and respond to them. Their behaviour could easily be a reflection of something in your routine or your mood that makes them feel uneasy.
8. Make sure there aren’t any underlying health issues influencing or causing this behaviour. Even if your dogs happily run around, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a level of discomfort – dogs don’t tend to show discomfort until they are as high as 7 on the pain scale! https://www.perfectlypolitedachshunds.com/post/can-chronic-pain-really-cause-behavioural-issues
9. What comes before marking? Sniffing! So provide opportunities in your garden around the spots they do like to explore for them to circle which leads them to a vertical surface. If you are quick quietly praise the action of going. I’m not a fan of using anything more than gentle praise for this so they aren’t distracted or interrupted from the behaviour you want.
A word on neutering – it isn’t the quick fix it is made out to be. IF marking is hormonal, it may help BUT the risks of IVDD are much higher in dogs that are neutered under 2 years old. If marking is habitual or emotional, like with any behaviour neutering is unlikely to help and can increase behavioural issues. Here’s a link to a blog with associated research on neutering: https://www.perfectlypolitedachshunds.com/post/lets-talk-neutering
I hope you find this blog helpful and it helps you resolve the issues surrounding your dog's marking behaviours.
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