[judyeve]

I had Max neutered a week and 1/2 ago. When I brought him home, he started going on the paper again - one day he went 5 times, but has skipped an entire day, or only goes once or twice a day on the paper now. He has gone near the paper a few times. He doesn't go outside - he's paper trained. He was only marking for about 3 weeks (I think!) before he was neutered. He's 7.5 months old.

He was also sick for with diarrhea and he threw up a couple of days ago. He seems a little tired too, so I'm leaving him alone right now. If I see him marking, I soak it up on his pee pad and tell him that's where he's supposed to make peepee, etc. - that's the same way I originally trained him. l also make the usual fuss and do the happy dance and song when he does go on the paper, treats are given and you'd think he was a genius, who just got a scholarship to Harvard.

I called the vet and she said not to worry -- that it takes time and it can take up to 3 months for the testosterone to leave his system entirely. I do feel that I have to keep after him because it can become behavioral real fast.

I was spraying all the places he could mark, including the floors, every morning (before coffee!) with Nature's Miracle and Bitter Apple. That seemed to be helping, but I took off Sunday and Monday morning. Mistake!

I don't want to start with a belly band yet because, for one thing, I'm hoping not to need to use it - that he'll miraculously stop soon. I also don't want to irritate him since he was neutered not even 2 weeks ago.

It was easier to train him - he was 100% (or 98% - good enough) paper trained before he started marking. I knew where he was going. Now, I can't
keep up with his "mistakes" bcause I don't know where they are.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Judy