Dog Fears and phobias: Marking by Urine

Dogs eliminate when they are afraid. The stimuli which create the problem can be either loud noises, certain people or objects, and many others. If the problem hasn't been generalized, there could be a direct link between soiling and the occurrence of these stimuli. It is possible that the dog will not react the same way in the master's presence, because the latter inhibits his fear. You could realize that the dog that usually goes outside will begin eliminating inside the house, because the very cause of his fear lies outside the house. You will notice that the dog will not want to go outside for long periods, which should cue you into what is causing the problem. A dog suffering from fears and phobias will not experience any particular problem to be educated to cleanliness. There will only be a problem when the dog is experiencing fear or generalization (see section on fear). If you happen to have too much trouble dealing with this problem, please consult a professional.

Marking with urine: Marking is usually linked to non-spayed males rather than females, which leads one to believe that the problem is hormonal. Usually, dogs don't begin marking their territory before puberty. However, it is not so rare to see a dog beginning to mark his territory before the age of six months. Most of the time, marking takes very little urine. It is important to observe in which context marking occurs, because it typical-Iy happens when the dog feels the need to mark his territorial limits. The following situations depict when a dog marks his territory: the dog sees a person or an animal passing on the perimeter of his territory, or he sees a strange person or object in the house, or again smells an animal or person on his master's clothing. Marking can occur before or after a walk, or when there is tension in the air at his master's house. Some dogs do their marking in specific areas, others operate within a wider radius (consult the section on "marking").