Poodles sometimes mark their territory. Learn what you should know and how to behave in order to curb this bad habit.

If you have your rugs peed, you have no reason to blame your pet for housebreaking. The real cause why the dog is doing it, is marking its territory. Despite dogs do it rarely, you can observe this situation during each stage of a pet’s life. By the way, no matter whether it is male or female. You should know how to behave in order to curb this bad habit. Here you will read about how to distinguish marking from housebreaking incidents, how to recognize the exceptions, the reason poodle do marking, the way how to stop it from doing it and how all these facts concern poodle breeds.

How to distinguish marking from housebreaking incidents

poodle plays with a ballWhen your pet violates the rules you have taught it, you may probably think that it is a kind of protest. Read some prompts which tell you about the real reason why does it happen.

First of all, it is peeing inside the house, though this process happens outside as usual. The bladder is half full, though it should be completely empty. Some pee left in the bladder marks the place. Urine remaining is completely enough to mark a lot of areas.

The other reason is a dog not being unsexed. It is a well-known thing, but at the same time not final summary that spayed-neutered dogs mark the place more less.  The dogs usually mark the same place. It is not a final rule or what, but it is rooms corners and vertical surfaces that have often had been marked. As an exception, dogs may mark your possession, even your bed.

If your dog is getting matured, the problem of marking is on stage. Young puppies do not usually do it. Four-month toy, six-month miniature and nine-month standard poodle are too young to mark the territory.

How to recognize exceptions or when your consumptions are mistaken

Sometimes you can be deluded by some symptoms causing losing bladder control. You can confuse urinary tract infections or bladder infections with territory marking. The signs of these illnesses are very similar. They are as follows rapid urination, housebreaking accidents, dropping urine, difficulties with peeing, urination tension and touching sex organs with tongue.

If you have noticed your dog has some of these signs, please, visit a vet.

The reason your poodle marking

They usually do it to determine its place. It is very important for it to have its own possession. This is why your dog wants to prove that it is a leader. Especially, it happens when there are a lot of dogs in the yard. Sometimes it does as a competition. One dog marked its doors and the other do it to cover its smell. Marking for relationship. It is done by an unfixed male for an unsprayed female, primarily when the female dog lives in the same area. Marking can be a reaction to guests. It can also be a marking cause. The other dog scent can remain for months. The same goes for people who come for a short period of time or nearest and dearest who visit you quite often. If you have a new family member, it may also be the reason of marking territory. Being the main among others is very important for dogs. If it thinks that it is a leader, so marking territory is inevitable.

What about peeing on your bed?

You would probably think that peeing on your possession is equal to abuse and neglect. But this is not true. Doing this damage to your stuff, dog emphasizes its emotional burden connected with leadership. If your dog is leader, it must defend you from danger. As a result, it marks its territory. It just connects its smell with yours addressing to the enemies to steer clear from you. Luckily, it is treatable.

The five ways to stop your poodle to mark

marking prevention

Benefits of unsexing are obvious. But for reducing the cancer risk, improving behavior, it can also reduce the necessity of marking. It must you are sure that you are the main person for your pet. It is justified as far as you provide its life with necessities. You are a leader for your dog, but you should deserve this rank.

You should show your pet its place in your home. But you can do it in a wrong way. Marking may start when your dog ignores you as a leader.

All in all, there is a way-out. But if you want to solve this misunderstanding, you should engage all family members. If everyone sticks to the same rules, it is easier to teach it to your dog.

You or the other member of your family give the food to your dog only when it reacts to the commands. The same goes for toys.

You the one who have a right to do things first. It concerns entering and exiting the house. If you let your dog first, it gives it some signs that you are not the leader here.

Teach your poodle keep heeling position while walking. If you let your poodle go in front of you, this may cause some hesitation about who is the boss here. To fulfil this, try to lead your pet on the short leash and teach it to obey “Heel” command. Offer small rewards for doing everything correctly.

Do not make your walks monotonous. Make up some games or adventures for your dogs.

Be more stricter with your dog in case of ignoring your words. Do not afraid to hurt its feelings, otherwise you will have constantly marked bed.

One more problem caused by dog marking is strong unbearable smell. Water and soap cannot help with it. This smell is bad for you, but it is quite acceptable for your pet. It may be a kind of competition the rules of which your dog may set up. It will be marked and you will be cleaning. So called vicious circle.

Show your poodle that not everything is allowed to it. If it continues to pee on your bed, simply limit the access to it. If your dog urinates behind the furniture, the way out is the same, eliminate the access. That is all.   

What to do with all his troubles?

Poodle stokingDepending on the situation, there is always a way how to make it better. There are two effective methods which are suitable for any.

One of them is the traditional method of keeping your dog on the leash. As a result, it is always with you. If it pees, you can interrupt it in a moment by loud claps of your hands or your commands you have taught it.  Be careful with choosing the leash see that your dog being under your control feels comfortable. It concerns the quality of the harness (it is better to choose the one to not hurt the neck of your dog) . It is also important to have comfortable soft handle made with rope.

The second method is enjoyable detention. You can “imprison” your dog when you do not have any opportunity to take it on the leash. But it should not be as a penalty. It is a good idea both to not be separated from the world and be a little bit isolated is to have another dog. Having a dog-friend is also good to handle housebreaking, separation anxiety and obsessive chewing.

You can separate a part of the room for big standard poodle. If you do this, make sure your dog has all it needs. This is about comfortable bed, toys, food, water and pee pad. It does not mean that the latter is extremely important for your dog. It should take remaining place. It is useful in the emergency cases. Dogs usually does not pee on its possession.

If you reward your dog for peeing outside the house, it is more likely for it to urinate in the right place frequently. Here are some rules for training your pet. Try to keep your poodle on the leash or in detention. Define one destination for your poodle to urinate. Go on a little walk with your poodle in the morning, twenty minutes after meals and before sleep night. Remember that letting your poodle to pee during the walk cannot teach your poodle to pee in the right place. So it is recommended to offer your poodle to pee in the bathroom you have set up.

Try to make up special words hearing which your dog feels that it does well.

Do not ignore giving it special reward. Not that one you give all the time. It should be something new with a good odor and taste.

Get rid of urine with an enzyme cleanser.

To sum it up,

Poodles love to satisfy us with their action. Marking can disappoint us. All in all, if you want to help your dog with it, you may find a lot of methods here. But if it does not help, it is better to visit a vet. For you to not forget, never give up on training.