# Marking vs potty training...and 2nd dog possibility!



## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

If your dog still marks in the house, it is not potty trained, correct? I just came across a CL ad for a dog that is "potty trained" but wears belly bands indoors because he "sprays"....Is it just me or is this person nuts???

BTW I keep looking at this ad over and over. I want another dog, like to the point where I obsess over it. But when I have the opportunity to actually get another dog, I get myself so worked up and nervous about what adding a second dog might be like that I decide not to. I know certain things will not change. But I do realize somethings will. I know they will need one on one time with me. I know they may have to potty separately and the new dog will have to go out more often than Avery. I will most likely not leave them home alone together (but that could possibly change depending on their interactions)...

IDK I just worry all the time. It's just so easy with one dog. And even though my parents are not big dog people they have grown to love Avery and will take him for a night here or there or if I decide to go on a trip or something....If I get another dog my parents will not want the responsibility of three dogs (two dogs is pushing it with just Avery and Tess)...

Anyways here's the ad I was talking about: (they took out the picture, he's an adorable tri-colored long haired chihuahua--BTW the last Chi I tried to adopt didn't work out, I guess I'll never know why, they called once and never called back)
4 year old wonderful chihuahua!!!

This ppl however the first time I messaged they never messaged back. The second time they said he needs someone who is home all the time (I don't get that at all?)


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

first of all, what does that mean-wears a belly band so he doesnt spray? cats spray, dogs pee.
sounds to me, like he's not trained. marking is marking and it can be trained out of them, if you catch them doing it.
maybe the dog suffers from separation anxiety thus the need for someone to be home. i dont know but it doesnt sound like a dog, i'd need for a third.

rehoming fee-it's their dog, why the rehoming fee?


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

In my opinion, no, dogs who mark indoors are not housebroken. And getting a divorce as a reason to get rid of the dog? I will never understand that.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

It doesn't sound to me like they've had him very long. It also sounds as though they haven't really spent much time with him if he is not yet potty trained.

I like to see ppl on CL cautious about rehoming their dogs but at the end of the day you've decided you don't want said dog anymore so perhaps being overly particular is a moot point. As long as the person who's taking it isn't going to do something that will harm it and its going to turn around and sell it to the highest bidder, you've pretty much done the best you can...after said dog leaves your hands you have no control as to what type of owners you just left the dog to...

Finally we do have a set of dog flippers in the area. They get dogs for cheap or free by lying and then turn around and rehome them for cash.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

I know a lot of people with small dogs who wear belly bands because they mark, I would imagine it's a pita habit to break if well ingrained but it could be done. Is he intact? Most of the sprayers I know of are intact breeding dogs. It's not the same as potty training, they are marking their territory on purpose, not going because they can't hold it.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I understand it would be a tough habit to break. But do you really believe a dog that marks inside is still potty trained? Avery is a marker, in fact if its outside its fair game (I actually saw him mark some folding chairs the other day, we really have to work on that)...But he would never ever even think to lift his leg in the house. Actually he only had maybe 3-5 accidents after I got him and has been completely potty trained since.


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## flashyfawn (Mar 8, 2012)

I don't know, I think there might be a difference in the dog's mind but I think the basic idea of "don't pee at all" inside a house can be taught. I had a couple foster dogs who were intact when I got them and they marked in the house, one quite a bit. I did treat it as a basic house training issue and all of them learned it. Now, I will say that in different places (like vets offices and other indoor places) I had to be super careful because they would still try to mark. But as far as I know, none of the adopters had huge issues with the dogs marking in their houses, and peeing/pooping inside is one thing that most adopters completely freak out about so I'm sure I would have found out. I think most dogs will learn especially with the help of a belly band, which apparently this doing is already used to wearing. I also think sometimes marking in the house can be the sign of an insecure dog (they have to say "that's mine, and I was also over here, and I'll take that also, yep that spot's mine" and so on.) Not with every dog, obviously, but could be the case here. He's recently been rehomed to the current owners who are going through a stressful situation themselves and that is a lot for a dog to deal with. The current owners might not be correctly cleaning all the pee spots, so that's not helping either. Personally I think if someone like you who knows what they're doing got a dog like this, you'd very likely be fine.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

My oldest dog Jersey is absolutely potty trained, she would only go in house if she absolutely couldn't hold it any longer or was ill, in 6 years she's had two accidents. She's also marked dog beds completely on purpose 2 times, one a new bed we bought and both my bitches marked it, not sure who first and another when we first got Nero and she marked the bed and food bowl that he was using.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

To me those are more acting out marking. I know ppl will say I'm humanizing but when Tess was upset she would pee or poop somewhere. One time being in the middle of my parents bed. Tess is 10 and a small dog and she was so easy to potty train but if she got "upset" or perhaps stressed if you will..you bet you'd fine a gift. But she has only done this 5-10 times in her life. 

Avery however, if he has an accident it's explosive diarrhea and its usually because he got into something he shouldn't (cat food) or something didn't settle well in his stomach and he literally couldn't hold it...ill never forget last summer he was acting so weird and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with him (he doesn't tell me when he has to potty so I have to make sure he gets out so many times per day)...anywho I let him out on that particular day and he practically exploded the second he was outside. He was acting off because he was trying to hard to hold it and let me know he needed to go out.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Isn't he just adorable?
4 year old male chihuahua.


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## shellbeme (Dec 8, 2010)

I think this is a great question, and I don't really know the answer. My oldest dog does not pee or mark in my own home, however, when we visit my in laws house (and only their house) he will mark ALL OVER the place-so he wears a belly band for those visits. He does not mark anywhere else-at anyone elses house. When we catch him, even though he wears a band we tell him no in the 'oh no you're a bad boy' type voice. My youngest dog has no issues. My older dog (the one with the marking in the in laws house issue), knows he pees outside. So, is it a potty training issue? I dunno...


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