Dallas and Laredo are two male un-neutered Shih Tzus, nicely groomed, well fed, healthy, and old enough to know better.
Though not related to each other, “the boys” are similar in many ways. They both know that sitting gets them a treat, a pet or a meal. They have the exact same toys – their owner is careful to always buy two of everything – but for some unknown reason, each dog thinks the others toy is better.
And both dogs do not hesitate to lift their leg on nearly every piece of furniture and cabinet in the house.
“Does my house smell?” inquires their owner. And yes, there is, indeed, a faint but discernible scent of eau de commode. “I’m so embarrassed! I can’t invite anyone over because of the odor. Can you get them to stop marking, please?”
Well, let me just take the boys aside and have a word with them. That should do it.
If only it were that easy.
Here are some of the many factors that can compel a dog to leave pee mail indoors (and out, for that matter):
Another dog in the house
The lingering smell of urine
“Owning” the house
Improper housebreaking
Lack of supervision
Separation anxiety
Being intact (un-neutered)
For more information about outdoor marking, read Anything Vertical.
For housebreaking assistance, read Mark My Words and Keynote: Do Your Business.
Laredo and Dallas are learning to respect their owner’s home as we implement the following:
1. Confining the dogs to one small room or area (minimizing any opportunity they might have to indiscriminately sprinkle);
2. Keeping them on leash in the house so they can’t sneak off to water the dining room table;
3. Using an enzyme-based cleaner to neutralize the urine we can’t see but the dogs know are still there;
4. Getting the boys neutered!
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