Marking Territory

[ParadiseTzu 11,275]

I have a problem with Sassy Mae and I have never heard of it so wanted to know if any others experience it. She is housetrained and it was so easy from day 1 when we got her as a puppy. Actually she has never had an accident in the house and at 2 years old will pee on command outside when I need her to for some reason or another.

We are retired and we take her everywhere we go. We live very simple lives so dont go much but I have been surprised of the stores that allow and seem to enjoy dogs in there.

The problem has come up when on the rare occassion we visit with someone. We know in advance she is welcome so we take her, they typically have a dog and are dog lovers. We have begun to realize tho that the minute we set her down she is going to potty. We are talking and dont notice it and certainly dont expect it out of her. She has done this about 3 times now and we make sure we dont take her back and are now realizing that we cant take her to anyone's house and I just cant believe that. She is such a perfect little dog but she is embarrassing us.

I have noticed for a long time now that she loves to be in our front yard and go around hiking her leg and peeing on the bushes, the tires, anything another dog has come along and peed on. I tell her all the time "young ladies dont do that". So I am sure the pooping in someone else's house is a territorial thing even tho they have a housebroke dog that does not leave the smell.

Does anyone else have this problem or is this any hope of fixing this? I know that I could just watch her better but that means not really visiting and talking freely with anyone.

Edited July 29, 2012 by ParadiseTzu

[Luna 8,676]

She is quite literally marking her territory. I have several dogs that are absolutely trustworthy in my house, but take them to another home where there is a dog and let the marking begin! YOU know it's not your house, but SHE does't, and she figures that if you are there the whole place belongs to her and she is telling the "competitor" it's time to move on.

You have two choices: you can leave her home, or you can buy those "period panties" that take a mini pad. If she urinates just before you leave home she won't be able to produce much so the pad should absorb it.

I expect that's not what you want to hear, but it is what it is. Everyone complains about boys marking, but if you read a few of my posts about my girls you'll see they can be just as - if not more - guilty.

[ParadiseTzu 11,275]

Thanks Pam, I was afraid there was no way to cure this particular problem. And btw, it's poop that she does. She marks outside (pees) n our yard where other dogs have peed so that's what gave me the idea she was marking in our friends' homes instead of just needing to go that bad. But so far, it's pooping she has done in their house. I guess we will just leave her home next time and just be glad she is housetrained at home.

[Luna 8,676]

I have one that does the poop marking too. Nothing to be done about that except keep the dog attached to you by a lead on your belt or leave her at home.

[Seastar 44]

Pooping! That's different. Pooping can happen because the dog is stressed or in a new environment. I had a pug that would do that when he got excited. Can you hold the dog in your lap until she calms down, and keep her close to you?

[ParadiseTzu 11,275]

Yes, she will sit in our lap. And what's nice is that you dont even have to hold on to her, just put her on your lap and she will stay. We just love her to death and I guess this territory marking is just one of her quirks.