You know that you have managed to achieve a successful result in training the Bichon Frize. Then suddenly, she discovered the smell of dog urine on the door, the table leg and other furniture in the house. How come these things happen when you are well aware that you used effective and appropriate methods in home training? If you see large puddles of urine on the floor, it simply suggests that home training may not be as successful as you’d like. Perhaps you need more time and determination to achieve the desired result. However, if you see a smaller amount of urine, the problem is not a failed or ineffective home workout. Your good friend is simply marking his territory.
Why do dogs mark with urine? From a dog’s point of view, urine marking is different than urinating. We all know that dogs have an amazing sense of smell. This sense of smell is an important part of canine communication. The scent is left behind to tell other dogs a message, such as whose territory it is, where the marker dog hangs out, and its social command. If the marker bitch is female, she will also include her mating availability. A dog who is nervous because he is home alone, has feelings of insecurity, or has separation anxiety may also check to build trust and make sure all is well.
Dogs that are not neutered or neutered and neutered are more likely to urine mark than dogs that are neutered, spayed, or neutered. Male dogs are more likely to urine mark than female dogs, however, a female dog may mark too much to advertise her mating availability.
Just like any other dog problem, there are several ways to prevent your dog from urine marking. Puppies should be neutered early to prevent the habit from forming. If you have an older dog, neutering can help reduce or even alleviate the problem, however, you must do something to break the habit that has formed.
Neutering is not the only way to prevent a dog from urine marking. If an owner does not approve of neutering, constant supervision is necessary to break the habit. Instead of allowing your dog to roam the house freely, make supervision much easier by confining him to one area of the house. To catch him in the act, watch for cues like sniffing and circling. Then, the moment he starts to leave his leg to mark, make a noise loud enough to distract him but not too loud to scare him to death. When he looks around to find out where the noise is coming from, give him the “no pee” command.
And one more thing… don’t forget to praise your dog when he urinates in an appropriate place. Bichon Frize training will never be successful without praising your bichon.
