Scent Marking

Hello to you all. I have been off forum for quite a while, so don't know if you will remember Hamish and me.

Hamish is doing well and will be 4 on his birthday in July. He is an entire male. Recently, though, I have discovered that if I take him to other people's houses (with or without animals), he pees on their furniture and fittings. This has become quite embarrassing and I am reluctant to take him with me for that reason. How can I stop this behaviour?

Of course the first thing that springs to mind is neutering. Scent marking like that is a very male thing to do.

He might be doing it because he's feeling uncomfortable being in another persons house so he's going round saying "right this is mine, etc"...Have you tried maybe taking some of his toys or bedding with you? So he doesnt feel the need to mark things as his own?

Obviously keep his bladder as empty as possible. and perhaps keep him on lead/with you whilst at other people's houses? Or have you perhaps looked into getting a more portable crate to take with you places?

just a few ideas

I am thinking that your first suggestion is probably spot on. Taking his bedding etc makes no difference at all. And, although when on the lead, he doesn't do it, it is not practical for me to keep him on the lead all the time.
I was just hoping to avoid the inevitable, I suppose..i.e. neutering.

I don't think his behaviour has anything to do with fullness of bladder by the way, as he does it even if he has just been out. And, he doesn't do it at home at all.

He is a mature dog - has he only just started doing it? or is it something that has been happening a while?

The only time my dog has ever scent marked inside the house is before he was neutered, since then absolutely nothing, but he's a fair bit younger at 18 months.

if its sort of become his habit, you would still need to keep an eye on him and catch his attention before he does it even after neutering, but it does massively decrease those male hormones enticing him to do it!

It has been happening for a few months now, so I don't know what sparked it off. He is always clean and dry at home.

What I don't want is to have him neutered and then find that he persists in this behaviour.!!!!

So, I really need help from people like you who have had to neuter their dogs.

And also, would neutering change his personality?

I have to say my neutered female cocks her leg and scent marks

she does it in PaH and in places where she in not confident

Why not just keep him on the lead?
If its a new thing then a vet check is mibby in order just incase - but also thinking about if anything has happened to make him more unseatled

I am in general pro neutering - but I wouldnt do it just to try and fix a behavioural problem

If you don't want to neuter him you could try chemical castration such as Tardak injection or a Suprelorin implant and see if it helps, as these are temporary.

You could also consider trying a "belly band" although many people dislike them.

It's a sort of nappy that is a band round his middle. Some dogs don't urinate while wearing them but those that do only wet the band (which you can put an incontinence pad in), rather than marking him your friend's house.

This may also work to allow him to safely become more familiar with your friend's, house which may help over time if he doesn't mark at home.

Ime it is often the CKCS, Bichons and Chihauhaus who most frequently do this, although it is certainly not exclusive to these breeds.