Marking versus housebreaking

Some people do not understand the difference between a dog who marks his territory versus one that is not yet housebroken.   This misunderstanding often leads to corrections performed in the wrong way on unsuspecting pups.  The above puppy is clearly not housebroken.   Puppies lack the maturity to mark territory until they are about six months of age.   Before six months, nearly all "mistakes" in the home are due to immature development of the bladder, lack of consistency of the owners, and absence of complete comprehension of the rules of house breaking. 

Hitting and putting the nose of an offending dog or puppy into a mess it has made on your floor does nothing in the way of furthering your dogs understanding of a mistake.   Dogs routinely smell and even lick the urine or feces of another dog as a way of gathering information on the sex, health and time elapsed since the mark was created.   It is simply never an option as a method of correction. 

When bringing home a puppy, a person must understand that the bladder is not fully developed to hold the urine for an extended period of time.   Puppies simply go when they feel the need.  It is up to the owner to establish location, time elapsed and careful monitoring of food and water intake. 

Adult dogs, or ones that have begun to lift their leg when urinating (females also mark by squatting then raising one leg a bit), are most likely to participate in  "marking"  territory inside the home.   After a strict routine has been established for the adult dog and they show comprehension of the housebreaking process, only then can one look to correct the mistake of "marking".   Males provide the easiest examples as they lift their leg on an object in order to raise their urine to the highest level. 

This behavior is seen most often when a new dog is brought into an established home (male or female) , the dog is taken to an unfamiliar home, or a house mate comes into season (also urinary tract infections in female evoke this behavior).   Once the act has been identified as "marking" then the owner must decipher the cause.  The correction for a dog in the act of marking is a quick, loud sound to disrupt the behavior then the owner moving the dog physically to the outside and praising when they use that area for urinating.

To help ease the transition of an adult dog who enters a new home, closing off rooms and pairing down the access available is a must.  Some people use crates to put their dog in as they generally do not relieve themselves where they sleep.   Be sure to check on the physical well being of your animal if you find it suddenly starts urinating within the home.  A possible infection, kidney failure or coming into season (for a female) may be the cause.  When health is ruled out, assess if other animals have come into your home or yard that your pet is trying to "mark"over.  

The key to successfully stopping inside "marking" behavior and housebreaking is to never leave the dog unattended.   If you can not keep your eyes on the pet, then they need to be moved to a safe location where they have shown a willingness to hold their bladder.  Remember it is natural for a dog to leave scent where ever they go as a trail to follow home as well as signs for other passing animals. 


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You are what you eat!

This old adage applies to canines as well as people.  There are so many types and varieties of dog food available in the commercial marketplace today it has become very confusing which is best the best choice.  A little common sense will take your dog a long way.

The best practice to decipher your purchase is to read the ingredient list on the dog food, canned or dry.  Just like people food, there are regulations that force the dog food industry to place the list of ingredients on the container.  Whatever is top on the list is what the food contains the most of (usually 80%), and on down the list it goes in order.  Do not listen to the hype of the television commercials for what to feed your pup.   The more money a company has the more they can claim how great their product is.   Another factor to look at when deciding is where the ingredients originate.   As the news has reported, thousands of pets have died from jerky treats produced in China.  Reading the package information reveals where the food or treat was produced. 

Top of the brand lists found in most grocery stores would be Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, and Purina Pro Plan.  However top cost is not top quality.   Of these listed brands only Pro Plan begins the food with real turkey, chicken, tuna, or other meat products (there are some specialty stores and vets that carry a better dog food than found in commercial stores such as WalMart).  Some dogs must have special diet foods low in sugar, salt, protein or the like and vets offer those under many name brands.    But for the common folk shopping on a grocery store list of options, reading the label brings to light some interesting facts.

If the top ingredient says chicken, beef, lamb or the like, followed by the words "by product" you are getting things not rated for human consumption such as feathers, beaks and feet in the case of chicken.  Yes your dog is not human, but if that is not something you would feed yourself why give it to your pet?   This is not to say that lower priced foods will not allow your companion to thrive but junk in junk out.  Meaning you have more waste in the backyard to pick up, your dog must consume more cups of feed per day, and balancing the cost factor shows it may be wise to purchase the higher priced food.

As an example, the lower end choice of Purina Dog Chow is a perfectly fine food, however, one might need to feed double the cups each day, pick up double the yard waste of the dog, and result in a dog with not so shiny coat, itching, summer hot spots, allergies, etc.   Once the dog starts itching, one might have to spend more money to see a vet and use supplements along with the dog feed.   The cost of vet visits and supplements would be more than the cost of a better quality food. 
This is not to say your pet won't have allergies on the better food ; it is merely an example. 

If one were to purchase a product whose first ingredient is real meat,  is low in ash ( a filler product), and the top five ingredients are something you would not mind eating yourself, the dogs coat would apt to be more shiny and have less shedding.   Some farm stores sell dog food from companies such as Diamond, which offers the consumer a lower priced food at a higher quality.  Purina sells Dog Chow (low end of spectrum) but also offers Pro Plan (high end food).   A quick read of the outside panel of ingredients will reveal the type you want your companion to eat.

 From there, the choice is which meat is best for my dog.  For dogs with sensitive stomachs, allergies, or picky taste buds, try the salmon, turkey, lamb or venison styles.   Trial and error of purchasing small bags of feed will tell you which one your pup likes best.  There are some dogs who try to convince their owners they can only eat people food.  To those owners, don't be fooled, the dog is playing you.   It is important to feed dry kibble of some kind or the dog risks a non balanced diet.

There are those owners who make their own feed.  This is a costly endeavor and one that needs  many supplements along with time to create and might not be economical for the average pup.  If this is the route to take, please read all you can to make sure the dog is getting a proper balanced diet. 

Feeding dry vs canned food is another question many owners wonder about.   Canned food is 80% water.   Used to add palate ability to dry, for the picky eaters, or as a place to hide needed medicines it is a good idea.  Feeding only canned food is not usually cost effective and harder to transport  than a bag of dry.  

When we feed our cherished companions it is important to purchase the best food one can buy.  Just like ourselves, Filet Mignon is tastier than sausage and has less fat and fillers.  Our pets can greatly benefit from a quick read of a label and making the best choice for the money.


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