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Marking in house

Creedkip

Active Member
My Corso just started to mark in the house a few times. Any recommendations to help I’d appreciate! He just turned a year 2 weeks ago not neutered.
 

Bolushi

Well-Known Member
My Corso just started to mark in the house a few times. Any recommendations to help I’d appreciate! He just turned a year 2 weeks ago not neutered.
Good, continue the ''not neutered'' streak for another 75 years as a dog owner.
Put it outside. Train it to piss and shit outside, E-Collar maybe.
 

Bolushi

Well-Known Member
If you have a fence that is... you could quickly set up an electric one for supervised outside time, maybe even ''timeout'', and put yellow ribbons on it so the dog associates the yellow with the shock and then you can take the shock away and the dog won't go near it. It worked perfect for 2 bloodhounds I know of and have played with.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if he's choosing to mark only on specific things or in specific areas?

Please no electric fence or e-collar. There are many things that can cause marking behaviors. It often happens around maturity and that would be right about now. Has anything changed in the household? New people, pets, objects, etc? Most behaviors like this can be attributed to stress. I know that sounds silly maybe, but stress can be a lot of things. Including a female in the neighborhood being in heat and hormonal fluctuations. Punishing (e-collar, etc) won't do anything to help this situation and can even make it worse for some dogs by increasing the stress and anxiety. Make sure you have an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly clean the areas he's marking. Strict management and interruption if you catch him getting ready to mark. Not punishment. Interruption. Marking is a normal behavior, just an undesirable one to us humans. I'd also suggest taking in a urine sample just to rule a UTI out. As for neutering, I do think there are reasons to alter a dog, The most important being an un-descended testicle which almost always becomes cancerous if not removed. I wouldn't choose to neuter in this case.
 

Bolushi

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if he's choosing to mark only on specific things or in specific areas?

Please no electric fence or e-collar. There are many things that can cause marking behaviors. It often happens around maturity and that would be right about now. Has anything changed in the household? New people, pets, objects, etc? Most behaviors like this can be attributed to stress. I know that sounds silly maybe, but stress can be a lot of things. Including a female in the neighborhood being in heat and hormonal fluctuations. Punishing (e-collar, etc) won't do anything to help this situation and can even make it worse for some dogs by increasing the stress and anxiety. Make sure you have an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly clean the areas he's marking. Strict management and interruption if you catch him getting ready to mark. Not punishment. Interruption. Marking is a normal behavior, just an undesirable one to us humans. I'd also suggest taking in a urine sample just to rule a UTI out. As for neutering, I do think there are reasons to alter a dog, The most important being an un-descended testicle which almost always becomes cancerous if not removed. I wouldn't choose to neuter in this case.
E-collars and electric fences are both really good tools when used effectively. Do you have evidence that it wouldn't help in this situation? Dogs tend to not do things they know will cause them anguish.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
E-collars and electric fences are both really good tools when used effectively. Do you have evidence that it wouldn't help in this situation? Dogs tend to not do things they know will cause them anguish.
I do! Quite a lot, actually. I'd have to go searching through my saved information which is on a different computer, but there's a lot to be found from reputable sources online. I mean scholarly articles. Punishment is a tricky thing. Punitive tools are always prefaced with the caveat that "experienced" individuals should use them. In the behavior world there's a saying that goes, "If you're experienced and knowledgeable enough to use a shock collar (a punitive tool of any kind) then you don't need it." That's not verbatim, but you get the idea. Punishment always comes with the risk of fallout, whereas other methods do not. You may be surprised at the number of dogs that end up refusing to go out in the yard because of electric fence punishment. Just as many make negative associations to other things because of punishment. I will never suggest a punitive method online because I don't know the dog in question. I don't know the owner and their experience. I will always suggest consulting with a certified veterinary behaviorist. Not just a vet. Not just any trainer. Someone that has done the work to become a certified behaviorist - and that includes a veterinary technician with a specialty in behavior. Both are few and the training is rigorous.

BTW, you're right that dogs won't do things that cause them anguish. Anguish. Why would anyone choose to inflict anguish on any living being? Or even pain? When you know better you do better. I'm a crossover trainer. I didn't know before. Now I do and all of my animals are much better for it.
 

Bolushi

Well-Known Member
I do! Quite a lot, actually. I'd have to go searching through my saved information which is on a different computer, but there's a lot to be found from reputable sources online. I mean scholarly articles. Punishment is a tricky thing. Punitive tools are always prefaced with the caveat that "experienced" individuals should use them. In the behavior world there's a saying that goes, "If you're experienced and knowledgeable enough to use a shock collar (a punitive tool of any kind) then you don't need it." That's not verbatim, but you get the idea. Punishment always comes with the risk of fallout, whereas other methods do not. You may be surprised at the number of dogs that end up refusing to go out in the yard because of electric fence punishment. Just as many make negative associations to other things because of punishment. I will never suggest a punitive method online because I don't know the dog in question. I don't know the owner and their experience. I will always suggest consulting with a certified veterinary behaviorist. Not just a vet. Not just any trainer. Someone that has done the work to become a certified behaviorist - and that includes a veterinary technician with a specialty in behavior. Both are few and the training is rigorous.

BTW, you're right that dogs won't do things that cause them anguish. Anguish. Why would anyone choose to inflict anguish on any living being? Or even pain? When you know better you do better. I'm a crossover trainer. I didn't know before. Now I do and all of my animals are much better for it.
Dogs would prefer a man who whacks them on the head with a 2x4 for every wrongdoing than a man who slaps their ass lightly any day. So pain works. When a dog doesn't feel pain when it does something wrong it says ''what? my owner is a pussy? jesus christ...''
Unless the dog is really handler soft and will be sulking in a corner the entire day.
 

glen

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dogs would prefer a man who whacks them on the head with a 2x4 for every wrongdoing than a man who slaps their ass lightly any day. So pain works. When a dog doesn't feel pain when it does something wrong it says ''what? my owner is a pussy? jesus christ...''
Unless the dog is really handler soft and will be sulking in a corner the entire day.
I csnt beleive im reading this, i need to you to refrain from posting such barbaric input, no owner should have to hit a dog to get them to listen, such owners should be banned from owning any animal.
Now iv been on this forum for 10 years, iv tried to be polite, but you really are either trying to piss good dog owners that are able to own these big beautiful mastiffs with great care or youve just got little man sydrone.
And pne day youll own a dog that will bite and attack you so bad, and it will be from learnt behaviour from an owner like you.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Dogs would prefer a man who whacks them on the head with a 2x4 for every wrongdoing than a man who slaps their ass lightly any day. So pain works. When a dog doesn't feel pain when it does something wrong it says ''what? my owner is a pussy? jesus christ...''
Unless the dog is really handler soft and will be sulking in a corner the entire day.
I suspect any credibility you may have had is gone with this post. If you'd like to have a mature discussion without name calling and posturing that would be great, otherwise you do you and your words will speak for themselves on this forum.
 

Bolushi

Well-Known Member
I csnt beleive im reading this, i need to you to refrain from posting such barbaric input, no owner should have to hit a dog to get them to listen, such owners should be banned from owning any animal.
Now iv been on this forum for 10 years, iv tried to be polite, but you really are either trying to piss good dog owners that are able to own these big beautiful mastiffs with great care or youve just got little man sydrone.
And pne day youll own a dog that will bite and attack you so bad, and it will be from learnt behaviour from an owner like you.
''Little man syndrome'' I am 6'2 tyvm.
Lol, no dog I own will attack me. They will be happy. I know many people who treat their dogs in the way I describe, one of them is a dog trainer of 40 years. Their dog is very well behaved. Sorry I describe to facts and not bullshit propelled by dog mommies who own 150-200lb worthless shit?
 

Michele

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dogs would prefer a man who whacks them on the head with a 2x4 for every wrongdoing than a man who slaps their ass lightly any day. So pain works. When a dog doesn't feel pain when it does something wrong it says ''what? my owner is a pussy? jesus christ...''
Unless the dog is really handler soft and will be sulking in a corner the entire day.
Are you joking right now? Sure, whacking them on the head with a 2x4 is a sure way to give the dog major fear issues. Stop posting nonsense!
 

Michele

Super Moderator
Staff member
Another issue with regard to the marking.......can you take the dog to the vet to be sure there are not any medical issues (UTI)?
 

Bolushi

Well-Known Member
Are you joking right now? Sure, whacking them on the head with a 2x4 is a sure way to give the dog major fear issues. Stop posting nonsense!
Lol, I know a dog that was whacked on the head with a 2x4. He doesn't give a shit.