SHelter And REscue

Urine-Marking Behavior

Much like the miners during the Gold Rush, dogs and cats are
territorial animals. They "stake a claim" to a particular space,
area, or object. They let other people and animals know about their
claim by marking it using a variety of methods at different levels of
intensity. For example, a dog may bark to drive away what he
perceives to be intruders in his territory. A cat may mark a valued
object by rubbing her head against it. Some pets may go to the
extreme of urinating or defecating to mark a particular area as their
own. Urine-marking is not a house soiling problem. Instead, it is
considered territorial behavior. Therefore, to resolve the problem,
you need to address the underlying reason for your pet's need to mark
his territory in this way. Before this can be done, however, take
your pet to the veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for his
behavior.

House Soiling or Urine-Marking: How to Tell the Difference

Your pet may be urine-marking if:

The problem is primarily urination. Dogs and cats rarely mark with
feces.

The amount of urine is small and is found primarily on vertical
surfaces. (Dogs and cats do sometimes mark on horizontal surfaces.)
Leg-lifting and spraying are dominant versions of urine-marking, but
even if your pet doesn't assume these postures, he may still be urine-
marking.

Any pet in your home is not spayed or neutered. Intact males and
females are both more likely to urine-mark than are spayed or
neutered animals. However, even spayed or neutered animals may mark
in response to other intact animals in the home.

Your pet urinates on new objects in the environment (a shopping bag,
a visitor's purse), on objects that have unfamiliar smells, or on
objects that have another animal's scent.

Your pet has conflicts with other animals in your home. When there's
instability in the pack hierarchy, a dog may feel a need to establish
his dominance by urine-marking his territory. If one cat is
intimidating another cat, the bullied cat may express his anxiety by
urine-marking.

Your pet has contact with other animals outside your home. A cat who
is allowed outdoors may come home and mark after having an encounter
with another cat outside. If your pet sees another animal through a
door or window, he may feel a need to mark his territory.

Your dog marks frequently when you walk him.

What You Can Do

Spay or neuter your pet as soon as possible. Spaying or neutering
your pet may stop urine-marking altogether. However, if he has been
urine-marking for a long time, a pattern may already be established.

Resolve conflicts between animals in your home. (See our tips on
Solving Aggression Between Family Cats.)

Restrict your pet's access to doors and windows through which he can
observe animals outside. If this isn't possible, discourage the
presence of other animals near your house. (See our tips on
Discouraging Free-Roaming Cats.)

Keep your cat indoors. He'll be safer, live longer, and feel less
need to mark his territory.

Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Don't use strong-smelling cleaners
because they may cause your pet to "over-mark" the spot.

Make previously soiled areas inaccessible or unattractive. If this
isn't possible, try to change the significance of those areas to your
pet. Feed, treat, and play with your pet in the areas he is inclined
to mark.

Keep objects likely to cause marking out of reach. Items such as
guests' belongings and new purchases should be placed in a closet or
cabinet.

If your pet is marking in response to a new resident in your home
(such as a roommate or spouse), have the new resident make friends
with your pet by feeding, grooming, and playing with your pet. If you
have a new baby, make sure good things happen to your pet when the
baby is around.

For dogs: Watch your dog when he is indoors for signs that he is
thinking about urinating. When he begins to urinate, interrupt him
with a loud noise and take him outside. If he urinates outside,
praise him and give him a treat. When you're unable to watch him, put
your dog in confinement (a crate or small room where he has never
marked) or tether him to you with a leash.

For dogs: Practice "nothing in life is free" with your dog. This is a
safe, non-confrontational way to establish your leadership and
requires your dog to work for everything he wants from you. Have your
dog obey at least one command (such as "sit") before you pet him,
give him dinner, put on his leash, or throw him a toy. Establishing
yourself as a strong leader can help stabilize the hierarchy and thus
diminish your dog's need to mark his territory.

For cats: Try to monitor your cat's movements. If he sniffs in an
area he has previously marked, interrupt him with a loud noise or
squirt him with water. It's best if you can do this without him
seeing you. That way, he'll associate the unpleasantness with his
intent to mark, rather than with you.

What Not to Do

Don't punish your pet after the fact. Punishment administered even a
minute after the event is ineffective because your pet won't
understand why he is being punished.

Pets Aren't People

Dogs and cats don't urinate or defecate out of spite or jealousy. If
your dog urinates on your baby's diaper bag, it's not because he is
jealous of, or dislikes, your baby. The unfamiliar scents and sounds
of a new baby in the home are simply causing him to reaffirm his
claim on his territory. Likewise, if your cat urinates on your new
boyfriend's backpack, it does not reflect his opinion of your taste
in men. Instead, he has perceived the presence of an "intruder," and
is letting the intruder know that this territory belongs to him.

Dominance or Anxiety?

Urine-marking is usually associated with dominance behavior. (See our
tips on Dominant Dogs.) Some pets, though, may mark when they feel
anxious or upset. For example, a new baby in the home brings new
sounds, smells, and people, as well as changes in routine. Your dog
or cat probably isn't getting as much attention as he was used to
getting. All of these changes cause him to feel anxious, which may
cause him to mark.

Likewise, a pet who is generally anxious may become more so by the
presence of roaming neighborhood animals in your yard, or by the
introduction of a new cat or dog into your household. If your pet is
feeling anxious, you might consider talking to your veterinarian
about medications to reduce his anxiety while you try behavior
modification techniques.

Updated Nov. 1, 2006.

Visit http://tinyurl.com/7s6mm for links to these sites -
Aggression Between Family Cats
Basic Training Techniques
Discouraging Free-Roaming Cats
Dominant Dogs
Introducing Your Pet and New Baby
Positive Reinforcement: Training Your Cat with Treats and Praise
Positive Reinforcement: Training Your Dog with Treats and Praise
Removing Pet Stains and Odors
Submissive and Excitement Urination
Where to Have Your Pet Spayed or Neutered
Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Pet

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group 11/5/06

For info, please visit http://tinyurl.com/7s6mm

Behavior Problems & Solutions: Urine-Marking Behavior

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