Hello I have 3 dogs in total two are westies, Casper (4) & Gemma (6), and a Bichon Frise, Maisey (18mths).
I don't know why but Casper will insist on urinating against things in the house, we've trained him, but he still
continues to go were ever.  Even when the back door is left open he insists on going everywhere but outside.
Then on occasions the other two dogs will follow suit, but not always.
It's now become a problem we need to get on top of, is there anything on the market that helps?
All advise greatly appreciated
many thanks

What's he like generally?  Often worried or stressed dogs (or dogs prone to getting stressed easily, if they aren't generally) will mark a lot indoors.  How's his relationships with the other two?  Anything between them that might be upsetting him?

Also, is it something he's just always done or does it ever get worse at times?  Maybe there's a particular trigger (one of the girls in season, or something frightening him maybe).

If he's refusing to go outside that suggests that something out there might be worrying him - perhaps a particular noise or scent of something.  How exactly do you handle it when he does go indoors?

Is Casper castrated or entire? Is there a bitch in season nearby? What are you using to clean up after him?

If I were you I'd go back to the beginning and treat him as if he was a new puppy of 8 weeks old; don't allow him the run of the house, but make sure he's taken out (not just let out) every hour or so. In between times make sure he stays in an easily-cleanable area.

The problem with indoor marking is getting rid of the scent to prevent repeat episodes, using biological washing liquid helps to deal with the enzymes in the urine.

You may have to go back to basics and not leave the dogs to roam in the house unsupervised,confine to the kitchen/crate/puppy pen, take them out for a wee at regular intervals and make sure they perform and give lots of praise when they get it right and give no reaction when they get it wrong,put them outside and clean up.

If I were you I'd go back to the beginning and treat him as if he was a new puppy of 8 weeks old; don't allow him the run of the house, but make sure he's taken out (not just let out) every hour or so. In between times make sure he stays in an easily-cleanable area.

You may have to go back to basics and not leave the dogs to roam in the house unsupervised,confine to the kitchen/crate/puppy pen, take them out for a wee at regular intervals and make sure they perform

I'd do exactly what's highlighted above to begin with. Failing that, at 4 years of age, i would have to put a cosy kennel in the garden and the dog would spend most of it's time outside from now on.

It does sound as though Caspar is marking rather than emptying his bladder- the amount of urine will indicate which, is it puddles or tiny dribbles or both?

If its puddles then this indicates that he needs to be taken back to puppy basics and taught again where to go. If its dribbles then it is likely that he is marking and as Nikita suggests the key is to figure out why- what is making him need to do the dog equivalent of leaving big signs saying this belongs to me or "Caspar woz here"?

If all or some of your dogs are intact that might have a bearing. I'm thinking about the 18 month old Bichon. Even if Caspar is castrated he might still feel the urge to tell the world she belongs to him.

However, the most likely scenario is that, as Nikita says, perhaps something has worried Caspar and now it has become a habit. Leg cocking is, alas something dogs enjoy doing and it is second nature. It is often said that the leg cocks the dog. At the tiniest whiff of wee the dog's leg goes up before he even thinks about it. Dogs can also mark things that they find interesting or desirable.

So you have three things to consider-
1.what has been different in the present or recent past that might make him need to leave his scent everywhere in the house (new dogs, new people/children, other changes; changes outside the house; noises outside the house etc..). How long has he been doing this and can you tie it in with a change?

2.You then need to ensure that every single area he has marked in the past is cleaned thoroughly with washing powder and then wiped over with surgical spirit (dogs can still scent their urine after cleaning with washing powder alone and the smell is enhanced by bleach). You have to think of spots of his urine and spots of the other dogs urine as little triggers that fire a weeing signal in his brain. This is why your girls sometimes mark where he has weed too.

3. Because I think this is probably a learned habit I would limit where the dogs can go in the house. I would then wipe areas of former marking and leg cocking level with diluted citronella oil (this is to try to inhibit the weeing action). If you catch him in the act of cocking do a swift loud 'no' and take him outside. As Nikita said use DAP to try to induce a calm, secure atmosphere. You can leave some smelly family shoes y the back door too- anything that smells of you may help him feel more secure.

Going back to baby house training steps may help but I am not sure that to dogs elimination and marking are the same and he may not make the connection, in so far as dogs mark almost unthinkingly, it is an almost involuntary reaction that is triggered by something.

Marking problems like this can be hard to remove because they are so natural and instinctive and some dogs just mark more than others anyway- its a bit like some people are more secure than others and don't have to constantly tell others about their achievements. I do think you have more chance of cracking it if you limit where he and the others go in the house- keep them in one room for a while ans make sure every scrap of wee is cleaned as I said- its revolting but sometimes you have to get down and sniff.

Goodluck. I'd suggest you chat all this through with your behaviourist.

Horrible thing this as it's so hard to break the habit.  My cousins JRT marked/urinated in the house till he died of old age at 19 yrs old.

I have to agree that I would indeed go back to basics, be consistant and don't let the dog get any free rein in the home.  Failing this, an outdoor kennel. I couldn't be doing with dogs urinating all over my home.

ok nikita - who is Logan?Lovely name!Is he another newbie?Hows Phoebe doing?

Hi all's fine between the dogs, they are all very at home with each other. There's no trigger that I can see, he been doing it from the start, but managed to limit him but back to how he's always been.

I would def go back to rehouse training- leash him to you so every where you go so does he. Don't have the time to watch him put him
in the kennel. Go outside with him and tell him to do his business don't just send him out. Can also put his bedding where he likes to mark and feeding him in those spots
as well may work.