BAD Marking Behavior...

ihartgonzo

and Fozzie B!
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#1
This is not for me, of course. My boys have never/will never mark inappropriately. ;] Lawls

Actually, I'm posting this for advice for my friend Courtney. She just adopted a really adorable Doxie x JRT boy named Waldo, about 1 year old, and recently neutered. The rescue claimed he was fully house-trained... they evidently lied!

The first time he came over to my house, he immediately marked the couch. I totally cleaned it, and told her she cannot allow him to wander around the house anymore. Today, we were all at my friend's house for her birthday, and she brought Waldo over. He ran in (on leash) and marked our friend Grace's really expensive new HarajukuLovers bag. :< then, while Courtney was trying to grab him, marked a couch and the wall. He has also marked inside of Courtney's house several times. Then, at the dog park, Waldo marked Grace's foot (shockingly, Grace isn't that fond of him anymore) and tried to mark my leg before I told him off.

I have told Courtney to clean the spots thoroughly, take him outside every 30 mins, and watch him like a hawk. I KNOW the owner is mostly the problem in these situations, and she definitely is! She just doesn't discipline him at all. What are some easy-to-follow tips I can give her... I really don't have experience with obsessive marking, none of my dogs ever have had this problem.

BTW, here's a few pics of the cutieeee!...





 

RD

Are you dead yet?
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#2
I say it's time for a belly band until you can get it sorted out. The more pee there is in her house, the more he's going to mark. Heck, just wetting himself every time he marks may be enough to discourage it.

How recently was he neutered? Might just be a weird hormone thing.

I really don't know how to deal with obsessive marking, sorry. Can't say I've ever encountered that. Hope someone else has some answers for you!
 

ihartgonzo

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#3
thanks, Grace! I didn't even think of a belly band... but I will let her know she should try one. I did a search on the board and got some good tips too, I was just wondering if there's any simple solutions. I guess not.

Eve looks soooo cute in your avatar, btw! Good GOD. C:
 
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#4
Vigilance and praise for going outside would help. The owner may be just too loose about how the dog is handled. It will be hard to fix the problem without getting serious and being vigilant. What great photos. What a nice looking pup. Can you recommend her a training book?
 
B

Backward_Cinderella

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#6
Wow, your friend sounds like a total loser.
This looks like :spam: to me. Someone needs a ban!!

I agree with RD on the belly band, and the person above (not directly, though, because I don't think your friend is a loser) about the praise for going outside. She should also watch him for signs that he is thinking about marking, close sniffing, circling, etc, and take him out when she sees them.
 

ihartgonzo

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#10
Holy cow... I CANNOT believe I noticed this thread, somehow. haha!

Well, thanks to everyone who threw in some advice and wondered about poor Waldo. It's funny you asked, Nolu, because there is a long and ridiculous story to go with Waldo's adventure. I actually found him on Petfinder, because she and her Father were looking for a male Doxie - he was a very sweet dog, most likely abused in his former home, a little bit fearful of men, and he had this marking issue. That's it. Otherwise, he was great, and one of Gonzo's best friends as you can see in the picture above.

Allegedly (yes, allegedly, because sometimes I do not know what to believe) my friend's Father brought Waldo back to the rescue a couple of weeks after I posted this. Yes, because he marked a little in the house. It was not a housebreaking issue, it was a marking issue. And they refused to try a belly band.

Literally five days after her Father dumped Waldo, they got a BC mix puppy. Allegedly, her Father got the BC mix puppy all on his own. Allegedly. I'm being serious, they ACTUALLY went and bought an *ahem*6 week-old*ahem* BC mix from a backyard breeder, because she obviously wasn't going to pee all over the house. So, instead of a 10 lb mild-mannered little dog with a slight marking problem, they now have an almost 2 year-old BC mix with a plethora of behavioral and physical issues. (Physical being that she has Pancreatitis for life because she was allowed to eat immense amounts of bark neurotically, and still is allowed to, and wasn't taken to the Vet for 6 months for chronic diarrhea.) Blargh. I don't even like to talk about her new dog, it's just incredibly depressing and I have given up TRYING to offer any advice.

Needless to say, I miss Waldo. I would have taken him in and attempted to train him, or attempted to find him a good home, or maybe even kept him. I hope he found a happy home who was willing to give him the little bit of time and training that he needed and deserved. :(

 

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