Help, I have a marking problem...or is it a potty problem?
 

A few months ago, I noticed that my boy was marking on a few baseboards. I caught him in the act twice. Both times, I gave him a firm "NO" and carried him to his pad. I cleaned up the areas I saw & was so proud of myself because I thought I had solved the problem. But of course, nothing in life is THAT easy.

I have recently discovered that he's marking on a bookshelf & one of the banister railings of the stairs leading to the 2nd floor. To complicate things even more, my little girl has become confused & I caught her peeing in the middle of the landing near that banister. I also caught her peeing on the rug under the dining room table this week. She even left a poo in the middle of a bare hardwood floor :( Twice! My husband is livid & wants to re-crate train. I am willing to do that if I have to, but I'm not sure that re-crate training is the best solution to the problem. I don't know if this is a marking problem or a potty training problem - or both?!

My pups are (or WERE) pad & outdoor trained. My boy lifts his leg when he goes potty outside. Should I discourage that? He doesn't lift when he goes on a pad. We have a new little girl coming in June & I need to get my 2 older ones in check before she gets here. Should I start all over with Potty Training 101? And if I do, how do I discourage the marking?

I forgot to mention...he is neutered.

I agree with your husband, time to start over. Marking is a bad habit that's hard to break. Have you considered belly bands as an aid until your little one gets the hang of things. That's what I did. Belly band + expen + constant vigilance. When he did right, praise praise praise. On walks too, if he marked (you get to learn the difference) praise that too. I wanted him to know its not that his doggy instincts are wrong, but I "claimed" my house and he couldn't mark there. I use to do the same when we would go visiting. Belly band + constant vigilance until he understood the apt belonged to my friend and not him. It doesn't mean he didn't try to make at first. He definitely tried. My goal was to redirect his marking to more appropriate places. Hope my rambling makes sense!

I have definitely considered a belly band. I have some old ones that I used when he was a puppy when we went to friend's houses. They're a little tight, I need to get some new ones. But I put one on him to test it out...he lifts with the belly band on. I was hoping it would feel awkward & he just wouldn't go.

I really have no idea where to start with the marking thing. If I praise him for marking outside, how do I discourage it inside - at the same time? Won't he get confused? How do you redirect marking? With a treat?

I would treat the marking just like inappropriate pottying, praise and treats when he goes where you want. Maybe confining them to the kitchen when you can't watch them like a hawk, lol.

Thanks. I wasn't sure if I should treat it like a potty issue or not.

I'm going to try to restrict their freedom to the same room as me for now. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep a close eye on them & watch their habits. If no success, I guess I'll have to break down & re-crate train. :(

Momo was a marker...I had to wrap water bottles w/pee pad & the boys use it as their marker. Attachment 383334 I didn't even have to teach them to go there, they just naturally went. Also had to remove all rugs, they can't tell the difference from the washable pads.

Yeah, I've seen that pic on the boards. I tried to do that, but the wee wee pad wouldn't stay on the bottle. :( I'm thinking about the Rascal Dog Litterbox - the big one called "Big Squirt". It has 9" sides. The only problem with that is, they have multiple potty places in the house. So unless I train them to go in only one spot, I'd have to buy more than one.

I was also thinking along the lines of your water bottle thing...maybe trying to find something at Home Depot that I could wrap waterproof, washable fabric around with velcro. That way I wouldn't have to buy disposable pads. I use washable pads too. I'd hate to buy both.

I'm also really bummed because my girl Momo is a copy cat & now she's peeing all over the house! Grrrr :mad: I can't imagine putting my little babies in crates again. I really don't want to go there.

Yeah, the bottle has to be propped up against the wall for the paper to stay wrapped...or you can tape it.
I have these Attachment 383339. Mimi was scared to step on top of it bc it has a plastic bottom. The boys used it fine & since it has panels on the sides, I propped the pee pad w/the water bottle to hold the pee pad against the walls. I have 2 NEW in the box it you're interested.

I lay a layer of paper pee pad under the washables, so I use both.

You see???? This is why I love YT :D Yes! I'm interested! Is that the Big Squirt, or a different brand/same concept? I'm just wondering the dimensions too. Thanks so much!!! I'll shoot you a PM.

It's by Four Paws. I guess it's almost the same concept, except you use disposable pee pads for this one, no artificial grass. Tray size is 22.75" x 22" x 1.5" with 7" high removable walls.

I have pads on two places. I think keeping the location of pads is key. I would downsize their access and work on their manners before allowing free reign. When given an inch, these yorkies take a mile...at least in my house! LOL good luck!

I've been keeping them in the same room as me so that I can keep an eye on them. I have restricted their free space, but not to the point of a crate or expen. I keep their pads in the same familiar spots. They typically just go potty on their pad when they want to. But the past few days, I've been taking them to a pad around the same times that I know they potty & giving them treats when they go. I'm thinking that maybe I just took the potty training thing for granted & maybe I should try to "reinforce" the idea of "you potty on this pad only" every few weeks, or once a month for a few days. I haven't caught either one of them in the act since yesterday afternoon. So we'll see how it goes :confused:

This is what I do too, I think if you allow them to mark outside, they don't have the need to mark inside too much. It sounds like the little girl is peeing, make sure you clean up all spots with an enzyme cleaner, and is it possible you don't have enough pads out? Mine will pee on the rug if the pad is too dirty.

I'm pretty sure I enough enough pads out. I usually pick them up once a day. Maybe I'll change them out more often & see if that works.

I wasn't sure if Yoshi would get confused if I let him mark outside, but not inside. But if yours can do that, the I don't see why Yoshi wouldn't be able to. I'm also going to reclean the carpets upstairs. I've been wanting to pull them out, but I'm waiting for spring so I can open the windows. We actually only have a few bedrooms with carpet. Maybe I'll just close the doors to those rooms until I know they're totally clean. I could probably dump a whole bottle of Nature's Miracle in that spot where the floor & the wall meet...and it still wouldn't be totally clean. The rest of the house is hardwood. Thank goodness.

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I think I just got really comfortable with the whole potty thing & need to make an effort to be a little more on top of it. Now that I've been watching them & restricting their freedom, I haven't seen Yoshi marking. That's encouraging. I'll take it day by day & keep my fingers crossed!