# Male Marking?



## fictionqueen

I have a seven month old male. I had him neutered as soon as my vet would do it at four months old. He still doesn't lift his leg to urinate, so I am wondering if he won't ever, being neutered so young. I guess I could ask my vet, but I have been reading all of your marking horror stories tonight, so I am curious if I might escape that particular experience. My boy is perfectly potty trained at this point, except I still lock him up at night in his kennel. (I don't trust him *that *much)


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## RikiDaisyDixie

*Marking*

Marking is usually a male dog who hasn't been neutered or an alpha male who marks where he smells another dog has urinated.

My male dog Riki only "marks" outdoors where Daisy has peed. He knows better than to pee in a house.

My guess is your dog won't mark. He might make a pee accident from time to time...but you are most probably safe.

Linda


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## lfung5

All 3 of my guys mark, even Bella. They only mark outside and wouldn't even think of doing it inside. In fact, they never tried marking in my house. I don't think you need to worry.


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## RikiDaisyDixie

*the best place for a dog to mark...*

Here is Riki "marking"...his favorite spot, as has every other dog in the neighborhood...Daisy looks on...she prefers to pee in fresh pastures where no other dog has been. She doesn't like her little butt to get wet!
Linda


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## RikiDaisyDixie

*Potty training*

Sue Nelson, my trainer, actually had a small fire hydrant in her yard where she wanted all the boy dogs to pee. And they did. You can get one and put it in your yard where you want your dog to go. Just invite another male dog over and he will start it, and then you have a perfect pee zone.

Linda


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## CapotesMom

Thats a good idea Linda..I may try that! I have to pull teeth to get him to pee outside in the mornings sometimes.


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## good buddy

Do you know where she got the fire hydrant?


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## RikiDaisyDixie

*here's one*

this isn't the same one, but here is one you could use:
http://www.petacular.com/products/Dog-Fire-Hydrant.html


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## Jane

fictionqueen said:


> I have a seven month old male. I had him neutered as soon as my vet would do it at four months old. He still doesn't lift his leg to urinate, so I am wondering if he won't ever, being neutered so young.


Lincoln was neutered even earlier, around 9 weeks. He did not lift his leg until he was close to 2 years old. I was surprised and shocked the first time. So, it is possible!


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## suzyfrtz

Cazzie was neutered at eight months. He is thirteen months now. I'm sorry to say that Cazzie has been going through a bad time of potty regression since I got home from my hospital stay. He was shifted around somewhat during that time, and when I returned home I was pretty much in bed and couldn't walk him or cuddle him. I really don't know if that was his way of coping, but for the first two weeks he was peeing little spots all over the house. Was he saying, Mommy don't go away again, look, this is your place and I'm making sure of it???  I'm working with him now and things are getting better slowly. 

He mostly squats to pee but sometimes lifts his leg. Sometimes does a balancing act on three legs and falls over!

Suzy


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## fictionqueen

Thanks for all of your feedback. The reason I am wondering if my boy is going to start marking is because I was reading another thread on this training forum about an eighteen month old male who has begun marking. It made me worry a little. I live with a VERY fussy man in a meticdulous house that he has beautifully remodeled himself. When I first moved in with him I had an older golden retriever who would have been mortified to potty in the house. That was the only other dog I have ever had untill Winston came along (I had to beg to have this puppy... LOL) I want to be ready if this issue comes up. I have worked very hard to potty train him and he is such a good dog. At seven months he is amazing (my golden was a wild man untill about two). I din't think I would like such a small little guy after my retriever(80 pounds of pure lover) but he is such a little doll.


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## marisoma

I have a five month old male Giotto (not yet neutered) and within the last 2-3 weeks he has begun to lift his leg to pee and marks. So far, it is only outside. When he seriously has to pee (like first thing in the morning) he still squats, but otherwise he lifts his leg...or makes an attempt to do it. He will "mark" every tree, stop sign, lamp post, hydrant, he passes. Sometimes something comes out, most times it is nothing. I had male dogs as a child but never really paid as much attention to them as I pay my little guy. So I am assuming this is all normal and something all male dogs do. I've been told it will likely stop when he is neutered, but it is all fine with me as long as he keeps it outside. He could mark for the rest of his life as long as he does it outside the house.


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## gelbergirl

Jane said:


> Lincoln was neutered even earlier, around 9 weeks. He did not lift his leg until he was close to 2 years old. I was surprised and shocked the first time. So, it is possible!


Yeah, same thing with Henry - he's almost 2 and just started with the leg lifting. I think it has to do with more dogs in the neighborhood.


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## Havtahava

marisoma said:


> He will "mark" every tree, stop sign, lamp post, hydrant, he passes. Sometimes something comes out, most times it is nothing. I had male dogs as a child but never really paid as much attention to them as I pay my little guy. So I am assuming this is all normal and something all male dogs do. *I've been told it will likely stop when he is neutered*, but it is all fine with me as long as he keeps it outside. He could mark for the rest of his life as long as he does it outside the house.


 In response to the part about it likely stopping when he is neutered: Not always. If you let him mark now, even a neuter won't necessarily stop it. If you don't want him to do something as an adult, then don't let him do it as a puppy. The easiest way I've found is to walk them on a leash and when they want to stop and lift their leg, use a happy voice to say "let's go" or "keep walking" and give a gentle, but obvious sharp little tug on the lead. Make sure he knows that when you are walking, so is he.


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## Jane

Havtahava said:


> In response to the part about it likely stopping when he is neutered: Not always. If you let him mark now, even a neuter won't necessarily stop it.


So true. Scout was marking before his neuter at 6 mos. and he is still marking. In hindsight, it would have been better not to allow it at all from the get go....


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## Me&2Girls

Oh yea, start that training now. I've got a 2-year old male rescue who's original owner never housebroke him. He pees on everything - and been a big challenge to try and train at the older age. He was neutered at a year and it didn't change a thing.


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## EstrellaVila

You all are scaring me. Tito is the marking monster, anything some other dog has peed on he will pee on. I pray he never pees in the house.


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## marisoma

Havtahava said:


> In response to the part about it likely stopping when he is neutered: Not always. If you let him mark now, even a neuter won't necessarily stop it. If you don't want him to do something as an adult, then don't let him do it as a puppy. The easiest way I've found is to walk them on a leash and when they want to stop and lift their leg, use a happy voice to say "let's go" or "keep walking" and give a gentle, but obvious sharp little tug on the lead. Make sure he knows that when you are walking, so is he.


Is this something I should discourage? I mean, I don't much care that he does it outside while we are on walks, but I do not want him doing it in the house. He just started doing it like 2 or 3 weeks ago and it's almost funny because most of the time he lifts his leg nothing comes out. He's even tipped himself over a few times, but he is almost obsessive about marking anywhere he can when he out on a walk. Should I just distract him and move on, hoping he forgets and stops? I just figured this was natural behavior that I shouldn't change, but if I can it would prevent a bigger issue, I will. He does still squat to pee so it's not like I have to retrain him to pee another way.


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## Havtahava

A lot of people don't care, but I dislike dogs marking anywhere they please. I do not allow my boys to mark when we go on walks except for two shrubs in my front yard. They can mark anywhere they please in the backyard. That is their turf and I'm fine with that. Out front, they need to mind their manners. Urine all over the place is disgusting. (Our sprinkler system washes the backyard at least once a day.) I dislike when other people walk their dogs and allow them to lift their legs all over my front gardens and walkways also.

In other words, it is up to you. If you don't mind, you'll have plenty of company.


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## Jane

The big problem is....

I also allowed my boys to mark on our walks, and anywhere outside. 
They never mark in their OWN house.

BUT, if I take them to another house where there are dogs or traces of urine stains, etc. they will mark over them.

Somehow, if you can teach them to only mark when you allow it, putting limits on it like Kimberly does, you may not have a problem. 

Regrets.....


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## Petaluna

I don't have my Hav yet, but have been researching this topic in advance, since I had a female mixed breed rescue here a few months ago who marked all over the house. She had not been spayed, and I'm looking at adopting an un-spayed female who I would later spay after she settles in. Ideally I want a female who was spayed before her first heat, but I'm looking for an adult Hav female so I can skip the puppy stage, and they are all likely to be retired breeders. I didn't think females marked (My yorkie never did in the house, though she would outside on walks sometimes), and I want to be ready if that starts. 

One article I read (there was a link to it through the Havenese Rescue site) said that you shouldn't let them mark on walks. Neuter early, and discourage the behavior elsewhere, even if it's not in your house. Like don't let them get into the habit. As Kimberly mentioned above, maybe you can keep it to just certain areas outside your own house. My Yorkie was so little, her markings were just a couple of drops on the grass or whatever, so we had no problems with urine killing plants, or odors outside, but in the future with a new dog, it's a behavior I would want to control. I live with a fussy man, too, we are not neat freaks by any stretch, but nobody wears shoes in the house, and he's a bit freaked about the potty training thing, and I don't want marking in my house, either.


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## fictionqueen

I will have to look for that article. I am hoping that since I had Winston neutered so young maybe I will miss the whole marking thing, especially since he hasn't been lifting his leg yet. He is only seven months old, so I guess if they can still start at two years old, I'm not in the clear yet.


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## Petaluna

you know, that's the reason I'm looking for a female, I figure that behavior is less likely. Some people say their male dogs have never marked, and I talked to someone just a few weeks ago who said her friend's neutered male Westie who she'd had for years never marked, but out of the blue started lifting his leg in her house for reasons unknown. 

Maybe I was lucky with my Yorkie, I had her spayed pretty young (and in retrospect, probably too early for a toy breed, I had no dog experience then) at about 4-6 months, and she never once marked in the house (that I know of). 

I'm wondering whether I might encounter this issue, though, as a result of a new dog smelling where this other dog marked in my house a couple months ago. I know I didn't find all the spots, but one was on the seat of a beautiful, brand new upholstered chair, and I didn't go after that vigorously because I wasn't sure about the fabric. The stain is out and I can't smell anything now, but a dog probably would, and I'll be ripping my hair out if somebody tries to cover that up.

How does your guy feel about the average sick, forgetful, or held it too long accidents in the house other than marking? My yorkie developed a habit of licking whatever she was next to - arm of a chair, etc. I am still in the process of "letting go" of my attachments to my nice floors and furniture, since I know there will be a certain amount of inevitable destruction. I've decided the trade off is worth it, but a little part of me will mourn for my clean, unsoiled, un-stained former life - LOL!


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## Havtahava

Petaluna, you figure that which behavior is less likely? 

Females will mark too. One of my girls feels the need to mark over ANY other dog's urine. Thankfully, none of my dogs mark in the house. I wouldn't tolerate that at all.


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## fictionqueen

He has been pretty patient, but he has seen how hard I worked to get Winston trained so early (and aways cleaning up the accidents immediately). I never used pads because I didn't want him to ever think he was allowed to potty inside. I know others use them successfully, though I thought it would be gross to see him pee on the floor(even if it was over a pad).
My boyfriend never had a dog before, so he has just left it all to me and trusted I knew what I was doing
(right)
The whole marking thing sounds like it would be hard to manage.
My Golden retriever was a casual marker on walks, but we live in colorado and mostly walked on trails. I have always picked up poops, but I never thought to control marking behavior until I read Kimberly's post. 
I wonder how many people were annoyed with me and my dog.
I don't miss the meticulously clean house. The first time I swept the floor after my golden retriever was gone and there was no dog hair I sat and sobbed for hours.
Anyway the men in the house are mostly happy with each other.


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## good buddy

Rikidaisy said:


> this isn't the same one, but here is one you could use:
> http://www.petacular.com/products/Dog-Fire-Hydrant.html


Thanks Rikidaisy! I talked to hubby about the fire plug idea and he's going to check with some guys that work with the city. Maybe they have an old one lying around that we could fix up! I think it would be cool to have in the carner of the back yard as the approved marking spot.



Petaluna said:


> I am still in the process of "letting go" of my attachments to my nice floors and furniture, since I know there will be a certain amount of inevitable destruction. I've decided the trade off is worth it, but a little part of me will mourn for my clean, unsoiled, un-stained former life - LOL!


Petaluna, I've had Rufus over a year now and there hasn't been any "inevitable destruction". :whoo: Not one chewed chair leg or mess that couldn't be cleaned up completely. He's 100% reliable in the house. Don't assume that destruction comes with the dog automatically. :biggrin1:


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## Petaluna

Christy, good to know! My yorkie got well trained early, but inevitably there were accidents, spots where she got sick and I didn't find it till it was dried up, etc. She would lick the arm of the chair when no one was looking, etc. 

Kimberly, I *hoped* I'd have less of a marking issue with a female, based on all I've read, but I'm sure there are plenty of exceptions. As long as it's not in the house, I don't care. I'm not exactly a real experienced dog owner, so I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, if I come to it....


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## EstrellaVila

*pee belly??*

My Tito has pee belly. He pees, and somehow even though he lifts his leg and what not he gets it on the belly! It is gross. I have to wash that belly of his every day. How can this be prevented??


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## Jane

I am not sure how to _completely _prevent it, but I do trim the hairs on the belly (above the penis) - so there is a hair-free area about 1" above the penis.

They still get urine spraying on the insides of the rear legs though. I think it helps to periodically just rinse that area with water. I can hold my boys upright in the kitchen sink (so they are standing on their hind legs) and then use the faucet spray to spray the groin area. Then, I towel dry. It cuts down on the smell on their coats in between full baths.


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## TobyBaby

We have pee belly here too. Darn dog is always wet either with pee belly or his dripping beard from drinking water @@. But..I have a question...I thought from the vet because Toby is a little guy we might neuter him at six months and not any earlier. Is that a bad idea because of the marking thing?


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## Me&2Girls

Actually for their growth heath, the longer you can wait to neuter the better. Yes, you may have a bit more issues training not to mark but personally I don't see much of a difference between the early and late neuters. If you've got a marker, you've got a marker. Male or female.


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