# how to handle marking



## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi all,
We are hoping to keep our 9 month old male intact as long as possible. It seems like just last week, he started marking everywhere outside. I don't know if it's because it's new to him or if it'll always be this way, he doesn't seem to pay much attention to where he goes. The other day he lifted his leg and it landed on another dog. He seemed oblivious while doing it, and I had to frantically apologize to the other owner. This morning he sniffed something right outside my front door and lifted his leg (sigh). We're headed out of town this weekend to visit my brother and he's coming. My brother had a dog and I'm afraid of there being some urine in the house and my dog wanting to mark. I haven't had problems in my place yet, but this is all unknown territory for me. Is there anything that I can do besides just keep a close eye and when he starts sniffing to distract him? I read that there's some jock strap you can put on your intact males  thank you for your suggestions!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

:-[ your dog is 2 months ahead of ours. So far Sam is oblivious
to anything embarrassing.
I am watching him like a hawk, though. I know U may frown on it but I use a small size prong collar and a regular 1" orange collar. I take off the prongs when Sam behaves well. Heel was a breeze with the prongs. I use the rubber prong protectors. 
There are nice copper coated prongs (German made) and some come with a nylon cover. So no one will know. 
I've read the nickel/crome plated prongs may discolor the hairs and anything copper is better - not sure if this is true. 

Ok, I've talked to another dog owner this morning, she lost a dog due to strangulation. Her dog's collar got tangled with another dog's paw. She warned me not to wear a collar or use a breakaway collar when romping around.
Only mention this because I used to leave a short nylon rope on his collar (regular collar not the prongs). Bad idea, it seems.

Good luck, please keep updating this post.


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi datacan!
Mine literally was alternating between squatting and lifting his leg for several months to primarily lifting his leg, but not marking after another dog, then started to go after other dogs, and finally lifting his leg everywhere that he smells urine. This last phase seems to have developed in the last week. For the most part, you'll know when it's there and when you have to watch his every move. The one thing I would advise (that I did totally wrong) is if you're going to have other unfamiliar dogs in your place with yours, try to get them to meet on neutral territory first. I didn't do this and mine peed on a friend's shoes. That's the only incident we've had inside and I haven't had any other unfamiliar dogs over since. The neighbor's dog is over all the time without any problems (so far). Beyond that, I'm not really sure what to do.

How sad about the strangulation. I had never thought of that, but the way vizslas romp, I can see how you need to worry about something around their necks.

I had considered using training around marking, so I'm glad you brought that up. My dog seems to out of it when he marks that I sometimes wonder if he knows that he's dribbling in places that I don't care for. If it is something that can be trained, for instance, if I can reinforce him when he marks in appropriate places, that may be the way to go.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Marking. Interesting subject as I watch Bailey, now 3 mark on all walks we take.

A few things I picked up from reading Cesar. 

A male dog will try and pee HIGHER than the last dog that marked that spot. The higher the better. When we walk, by ourselves, and nature calls, I mark very high on the trunk of a tree. I am the big dog after all.

Whenever Chloe pees, Bailey HAS to pee on or near that spot. Yesterday off-leash walk, she squatted while he was 100 yards ahead. He turned his head, saw it and raced back to mark HIS SPOT.

I swearer the boy has a 2 gallon reserve tank hidden somewhere on his body.

Not as many truck wheels and tires or people's pant legs as when he was around 2 years old. 

He marks objects that other males have marked now. I don't control it except on walks downtown. He'd pee on every downtown street tree if he could. I limit it to one per block.

Nature of the beast (or high powered intact hunting dog to be exact).

RBD


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Apparently we aren't the only ones flummoxed by urine marking. Here's a good post about a dissertation done on it; the research on marking began with Ian Dunbar.

http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/scent-marking-in-dogs

Redbirddog, any problems with Bailey marking in the house or at others' houses?

Many thanks for your help always,
Laura


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> Redbirddog, any problems with Bailey marking in the house or at others' houses?


Laurita,
Never, but I very rarely have taken Bailey into someone elses house that had dogs. My guess is that if another dog had marked, Bailey would naturally want to "over-mark" the spot. He does not mark in our house as he is THE MALE DOG, and this is his house. The only other male dog that comes to our place is a little black terrier dog of our daughters. Bailey has no need to show his superiority to this small male so the marking doesn't happen. 

I think he believes that Chloe belongs to him (she is neutered female) and his mark is stating that this urine you smell is mine. Don't mess with it.

Example of how he feels Chloe is his. We were walking with a 18-month-old male Vizsla and his owner. Bailey was up ahead 50 yards "hunting." Chloe hung back with us and the young male. Bailey had paid the young male little mind until the young male was playing with Chloe. 
While playing, the young male caused Chloe to yelp in slight distress. Bailey turned and came back at full speed and bowled the young male over snarling and dominating. He did not hurt the dog but there was no doubt that he let him know - "She is mine and do not hurt her." It was clear and obvious.

On our normal walks, Bailey has his certain spots he has to mark. I know where they are and I let him. If he gets in that mind set to mark everything, I put an end to it with a "leave it" and we continue the walk.

It is interesting to watch. Chloe sniffs almost every urine spot but does not need to over-mark very often.

Just something more to learn.

RBD
http://redbirddog.blogspot.com


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Very interesting. Sam wants to smell other dog's pee but never pees anywhere near. Same goes for #2 - he will try and find a spot not taken by anyone.
Oh, he still squats only once did I see him lift his leg (I had to laugh because it was such an amateurish try), never tried to pee on anyone. 

Would an electronic collar be too much for correcting them in extreme cases (like peeing on others)?


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Kobi is definitely in his marking stage. I don't mind it, he doesn't USUALLY do it in bad spots, but he does do it excessively. It can really be a problem when I'm trying to run with him, not so much if it's just a walk.

One of the funniest things he ever did was raise his leg to pee (lots of times it's just a dribble since he pees so much), and pooped with a raised leg. That was classic.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/09/vizslas-and-marking.html

Some interesting information found on "marking."

RBD


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