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Originally Posted by woofwoofwoof  Why is it better to wait for his growth plates to close? I appreciate your response. What are some methods to use to train him to stop marking. I can't keep up with it! |
From what I've read here on YT by a great breeder (she no longer posts) it gives a pup a chance for their development to complete uninterrupted (ex. Their growth plates closed). Another great benefit is they are pretty much done teething at 10+ months old. If there are any retained puppy teeth you have to take care of those. That includes putting them under again to have those teeth pulled. If you wait, you can do it all at once, and only risk putting them under anesthesia just once instead of twice.
As for training them not to mark, it is essentially going back to potty training. Limit his space, no free roam of your home until he EARNS your trust. When you do give him time to explore and run around inside your home, watch him like a hawk. Look for signs that he's getting ready to mark, which is usually intense sniffing. When you do see the signs, or if he's already lifting his leg, get his attention and redirect him. For my dog, I clapped and that usually got him to focus on me. I gave him a stern "no" and we went about our business. There are also great training aids that will help you. Belly bands are great. They save your furniture from being ruined, and they stop them from getting what they want, which is marking their territory inside your home. Eventually, they will get the hint that marking just isn't getting them anywhere. I do however encourage marking outside. I like my pup to know that what he is doing isn't wrong, just the place he chooses to do it sometimes is wrong. He gets praised for making and pottying outside. This method hasn't failed me yet! Several boys have come through my house, and all have learned to comply (sorta) by the end of day 1. They still think they're being super sneaky when they think I'm not watching. Thank goodness for belly bands, and I do catch them every single time. It's a process, and eventually they all learn the house rules.