# Stop Marking!



## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

Hi there - that sounds like a tough situation. My question is, how high is your DH's bed? Our bed is actually quite high - bed frame, box spring, and a thick mattress. I think it is at least 3-4 ft off the floor. My 3 yo has a hard time climbing in. Can it be as simple as that? I hope you will get some good ideas...


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think swapping beds might work- and/or swapping bedding (very easy if you have duvets, less so with blankets, of course). Perhaps you could spend time sitting in there with her, too. While you are sorting it out, an easily washed throw with a protective backing may help to keep the peace! Something like this, perhaps Gotcha Covered Waterproof Protective Plush Throw


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

The bed is high off the ground, about thigh high. Noelle has no problem leaping on it. Switching blankets is a good idea. Hanging out in there might help, too. And the waterproof throw, ideal. Thanks for the ideas.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Put the dog in a crate and forget letting her sleep with anybody. Otherwise, practice during the day and sit there watching during training sessions. The second she looks like she's about to pee, scoop her up _fast_ and right outside with her! Don't let this be practiced anymore at all. It's like regular potty training. Prevent the practice of this behavior, show outside is the best place to mark and wee, complete with a really good treat and praise.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I believe Noelle is in training to be a diabetic alert dog, so Click-N-Treat needs to have her sleep with her. Correct me if I am wrong. I like fjm's suggestions.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

So seizure alert means she alerts you by peeing on you? :ahhhhh: j/k... I still say...train this dog to stop doing this now and when she gets the picture...that you don't pee on someone or their bed to alert them or claim them or for any reason, then she can come back to try again sleeping with you. You can try the other idea if you want. It's sure a possibility. If it were me, I really would hate risking peeing on any bed or any person...the more she has an opportunity to practice the behavior, the worse it will likely get. Well, just watch carefully I guess. Good luck. Also, typically you want to make double sure it's nothing medical, like a UTI. Maybe it feels better to her to pee there than other places for some reason?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I would put her in a crate as well, just long enough for her to stop this behavior.

Is your husband not sleeping in another room ? I don't understand the setup. Is there a door somewhere that can be closed so she can't access the room he's in ?


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Let me see if I can clear this up.

Two different rooms with doors that both close.
This does not happen at night or overnight.
No, she does not pee on me and never has. 
She never pees on my bed, she goes to the bedroom door and signals that she needs to go out.

Here's what is happening.

While I was putting clothes away in the afternoon, she jumped up on the bed and peed on it. We cleaned up the linens, remade the bed, and two minutes later, Noelle jumped on the bed and peed on it again. 

Today, while my husband was using his computer, he left the bedroom door open. She jumped on the bed and peed on it. (I thought he was napping, but he just told me he was using his computer and was not on the bed.)

No one is sleeping in pee.

This has happened a total of three times in the past month. 

The obvious answer is to not let her go in the room anymore. Close the door and train a boundary WAIT if the door is open. I can do those things. My real question is, why is she doing this? Is this territorial? Teenage flaky behavior? Scent marking? It seems like scent marking to me. I just wonder why.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

has frances ever peed in hubby's bed and have enzymatic cleaners been used to thoroughly get rid of odors? my lowchen did not pee inside unless ill. then i kept finding a wet spot on the carpet. caught the male dog in the act - realized it was a spot where the female had peed while ill one night. try doing an ultraviolet light check of your husband's bed. i hesitate to say it, but he may need a new mattress...


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

I was thinking the same thing. There's got to be a reason. It just started suddenly out of nowhere.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I once had a dog who like to pee on beds. Especially mine. She was an adult, 2+ years old. I didn't raise her as a baby so I don't know what happened in her puppyhood.

I never knew why she did it. Didn't really care to find out. She was never allowed on beds again. It solved the problem.

I think you will get pretty good at closing the door behind you. But be careful, she might do it on other beds as well. Best is to keep her off. Even if you clean the linen, the smell is in the mattress. Unless you had a waterproof bed protector. Which means she will keep going back.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Personally, I wouldn't go out and buy a new mattress. Even with enzymatic cleaner, I don't buy it that dogs won't be able to smell pee still. My house has old pee all over the place...the carpets, the couch. I cleaned it the best I could with Nature's Miracle. The dogs can still smell it, I guarantee it. But they don't pee there anymore. Jose` never peed where the puppies hit. Dogs can smell a drop of urine in some number of millions of gallons of water and for a very long time after. So, I think the enzymatic cleaners are great. They help us not to smell it and probably reduces the scent or confuses their scent. But eliminate? No way Jose`. 

Most behaviorists don't try too dwell too hard on the why's or wherefores. We can never know for sure what is in their minds. The training concepts are the same for the most part. Prevention. Alternative. Reinforce for correct response.  Build on that wanted behavior. Show the dog what to do.

Prevent her from getting an opportunity to pee on the bed or anywhere, prevent her from getting to practice this behavior. Reinforce her for peeing where she's suppose to....outside. Prevention means _extreme_ supervision. It may mean tethering her to you while you're in the room doing chores so you can catch her if she's about to let loose and use an interrupter and get her outside fast. It may mean popping her into a crate while you're predisposed, taking away her freedom for a while as you reiterate to her that pottying outside is the _only_ way to fly. It means just as you do with a new puppy...taking her out _often_, waiting for her, giving her a "go pee pee" cue if you have one. And reinforcing her very lavishly for going outside. Often means a chance for more reinforcers and that's what will modify this behavior for the better...a full gas tank of instances where she's rewarded highly for the correct behavior of peeing/marking/guarding a tree, whatever the reason OUTSIDE. 

For the time being, while she's being re-trained, no bed or other furniture privileges without you holding her on your lap...like if you want her with you for some TV watching. Even if you have only seen her do this a few times in only one kind of context or place, I recommend watching her like a hawk for the next month or two and making sure that she gets it that *no* place inside is the place to go potty. It doesn't matter why she's doing it or for what purpose. Just that it won't work to pee (or mark or own or whatever else we can think of...) inside and it works very well to pee outside. (I wish I had been more diligent with my poodle puppies because they were late bloomers. I even tried dressing them in bloomers but they didn't go for those. lol) 

I would make sure she doesn't have something medical going on too...just in case.

I see the logic in Fjm's idea and it's a good idea. I'd just be chicken to trust her with the switch-a-roo trick. What if? When you're not looking? Oy.

Anyhow, whatever you do, I do wish you success.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

I have a waterproof mattress protector on my bed. However, I'm 99% certain she won't pee here. This is her sleeping space and has been since day one. She jumps off my bed and goes to the door. Needless to say, I was shocked when Noelle jumped up on Otto's bed and peed on it. Otto was pretty angry. I was, too.

I'll keep the door shut and keep her with me. Not that that's hard, Noelle is my shadow in the house. I was just wondering why she suddenly started marking. I think the answer is, because she's a dog.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Click-N-Treat said:


> I have a waterproof mattress protector on my bed. However, I'm 99% certain she won't pee here. This is her sleeping space and has been since day one. She jumps off my bed and goes to the door. Needless to say, I was shocked when Noelle jumped up on Otto's bed and peed on it. Otto was pretty angry. I was, too.
> 
> I'll keep the door shut and keep her with me. Not that that's hard, Noelle is my shadow in the house. I was just wondering why she suddenly started marking.* I think the answer is, because she's a dog.*



Lol. Love it. I think that's the best answer. :first: :act-up:

Well, that sounds like a plan. I see what you mean about her sleeping place so she won't pee there. Hopefully you won't always have to keep the door shut for the other room or that she decides to do it somewhere else. 

Let us know how things go. Best of luck.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

Click-N-Treat said:


> I was thinking the same thing. There's got to be a reason. It just started suddenly out of nowhere.


do use the ultraviolet light first to check. if it's not that, then she hasn't learned anywhere in the house is a no-no and needs help understanding that. do you take her inside any other homes, buildings used by people, etc.? how does she do? and btw, how do you react when she does naughty pee at home? maybe she thinks it's okay by the reaction?


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Click-N-Treat said:


> I have a waterproof mattress protector on my bed. However, I'm 99% certain she won't pee here. This is her sleeping space and has been since day one. She jumps off my bed and goes to the door. Needless to say, I was shocked when Noelle jumped up on Otto's bed and peed on it. Otto was pretty angry. I was, too.
> 
> I'll keep the door shut and keep her with me. Not that that's hard, Noelle is my shadow in the house. I was just wondering why she suddenly started marking. I think the answer is, because she's a dog.


Some dogs don't care to pee where they sleep. I have one like that !


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Noelle is a shadow dog, and rarely more than 5 feet away from me, except when she's out playing in the yard. I'm going to put this down to teenage flaky behavior, keep the door closed and make sure to remind Noelle of her manners. Hopefully, this will work.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Could even be that she got such an exciting response from you both the first time that she is out to repeat the fun! As PB says, health and similar issues apart, sometimes it is better to work on training out the What, rather than getting too hung up on the Why.


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