Exactly that. I have a visiting dog, staying with some visiting friends and he has pee'd up my walls in the hall way. I know he is marking but Why is he doing this? He has never been used at stud, is 5 years old, meticulously house trained and never does this when we stay at theirs. Right now it is bare plaster, ready for painting but he did it when it was papered. The floors are vinyl but I do have a brand new runner so I am furious. Last time he was here, he did it up a stack of dog food tins and a large bottle of oil that I was temporarily using as a door stop. My friend was mortified.

I don't want to have to ask them not to stay over as I have very few friends to begin with and don't want this to ruin our friendship but they are really anal about their new carpets and wallpaper so don't know how to deal with it.

He does it when no one is watching, so can't correct him.

He does it to make the place smell familiar to him, to reassure him, and to cover any dog smells if you have dogs.

I have had visiting dogs do this to their owners horror, it's the fact they can smell my lot, even though I only have bitches, so no scent marks to cover, but then they are staking their claim to any other male.

Only way to prevent it is vigilance, crate him or keep him where it can easily be cleaned up, do not allow him free reign in your home out of your sight.

Certainly tell your friends that he is doing it and that when they are over they keep him with them on lead, or crated (assuming it's a  quick visit).

If this dog is doing this - and he is 'claiming' - then surely out of respect they would bring a crate with them, and use it when he's indoors and unsupervised.   If just out of respect for your home.......

Part of me says with friends like that, who needs enemies.  

Looooooooads of boys do this.  It's usually for reassurance - new place, not his territory, feeling a bit out of his comfort zone maybe.  It's a problem I have with almost every male that comes into my house for grooming, and if they are entire it is basically guaranteed IME.

Much as I don't like having a cage set up all the time that's exactly what I've had to do as I can't watch them every second - sometimes I have more than one in at once, sometimes they might be here for a while so I have to go have lunch etc.  So they have to be caged, it is the only way I've found to stop them if I can't watch them (and some will still do it then) - I tried tethering them until a westie marked and pooped where he stood!

Thanks guys. Its reassuring to know its not just me. I don't know about comfort zone. As soon as he arrives he starts cocking him leg like the 'big I am'. Gate posts, grass, greenhouse,  washing out on the line, nothing is safe. Once he even pee'd up my white bitch. Needless to say, she wasn't best pleased. I do have a crate set up but he does it, on his way outside, in the hall. Its always been in the hall, bar once when he did it on a smalling milking type stool. To be fair, they don't bring him on quick visits, only when they stay for the odd weekend. Although they are obviously horrified when he does it, they don't offer to mop and on the one occasion my bitch dribbled an 'excitement wee' on their old carpet, her face was so 'Petunia Dursley' it could have curdled milk! I did clean up though and hadwarned them to have back door open on our arrival.

My biggest issue is that the plaster on the wall will continue to smell and next visit, will mean he 'tops up' the scent in the same place :( my own boy is a stud and has never marked indoors here or elsewhere, he really does have impeccable manners.

You could always suggest that they use a bellyband on him for the time that he is at your house. Just a thought...

My daughter brings her two Papillons over every weekend. Neutered dog and spayed btich. The dog starts marking the moment he walks in -so he is never allowed in unless he wears a bellyband. This is despite being here every week. His dad lives with me though, and he is entire -probably has a lot to do with it. He never marks at home.

Maybe the owners should make sure the dog has had a good walk beforehand and emptied his bladder before he's brought indoors and then crated.  I don't think it's an unreasonable request.

Problem is male dogs never completely empty, always keeping something back to do this kind of thing.   Again if a dog can't be trusted then he either doesn't come into somebody else's property at all, or certainly not without being crated.  Again this is up to any visitor with a dog to sort out.

I'm not totally with this 'comfort zone' idea, unless that's another expression for 'claiming the area as his own'?

>I'm not totally with this 'comfort zone' idea, unless that's another expression for 'claiming the area as his own'?

Yes it is, but it explains one of the reasons for a dog feeling the need to do this.

I used to look after friends and families dogs (when I had fewer of my own).  In the end I refused to have any males, entire or not as they would invariably mark.

I know it was primarily to claim my girls, but that was irrelevant for me.

I like the belly band....any ideas of where to get one?

They've just left and he pee'd once. The worst thing is, because he doesn't drink as much water as the others, his pee is really potent - much more than my boy's, even the garden will need a hose down!

Hi,

You can get them from Glenndarcy Dog Pants. Just google www.nappypantsfordogs.com

Just use a cheap sanni pad in it from supermarket 12pence for 10 or if heavy 'wee er' cheap inco pads supermarket own brands.

Just as with any of these other wretched things like pads for bitches in season, I'd NEVER subject any of mine to somthing like a belly band.   Can you change it often enough for it to be 'hygienic'?   Far better to avoid, or train.  Just my opinion.

By 'comfort zone' I meant that maybe he is just a little outside what he feels totally secure with so he's marking - but I did say maybe :-)

I saw that very clearly with the little min pin I had briefly - once he'd gotten used to his little living area he stopped marking altogether in there, that was his comfort zone.  His territory.  Once he was outside it, he marked constantly.

Actually the Belly Band is as much a training tool as anything else.  You generally find that if they mark once or twice in a belly band, they are a bit uncomfortable, and then won't mark again.  I have many friends 'back home' who use them on their males when visiting or staying at hotels during shows etc.  The dogs never even try to mark while wearing them.

Absolutely training is good, but how much will be soiled and stained before the training kicks in.  Wearing the BB he doesn't have to be crated and separated from everyone, which again will make him more comfortable and hopefully over time also add to curbing the need to mark as he gets more and more used to visiting.

Thanks wendy. I will be trying this with some light breathable jersey fabric that has some stretch.  I figure it will ve light enough to let his skin breath and not irritate. Hopefully it will stop him and I will start training treats too as praise for when he behaves himself.

We usually put a woman's pad inside to absorb the wee - otherwise they just get wet and when the dog lies down it's in your carpet anyway.  Changing the pad keeps the wee away from him.

Fingers crossed it works for you. 

errrmm don't laugh but i got a bit 'crafty' and made a slide in pocket to fit the cheapy pee pads from aldi. made two belts in case one gets wet and its the easy dry materiel so i'll be ready next time ;)

Brilliant!