Urine-marking, on the other hand, is a territorial behavior. Your dog feels the need to assert his dominance or ease his anxiety by laying out his boundaries.
Urine marking
Some dogs will pee on things around your house or outside to communicate, find a partner or to let others know this is their home. If your dog is urine marking, start by house training him again. Always make sure his bladder is empty before you leave him alone.
Not only will a vinegar and water solution eliminate urine odor if your dog has already peed on the rug, but it will also deter them from urinating on the same carpet again. The acidic smell of vinegar is known to repel dogs from peeing on area rugs as they do not like the smell of vinegar.
Dogs don't pee indoors out of spite. They pee in the house when they're experiencing health problems, anxious, afraid, marking their territory, or because it's been too long since they last went outside.
When they urinate on your couch, they are marking their territory and will continue to do so as long as they feel that their territory is threatened. Many people believe that spaying or neutering your dog will stop the behavior of territorial marking, however, this is not always the case.
Treatment: Things to do:
When the dog submissively urinates, ignore it. Scolding will make things worse, as well as acknowledging the dog with praise may confuse it. Use treats rather than physical praise, such as petting.
A dog marking or peeing in the house can happen for a variety of reasons. One way that dogs communicate is through their urine, so they can mark for territorial reasons, as a response to stress or anxiety, or because of hormonal influences in intact males.
According to several studies, the main behaviors that are affected consistently in male dogs following neutering (I guess I am being politically correct now) include: decreased sexual behavior (primarily, mounting behavior), urine marking (depositing urine on objects), and roaming.
Lemon juice, pepper spray, alcohol, vinegar, baking soda, etc. are effective home remedies. How can I stop my dogs from peeing on the rug? You can stop can keep a close watch on the dog, give it potty breaks, take it outside regularly, or use repellant.
Never rub a dog's nose in urine or feces, or punish a dog for an “accident.” This will teach your dog to fear you, and he may hide when he has to “go.” It is not instinctive for dogs to relieve themselves outside; it is only natural for them to not go where they sleep. Everyplace else is fair game! You must be patient.
Spaying or neutering your dog should reduce urine-marking and may stop it altogether. But if they have been marking for a long time, a pattern may already be established. Because it has become a learned behavior, spaying or neutering alone won't solve the problem.
Highly excitable puppies can sometimes wee when you come home or when they meet new people. This is known as excitement urination, and it can also happen during very active play. Most dogs grow out of it, but there's plenty you can do to help change their behaviour.
Two common household products can help neutralize urine odor if used quickly: baking soda and vinegar (white or apple cider). Both are safe for humans and pets, and generally safe for carpet and upholstery (you'll want to spot test both to be sure). They can be used separately or together.
Sometimes dogs use urine to mark objects, including your bed. Studies have shown dogs don't mark to claim territory, it's more like graffiti that says, “I was here.” So, they aren't telling you the bed belongs to them but are more likely adding their scent to a communal space.
Excitement or submission
Other behavioral causes of your dog peeing indoors could be submissive or excitement urination. Sometimes a dog will be unable to control their bladder when they're extremely excited or when they feel vulnerable or intimidated.
Vinegar is safe for your dog, and unfiltered apple cider vinegar is the healthiest option for your dog. Apple cider vinegar supports your dog's digestion and contains magnesium, potassium, and iron. It also helps break down fats and proteins.
For dogs, citrus scents are the enemy. Citrus scents like lemon, lime, oranges, and grapefruit–especially in high concentrations often found in household cleaners or essential oils–can cause irritation to your pup's respiratory tract, so keep any fresh citrus fruits out of your dog's reach. You know–just in case.
While I love using vinegar for cleaning, dogs, however, don't share my love of vinegar. While the scent of vinegar is not a problem for them physically, they just don't like it. Because of that, vinegar can serve as a natural deterrent if there's an area you'd like your dogs (or cats) to avoid.
Urine marking is most common in intact males, but many neutered males and spayed females also mark their territory. Male dogs and some female dogs often lift a leg when they urine mark. Most urine marks contain only a small volume of urine.
Do: Watch the Clock. Give your puppy 15 minutes to do his business. If nothing happens, put him in his crate for another 15 minutes before trying again.
Available in both granules and sprays, Critter Ridder works as a dog repellent because it gives off a smell of black pepper, which canines find offensive.