How does neutering stop a dog from marking in your house?
In male dogs, territorial marking is an instinctive behavior that is ‘activated’ when their bodies start producing male sex hormones. The hormones, or androgens, are responsible for several aspects of a male dog’s behavior.
One of the most observable behaviors associated with male sex hormones is aggression, especially towards other male dogs. The male dog’s marking behavior ties into that aggression as it all stems from a territorial drive to deter sexual competitors.
When a dog gets neutered, their body doesn’t produce the androgens responsible for that behavior anymore. Therefore many of the associated behaviors fall away. That includes the territorial drive to mark their territory,
Female dogs mostly use markings to communicate territorial messages. For example, these messages can indicate that a female is on heat. Like males, most of the markings that an intact female makes communicate information regarding reproduction and territory.
These behaviors are closely linked to the female dog’s hormones, especially when she enters heat and during pregnancy. When a female dog gets spayed, all of the hormonal imperative she had to communicate through marking is lost. Of course, marking is different for females than it is for males, as they are not lifting their legs to claim territory.
How do you stop a neutered dog from marking territory in your house?
As with most things, the best cure is prevention. By having your dog neutered before they reach the age when they start marking, you can save yourself a lot of trouble. However, that is not always possible.
You may have adopted an adult, unneutered dog, or perhaps you have chosen to hold off on neutering your puppy for other reasons. Whatever the reason, you might find that your dog is long past the age where neutering will prevent marking. Nevertheless, there are still some steps you can take.
As long as your dog isn’t marking every inch of the house, something, or somewhere, triggers it. Identifying a specific trigger, such as a spot, will inform how you address the problem.
For instance, it may be the neighbor’s cat coming for a daily visit or it may be a new male dog in your household. In either situation, it is best to control your dog’s environment and remove the stressor. Another option is to crate your dog if the stressor is temporary.
If your dog focuses on marking a specific spot or in a specific room, the first thing you should do is try to restrict access. Then, if possible, keep your dog away from that area.
Next, you want to clean the spot thoroughly. The marking instinct can get triggered by the smell of a previously marked spot. Because dogs have a very keen sense of smell, it’s important to clean the spot with a purpose-made cleaning solution.
After the spot is clean, you can use a potty training aid, such as a no-go potty training spray, to deter your dog from marking the area again. In addition, you can use a ‘go-here’ potty training spray to assist in training your dog to go to a designated spot.
New items like furniture, appliances, and decor can put your dog in the marking mindset. It can be a challenge limiting your dog’s access to new things in the house. Avoiding a nasty surprise means vigilance, and you will have to monitor your dog around the new thing closely.
Dog’s peeing on the furniture is a common occurrence.
A deterrent spray may help, but if your dog is adamant, it will take direct intervention to stop them from laying claim to your new couch. On the other hand, if you can keep them from marking it, your dog should learn to ignore the new thing as the novelty wears off.
There could be another reason that your dog marks inside. Unseen visitors, particularly strange dogs that come too close to your home, can trigger your dog’s marking instincts. The solution here is less about stopping the behavior and more about addressing the situation.
A dog should receive proper socialization throughout their lives, which usually prevents this behavior. But, if the unfamiliar dogs are marking territory on or around your property, you can’t blame your dog for trying to bolster their claim to the house.
Unsupervised dogs pose a risk, and if possible, you should identify the owners of the dogs and ask them to help find a solution to the problem. If the dogs in question are strays, you must contact animal control or a similar NPO.
It doesn’t always feel great doing so, but stray dogs pose a risk to neighborhood animals, children, and property. It’s the responsible thing to do.
There is always the possibility that your dog is not marking at all. Some medical conditions relating to the urinary tract and bladder can cause behavior that mimics marking. Fortunately, there are distinctions between the behaviors.
The ‘markings’ won’t usually occur in the same spot. Your dog doesn’t think about how the behavior looks to you. If their body tells them to do something in response to a medical condition, they won’t put much thought into it.
If you suspect that your dog might have a medical condition that has them ‘marking’ in or around the house, you must schedule an appointment with your vet. Such infections can start pretty mild but can worsen if they go untreated.
How long after neutering will dogs stop marking their territory in the house?
We know that neutering isn’t a miracle cure to marking. Just how effective it will depend on how old your dog is and whether or not that has already started marking inside your home.
If the marking started shortly before your dog got neutered, the behavior might disappear straight away. However, if your dog was marking for months or years before they got neutered, they are unlikely to stop once neutered. Or it may take around two months for all the hormones to leave their system if the behavior isn’t too ingrained.
That is because marking is an instinct fueled by hormones and triggered by things in the dog’s environment. The only way the marking will stop once it’s become a thing is through intervention and training.