My little buddy Tank, a 135 lb eight month old Bullmastiff, has been going to local dog park for four months. His park visits are to help with socializing with other dogs and people. However, Tank has been trying to urinate on the people just standing around. This behavior started about two week ago about the same time he has started lifting leg and marking his territory. Also, Tank is a purebred Bullmastiff and I would like to breed him at a later date, he is currently un-neutered.

Is Tank trying owning or marking these people? What is the best way to get him stop trying to urinating on people?

My stand on these matters is that there are enough well behaved dogs around that there is no excuse for using ill behaved ones for breeding. Not all purebred dogs are worth being bred. Only the healthiest and best behaved dogs should ever be considered as breeding stock. Too many of the problem dogs are the result of poor choice of breeding stock.

You can try to correct the problem through training. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete (http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/) For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm)

Here is a link from a site that bills itself ''Responsible Pet Care'', ShelterDog Rescue - Are you a BackYard Breeder? (http://www.adoptarescuepet.org/byb.htm)

I am a registered and reputable breeder of Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs in South Africa. The other day, one of my boys (for the first time ever!) peeded on a friend, don't know why. That is why I checked out the web for some feedback. LABMAN's response to the other persons question though seems rather harsh.

My Rhodesian Ridgeback is a very well adjusted dog, would not harm a fly but if I go by what LABMAN says, I should not breed with him because Geza is "ill behaved", not suitable for breeding, what a lot of rubbish!

Geza might have been excited about seeing that person, he might have had another "reason" for doing what he was "doing" (not that I like what he did, don't get me wrong!) but LABMAN is generalising here, I find that not helpful.