Neutered male housetrained at home but marks in others' houses

[sklayton]

I have a two-year old male lab/terrier mix, who I adopted from a shelter about three months ago. He was neutered just prior to my adopting him. He was "housebroken" when I adopted to him, to the extent that I have not had any problems with him going in my apartment. However, the few times he has been in other people's houses for an extended period of time (overnight) he has marked indoors, both when I have left him with friends while out of town for the weekend and when I have been present while visiting at my parents' house. How can I get him to stop doing this??

[ginger899]

You might like to have a look at this website: http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/6/Urine-Marking-In-Dogs-.aspx
There is a lot of information, tips, and ideas here!

[sklayton]

It is definitely a behavioral problem... he has done it an hour or two after being taken out. Thank you!

[ginger899]

For him, this most likely isn't a 'need to pee' situation. It's more of a 'let's make this place feel like home' (or my territory) kind of situation. Marking is the right word. He is marking, or claiming territory by doing this.  (Or at least, I think so, in the absence of other problems, such as urinary infection, or being kept indoors for so long he is 'busting'.)

However, just in case it ISN'T a behaviour problem, the people he stays with may not realize what it is like to have a dog around, and may not think about taking him outdoors at fairly regular intervals, and especially last thing at night and first thing am, for him to relieve himself. As a dedicated dog owner I am forced to do this so it's second nature, but your relatives and friends may not be so tuned-in. Just a thought.

If this is territorial marking going on instead, you could try a dog repellent spray which you might be able to buy from a pet store, or from your vet? Then spray in all the 'off-limit' places. (round the lower part of the walls, doorways etc) That might work.