Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    robrios's Avatar
    robrios Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jan 17, 2005, 11:37 AM
    Dogs won't stop marking things in the house
    Could someone please tell me what is the best way to break my chihuahuha's (2 males)from marking their territory in the house?
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
    Uber Member
     
    #2

    Jan 17, 2005, 08:25 PM
    With 2 intact, male Chihuahuas in the house, it may be difficult. I would neuter them both. Then you must take over as top dog so they are not competing for it. Never fail to take small dogs seriously. They take themselves seriously. 98% of their DNA is the same as a wolf. The 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 http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

    Catching him in the act of marking calls for stronger corrections than the
    Otherwise effective "Bad dog!". When it misbehaves, throw it on its back, and
    Growl "Bad dog!" right in its face. Hold it down until it lifts one back leg
    To show submission. You can pick him up with your hands behind his front
    Shoulders and hold him up with his back to you. Keeping him far enough away
    To keep his head from smashing into your face, hold him until he stops
    Struggling and relaxes. Others like the squirt bottle. Fill it with water
    And a little vinegar or lemon juice. Give it a squirt in the face as soon as
    It misbehaves. Dogs hate that.

    When you are not around, or otherwise occupied and can't keep a close eye on them, crate them, in separate crates. The dog may be
    Happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its
    Den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
    Its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them
    Will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic
    Ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. They are harder for
    Dogs to open too. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with
    Something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select
    A crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

    Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave
    Anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any
    Bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

    A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work.
    Start just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going
    in. If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate.
    Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding
    Time for more than one dog.
    ladyandjan's Avatar
    ladyandjan Posts: 191, Reputation: 4
    Junior Member
     
    #3

    Jan 17, 2005, 09:11 PM
    I would only use plain water
    Quote Originally Posted by robrios
    Could someone please tell me what is the best way to break my chihuahuha's (2 males)from marking their territory in the house?
    As far as Labman's other suggestions the one about squirting into their faces - I wouldn't squirt anything other than water into an animals face as you do not know what the lemon juice or vinegar will do should it get in the animals eyes or nasal passages. Do some research on the net as far as spraying/squirting things into an animals face and see what you can find that way. I'd just be really careful with their eyes. Take care and good luck.

    ladyandjan
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
    Uber Member
     
    #4

    Jan 17, 2005, 09:33 PM
    I didn't find the idea of using vinegar or lemon juice on the net. Much of the best information on dogs is not on the net. I don't give out advice that doesn't come from a reliable source. It is standard advice from the dog guide school I have raised puppies for since 1991. They have an enormous amount of experience and are extremely protective of their puppies. They breed about 300 puppies each year and carefully train and supervise the people raising them.

    I don't care to have my answers criticized by a no nothing that hasn't done any research herself.
    robrios's Avatar
    robrios Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #5

    Jan 18, 2005, 01:23 AM
    Thank you. I didn't mean to start anything between anyone.
    Titsaii's Avatar
    Titsaii Posts: 10, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #6

    Jan 26, 2005, 10:55 PM
    Hi
    I can see that scolding them by looking at them in the eye and showing who's boss will work. Ill try that one. Its really especially my little dachshund.. he poops also on our couches! Crazy.. tsk tsk..
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
    Uber Member
     
    #7

    Jan 27, 2005, 07:05 AM
    Very good point Titsaii, and one I forget because of my work with dogs for the visually impared. You can make eye contact and hold it until they look away. The first one to look away is the lower status dog.

    I always want to go with the gentlest correction that will work.
    Guest's Avatar
    Guest Posts: n/a, Reputation:
    Guest
     
    #8

    Apr 2, 2008, 01:11 PM
    To the overly sensitive 'labman,' chill dude. Get down off your high horse, you are obviously not a vet; therefore, you may have more experience with dogs, but you are NO BETTER than anyone else and have no place to be calling people names.
    As an ophthalmologist (that's an eye surgeon, labman), I can say that lemon juice and vinegar are not overly harmful to the eye; however, it is very uncomfortable (as it would be in your own eye, try it out labman). This would be a last resort treatment. I find kenneling works wonders with my dogs, neutering them will also stem the flow of testosterone, which will result in less possessive and aggressive behaviors. Also have the carpet professionally cleaned, this will remove most of the odor that would cause the dogs to continue to mark. Hope this helps.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search


Check out some similar questions!

5 yr old Daschund will not stop peeing in house [ 2 Answers ]

We have a 5 year old dash and he will not stop peeing in the house. He was house broken, but recently he started going the bathroom on all my rugs, and even in our 5 month old daughters room. I can not have this, my house is going to smell. I really don't know what we are going to do? I hope...

My boyfriend won't stop! [ 34 Answers ]

As of right now I am 6 months pregnant. From about January I have struggled with my boyfriends drug habits. I went through a lot trying to get him to stop and he said he did, but come later to find out he has never stopped. I ask him constantly if he still does them, which of course he says no. I...

Dogs urinating in the house at night [ 4 Answers ]

I have 2 dogs 8 yrs old that urinate in the house at Night. They have a doggie door and they use it all the Time during the day. I can never catch them urinating. I rub their noses in it after the fact. But it does no good. Please help!

Strange Things in my house [ 2 Answers ]

I have lived in my house for 4 1/2 years, it's an old one room farm house that has been added on to. About a month after we moved it, every morning at 2am the stereo in the family room would go on full blast. This went on for a few weeks. Then nothing for a few months, then the Tv in the...

9 Month old chihuahua Marking things around the house [ 1 Answers ]

Hi My 9 month old chihuahua has just started to mark things around the house, if I leave anything lying unattended for a few minutes it has been marked. (esp bin bags at the moment) He is house trained and always goes outside to the toilet except if I let him come upstairs with me at night....


View more questions Search