Marking Behavior
I know this is somewhat male-dog oriented, but I’ve known a few females who are not immune to recovering scents! Quick has just recently started leg lifting. He was neutered at five months at the shelter, and never marked before. Suddenly though, he’s a pee-machine! if he could walk on three legs while spraying, I think he would! I’ve never had a male dog before, so this behavior is totally new to me.
Fortunately he has yet to do this on an agility course (maybe because it’s so much fun?) but I live in fear of him marking a tunnel some other dog may have peed on in a previous class! I’ve thought about putting it on cue, but I do not want this as a trick, at all. It’s never been ‘cute’ to me (I know some people think it’s the best trick ever, and that’s okay, I just never saw the allure). Has anyone had that happen with their dog? Does anybody know of any tricks to lessen it? Someone jokingly said they’d have their marking dog run in diapers, but I just can’t see that as being a feasible solution, LOL!
Teach your dog not to mark when off the course. Be consistent. When he lefts his leg, say “no mark” each time, with leash correction. When it’s time and okay to potty, ok to mark, slack leash, let him go. Make sure he’s had plenty of time to pee before entering agility area. Transfer same procedure to course. If he mark’s use a pee cleanser such a simple green, repeating no mark. He’ll get it fairly quickly. Most people clean up “marks” in agility area so this problem doesn’t get out of hand. It’s agility courtesy.
I have no suggestions for getting them to stop, but I just wanted to say that I have one of those female dogs who marks. We got her at 2 years old (spayed at that time) and she always found and peed over places other dogs had peed on before. But then in the past year or so she started lifting her leg to pee. Now she does that regularly, especially if she wants to make a tree.
She has not ever even looked to mark in agility class. I think the excitement and fun and focusing aspects of it have kept her away from even contemplating it.
Oh dear. My boys often don’t even bother to lift their legs and they do walk around while pee’ing at times. But back to the main topic… both of them have let loose on the tunnel. For some reason that seems to be the most appealing bit of apparatus. However, neither did it during an actual run, but either when I was walking the course with them or listening to my trainer post run. Both cases in which I was not actively working them.
Note there is a big difference between marking and pee’ing, right? My boys will “mark” even when they are empty. Personally, I don’t see the need to curtail this as long as they learn appropriate marking spots. Make the agility course off limits by going back to initial housebreaking rules for marking on the course. No! Bad! Whatever. I’ve been in classes where a dog will pee and one of my boys goes up to it and gets that look on his face and I just tell him “NO! Not here!” and he clamps right up.