Help! My Dog Has Peed On People....

[corvus]

You take dogs to an off lead park to socialise/play... on TOP of their everyday walks/training sessions.

No, you take dogs to an off lead park to socialise, play, exercise AND train. We do nearly all our training in off lead dog parks and we rarely do anything with them that doesn't include training sessions. That's why they are actually more reliable off leash than on. ;) They spend a lot more time training off leash than on.

IME dogs that mark people's legs tend to be a touch overwhelmed and don't really know what appropriate behaviour is for their current environment. I'm not sure if you said in your original post how long you've been taking him to the dog park? Is it a recent thing, or have you been doing it for months? Is he more excited at the park now than he was when you started taking him? We have a rule that no one gets to be off leash until they are calm enough that they will turn on a pinhead and come back if they are called mere moments after they have been released. They MUST be able to perform a simple behaviour like down or sit and be focused on us. And if we take leashes off when they are in a sit or down they do not break that position until they are released. I think this is super important to keep dogs from racing off like hooligans, getting over stimulated, and then that's when you see problem behaviour that is hard to control because they are not paying attention to you. I regularly call my dogs back a moment after they are released to give them a treat, then release them again. It helps condition them to pay attention to us even when they are moving away from us and quite excited. We work on teaching our dogs that opportunities for reinforcement come from us any time, any place. And so they reserve a little piece of their attention for us, waiting for those opportunities.

If this were my dog, my first priority would be to work on lowering arousal at the dog park and installing some rules about off leash privileges. My second priority would be a solid leave it or a recall or both. Only second because you say he's reasonably good about recall when he's not excited. So you can improve that, but getting him calm will set you up for success. I'm coming to like the whiplash turn. I'm using "Hey!". Whenever they hear it and orient to me they get rewarded. It pops out whenever pups are up to no good and I don't tend to poison it like I do their names.

[Nekhbet]

I hate dog parks full stop.

A good boot in the butt never killed anyone. Saying that your dog should respond to 'OI' or 'NO!' and you should be keeping an eye on him. Sounds like your boy just needs a good dose of manners in general if he's pissing in the house when a new dog comes in. Taking him to dog school should be minimum and implement the idea that you do not ASK your dog to do things, you tell them. I dont have maybe in my household and I dont have dogs pissing all over the place either. It's not being mean or rough at all, just set the rules and stick to them yourself, as well as being extremely clear to the dog what is expected and what it should do. There is no point letting the dog run riot then just punish, punish, punish. They learn nothing. You show your dog how to behave and if you cannot supervise the dog you contain/tether in order to limit the ability to do bad behaviours whilst they are learning.

[dancinbcs]

Not all people love dogs and there are people that will give him a nasty boot up the backside for doing that,

It would probably stop him peeing on people though, trees dont react.

My thoughts exactly. I have had a couple of young males try this on and a well timed whack up the backside as they start to do it usually stops them ever trying it again. I had one do it to me as I was about to enter the showring with him at Melbourne Royal years ago. He got a swift whack up the bum and a a severe growling at from me. The ring steward asked if I then expected him to show and I replied that I didn't care if he showed or not but he would never pee on my leg again. He went into the ring as showed just as well as ever but he never ever tried to lift his leg on anyone again.

Same applies to adolescent house trained males that suddenly decide to try marking inside the house. If you catch them in the act and reprimand hard enough, they never do it again.

[monique.c]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I guess I was hesitant to physically reprimand him but I will definitely give him a kick up the butt if I see him do it again.

Corvus we have been taking him to the dog park since he was about 5 months old and he is now 10 months, he first peed on someone maybe 3 weeks ago. I get him to sit down before I take him off the leash but he is definitely really, really excited when we get to the park so this excitement probably has something to do with it.

It's a good idea to call him back with treats when he gets excited, I will definitely start doing that more.

I will call the Metro dog school on Monday to book him in for classes, we did about 10 weeks of classes when we first got him but he definitely needs more.

I guess I just need to learn to be tougher on him and not baby him as much

[Greytmate]

If ever there is a situation where I don't believe in Purely Positive training, it is this particular problem some dogs have.

If you know the dog has this problem, you never let it off lead around people, and you watch it constantly on lead around people. In large dogs, you are lucky to get a split second of time between the sniff and the leg lift. That is the time to act.

By suddenly knocking the dog off-balance, and a deep, harsh verbal correction, the dog will learn that weeing on people gets a very bad reaction. It doesn't take much effort to knock a dog off balance if its standing on three legs. A hard push in the right spot.

Hitting the dog in the face is not advised because it could lead to a number of problems and will hurt the dog.

[mita]

I find that simply making a loud noise along with a stomp.....that's only kept for 'instant stop' situations....brings the dog to a halt.

I don't kick a dog 'up the butt'.

Edited June 19, 2011 by mita

[percyk]

aww thats horrible for you...can feel the embarrassment lol

but really you did the right thing and apologised so you cant really do much more...

from now on keep him on his lead

yep a total bore and chore but thats the only way you can control him when hes out and about

i had that happen to me a long time ago...back in the day when noone desexed males lol...and my dog was so happy to see me that he cocked his leg on my long flowing indian skirt and claimed me as his lol

all of ours mark to some degree...and all are desexed...from an early age too...so desexing wont help really....all but one lift their leg to mark but generally squat to toilet

[dancinbcs]

I find that simply making a loud noise along with a stomp.....that's only kept for 'instant stop' situations....brings the dog to a halt.

I don't kick a dog 'up the butt'.

I don't kick either but a good whack with the flat of your hand to the butt, puts them off balance and gets the message through.

[Flaves]

Desexing wont fix what you need to train him out of. Really there is nothing to say he has an over-testosterone problem, and all he really has done is wee on people when he's over excited .... we had a couple of LOOOOOOOOOOONG desexed males do the same thing at dog club then there is my bitch that lifts her leg on everything ...

I find it interesting how afraid we are of entire dogs in Australia and how entrenched the idea that whipping out vital organs is the answer to all our problems.

The veterinary profession has a LOT to answer for.

I have to agree

Why does he need to be desexed?

It is not a desexing issue, it is a behavioural issue.

He needs training

A long lead is a great idea but you cant use it when he is at a dog park with other dogs.

You can always meet a friend somewhere and set him up to fail, so you can correct the behaviour by being right there and not at the other end of the park.

My dog has never done it, but i have been on the receiving end of it, and it is not acceptable which i am glad you realise.

[mita]

I find that simply making a loud noise along with a stomp.....that's only kept for 'instant stop' situations....brings the dog to a halt.

I don't kick a dog 'up the butt'.

I don't kick either but a good whack with the flat of your hand to the butt, puts them off balance and gets the message through.

Yep, everyone has to figure out what works for them.....& what they're comfortable using with their dog.

My preference is that my dog doesn't learn to fear my hands & feet. (Tho' I've found some pressure applied to a relevant body part, can help something along!)

I've used, successfully, the loud noise with stomp, because it's fast & works when you're not close. Also the stomp sends physical vibrations...

It has to be used only on rare occasions... like when some poor person's getting peed on. This way it keeps the 'startle and stopping' effect! And the dog gets less likely to do it again.

Same as you do with children. If you shout & roar at children all the time, it goes right past them. But, if a shout is only used when there's a safety matter....a child gets startled into stopping & looking at the direction of the sound.

I also think that Nekhbet's comment that desexing is not some instant cure for all problems, is right.

The 2 male dogs that i've had in the past that have done this 'people marking', had long been desexed.

Edited June 19, 2011 by mita

[Bjelkier]

I hate dog parks full stop.

A good boot in the butt never killed anyone. Saying that your dog should respond to 'OI' or 'NO!' and you should be keeping an eye on him. Sounds like your boy just needs a good dose of manners in general if he's pissing in the house when a new dog comes in. Taking him to dog school should be minimum and implement the idea that you do not ASK your dog to do things, you tell them. I dont have maybe in my household and I dont have dogs pissing all over the place either. It's not being mean or rough at all, just set the rules and stick to them yourself, as well as being extremely clear to the dog what is expected and what it should do. There is no point letting the dog run riot then just punish, punish, punish. They learn nothing. You show your dog how to behave and if you cannot supervise the dog you contain/tether in order to limit the ability to do bad behaviours whilst they are learning.

This ^^

I have a house of entire dogs, male and female and no one has ever marked inside.

Mistral peed on my leg once at a show, I gave him a firm nugg in the ribs with my knee to push him off balance and growled no at him and he's never done it since.

[Christina]

Not all people love dogs and there are people that will give him a nasty boot up the backside for doing that,

It would probably stop him peeing on people though, trees dont react.

Hmmn might be an idea if he does it again, I really wanted to hit him in the face myself but I didn't think it would help the situation and I might get charged with animal abuse. Man I was beyond furious though.

He is a dog. They pee on things sometimes or at certain stages. They are not all perfect.

I think you have a "thing" about it. Slight over reaction from the above.

While its not acceptable to pee on people he is not going around like an elephant hosing the population at large with his trunk. Its happened twice under the same circumstances.

Teach him one word that means toilet, mine know piddles.

Then when he sees someone to greet you say no piddles, or whatever word, to remind him.

Or keep him on the lead to greet people & remind him, no piddles.

[persephone]

He is a dog. They pee on things sometimes or at certain stages. They are not all perfect.

Exactly. While it is a training issue- it is certainly not worth "furious" - as he had not been trained otherwise ;)

Man I was beyond furious though.

he's a teenager- and he needs educating as to when & where to do certain things ..and that is the owner's responsibilty

[aussielover]

He is a dog. They pee on things sometimes or at certain stages. They are not all perfect.

Exactly. While it is a training issue- it is certainly not worth "furious" - as he had not been trained otherwise ;)

Man I was beyond furious though.

he's a teenager- and he needs educating as to when & where to do certain things ..and that is the owner's responsibilty

Imagine how the person getting peed on felt ;)

Whilst it is not a nice habit, getting mad at him won't help. Yes, issue a correction, but in a calm manner- as others have suggested, knocking him off balance and a firm no.

[Nekhbet]

no one suggesting to kick the dog lol he just needs a big surprise

[persephone]

Imagine how the person getting peed on felt

Don't have to - I've been pee'd on several times...... I know the feeling ;)

[Kavik]

Not all people love dogs and there are people that will give him a nasty boot up the backside for doing that,

It would probably stop him peeing on people though, trees dont react.

Hmmn might be an idea if he does it again, I really wanted to hit him in the face myself but I didn't think it would help the situation and I might get charged with animal abuse. Man I was beyond furious though.

He is a dog. They pee on things sometimes or at certain stages. They are not all perfect.

I think you have a "thing" about it. Slight over reaction from the above.

While its not acceptable to pee on people he is not going around like an elephant hosing the population at large with his trunk. Its happened twice under the same circumstances.

Teach him one word that means toilet, mine know piddles.

Then when he sees someone to greet you say no piddles, or whatever word, to remind him.

Or keep him on the lead to greet people & remind him, no piddles.

It does happen sometimes - Diesel did it once a the park the only one of my dogs to do this.

However I wouldn't say no then their toilet word - likely they will hear the toilet word and think you want them to go

[Nekhbet]

I find a loud 'OI' is enough to stop most bad things

and I somehow taught my dogs 'GIT' as in a southern accent GET! ... so redneck ...

[Dory the Doted One]

I find it interesting how afraid we are of entire dogs in Australia and how entrenched the idea that whipping out vital organs is the answer to all our problems.

The veterinary profession has a LOT to answer for.

And quite a few dog trainers too. I know for a fact that there are several dog trainers that will ALWAYS as a first question ask if your dog is desexed, and if it isn't, they recommend the first thing you do is desex it.

I also know someone that changed trainer when they were harangued every week about not desexing their dog and were actually made to feel like bad dog owners if they didn't. This dog trainer told them about all the problems that they were GOING to have, not MAY have because of having and undesexed dog.

I also have to say that whenever we have had people book in their dog for desexing because of a behavioural problem, we tell them that it quite possibly will not have the effect they are hoping for. And try to offer them some more constructive adivice to help with the problem. Most of which is ignored, because they were told by trainers or obedience clubs that desexing their pet will fix the problem.

Not all Vets are money hungry and guilt people into procedures.

And ofcourse, there is a very strong leaning towards desexing all pets on this very forum.

[Greytmate]

Teach him one word that means toilet, mine know piddles.

Then when he sees someone to greet you say no piddles, or whatever word, to remind him.

Or keep him on the lead to greet people & remind him, no piddles.

It does happen sometimes - Diesel did it once a the park the only one of my dogs to do this.

However I wouldn't say no then their toilet word - likely they will hear the toilet word and think you want them to go

I agree. Dogs are not going to understand what it means when you put a no in front of a command to toilet. It would be very confusing for it.

The dog simply needs to learn that marking on people (or fabrics) will bring an unpleasant reaction. Timing is everything with this type of training and so it's important to keep the dog close on a lead, so it can be corrected in time.