What is Dog Urine Marking? How Can You Put a Stop to It?

dog urine marking

Using urine to mark territory is a completely normal act among dogs, serving as an essential method of communication with other dogs. This behavior can transmit crucial details about availability for mating, social hierarchy, and the limits of their territory.

Therefore, you mustn’t be overly surprised if you see your bulldog indulging in dog urine marking by peeing indoors in specific areas.

While male dogs frequently show this behavior, even intact females tend to ‘mark’ during their estrus.

If you are wondering how to stop dog urine marking as well as ways how to neutralize dog urine, you’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, we will cover both these topics so you can prevent female and male dog urine marking for good.

Let us start with answering the question: how can I remove dog urine from the carpet?

How to Neutralize Dog Urine

Neutralizing dog urine is the first step to preventing dog urine marking behavior. Dogs tend to pee in the same spot over and over when they smell their previous urine. Here are some tips for getting rid of dog urine smell:

Act Quickly

When your puppy bulldog has an accident indoors or whether he is urinating to mark his territory, in both cases, you must diligently wipe away the mess and neutralize odors right away.

Odors seep deep into rugs and carpets where they linger for days, weeks, and months after.

These odors then tempt your dog to indulge in urine marking behavior over and over. So, clean as soon as you spot the mess.

You can even use the best dog marking deterrent spray to curb this behavior for good.

Soak up the Mess

Soak up the urine, as much as possible, using tissues, blotting paper, old newspapers, and rags.

Do this step before you start the steps to prevent dog urine marking.

Use Vinegar
  • Mix 50% vinegar and 50% water. Pour this solution liberally over the stain.
  • Use a scrubbing brush to rub the solution deep into the carpet/rug.
  • Soak the carpet thoroughly with it.
  • You can leave the solution on the stain for a few hours. Next, use a wet-dry vacuum to dry the carpet.
Use Baking Soda and 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Once the stain is nearly dry, sprinkle baking soda liberally on the stain. Subsequently pour 3% hydrogen peroxide on the stain.
  • Use a scrubbing brush to work the mixture deep into the carpet.
  • Once the carpet is thoroughly soaked, allow it to dry a bit and then vacuum over it.

These dog urine remover steps will surely help you.

Let us now answer the question: ‘how can I stop my male dog from marking the house?’

How to Stop Dog Urine Marking

dog urine marking how to put an end to it

Eliminate Triggers

The main triggers for dog urine marking are a perceived threat from other dogs and anxiety caused by other house pets.

If your dog marks because you invite other dogs into your house, you might want to stop those ‘doggy play dates’.

In case your dog keeps peeing near the window, pull the blinds down because he might be urinating upon seeing another male dog walk past.

Do not provide your ‘marking’ dog with new toys or objects as he might mark them right away. Make sure your pet is familiar with the object or toy and only then provide him to play with it.

Know if it is Dog Urine Marking Behavior or Something Else

Dogs eliminate indoors for a variety of reasons.

Sometimes, they get excited or anxious. Other times they indulge in ‘submissive urinating’. The latter is mainly seen in female dogs.

These behaviors are different than dog urine marking and typically have little to do with sexual urges or territory marking.

As a pet parent, you must know when your pet is marking their territory and when he/she is urinating due to anxiety or excitement.

This is an important aspect of answering the question: why do dogs urine mark?

Spaying and Neutering

In a study conducted on nearly 57 dogs, there was nearly 90% improvement in dog urine marking behavior of nearly 40% of the dogs neutered.

Neutering helps your dog control sexual urges. Similarly, spaying a female dog in the house can prevent heat cycles which can cause aggression and dog urine marking in the male dogs around her.

Spaying can also prevent female dog urine marking behavior.

Medication

As a last resort, you might consider medicating your pet to prevent dog urine marking. Discuss the medical causes to rule out with your vet if you notice your pet urinating indoors more than usual.

Some psychoactive medicines can help prevent canine urine marking by increasing their threshold for anxiety and reactivity.

These medicines include antidepressants and SSRIs.

However, there are some adverse effects linked with these medicines such as lethargy, decreased appetite, gastrointestinal disturbances. So, one must only use them as a last resort.

Conclusion – Key Takeaways for Dog Urine Marking Prevention

Dog urine marking usually occurs when a dog wants to show that he owns a territory.

Similarly, female dog marking can occur in un-spayed dogs when they want to attract males.

As long as you consider the medical causes to rule out (diseases, urinary infections, parasites, anxiety, submission, etc.), dog urine marking is very much controllable and also normal.

You can start by using the best dog urine remover and neutralizing dog urine. This will prevent your dog from peeing in the same spot again and again.

Neutering and spaying as well as eliminating behavioral triggers like removing perceived competition and threats from other dogs can also help.

We hope this brief guide helps you answer the question ‘how can I stop my male dog from marking in the house?’

Good luck!

2 Comments

  1. My female bulldog urinates in my spot and only my spot on the couch overnight when we have not pull up the cushions. She has been desexed , we have used marking spray with some success but if i forget to spray the couch for just 1 night before i go to bed she will pee on there again. She is 1 year old and has a older dog in house as well that has not been desexed and does not get on the couch or even attempt too unlike the other one. It is becoming frustrating any advice would be appreciated.

  2. I have two female dogs that have been spayed I just recently rescued a older neutered male dog. My husband qnd I started to notice he is marking in the same spots in the house. I’ve tried a couple of different sprays to prevent him from marking qnd well as clean it up when he dose. I’m willing to try other methods to resolve the issue so I’m going to try the vinegar method and see how it works.

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