Why do dogs pee on everything?

Have you ever rolled your eyes at your dog's habit of urinating on every rock and tree while walking? It may be annoying or embarrassing, especially when she marks something less appropriate. Is there anything you can do to influence this behavior, which is called "territory tagging"?

Why is the dog tagging?

If the dog marks the area with a small amount of urine, it is most likely nothing more than a way to greet their relatives who may be nearby. This is an absolutely normal instinctive way of communication for this species of animals - they have been doing this since ancient times, as people began to track their behavior. Besides the desire for communication, there are several other reasons why they tag.

• The dog has not been spayed. Males that have not been neutered are much more likely to mark their territory than neutered dogs. According to one study published in the journal Animal Behavior, status dogs mark territory more often than low-status dogs. So, perhaps your favorite is the king of the hill! Although this problem is more common in males, unsterilized bitches sometimes mark territory, especially before or during estrus.
  
• The dog is overly agitated. New and exciting social situations can make your pet want to tag everything in their field of vision. Reasons for over-tagging also include being around a dog in heat, or even just visiting a house or park where other animals have tagged it before.
• "Someone was here." The dog can consider his territory not only his house and yard but also the route along which he walks, as well as other houses or parks that he often visits. If another dog has recently visited your pet's “territory”, he may feel the need to mark this territory for self-affirmation.
• The dog is having health problems. You might think that your pet is marking territory, but the reason for the increased urination may be due to medical reasons. Conditions that can cause frequent urination in dogs include urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, and drug reactions. You should go to your veterinarian to rule out these problems before trying to wean the animal from tagging.

It is also worth noting that some dogs frequently urinate for reasons other than tagging, including conditions such as "obedience urination" and separation anxiety. Or is it just illiterate home training? Understanding the causes of your dog's behavior is a critical step in addressing the associated problems.

Can this be stopped?

Despite the fact that the habit of dogs to mark territory is a natural behavior that they inherited from their ancestors, in the modern world you can be annoyed or embarrassed by such a habit. How can you wean your pet from this habit, or at least reduce its desire to tag? The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine offers several guidelines.

• Determine why your dog is tagging. For example, knowing that she marks every time she is very anxious can help you avoid stressful situations as much as possible. By avoiding the factors that influence your dog's desire to tag, it will be easier for you not to find yourself in these situations.
• Suppression in the bud. The longer you do not take your puppy to neuter or neuter, the more difficult it will be for you to wean him from the tagging habit in the future. Spaying a dog, especially when it is a puppy, is likely to reduce the tagging habit - if not prevent it.
• Neuter or neuter all other animals in the house. If hormonal changes occur in the body of another dog, especially a female, even a castrated male may react to this and will begin to tag frequently.
• Get organized. Identify places outside your home or on your walking route where your dog will be allowed to tag. Train her to recognize these places by rewarding her when she marks them. Leash training can also reduce tagging. Keeping an animal on a shorter leash so that it doesn't run from side to side, running up to every tree and pole in sight, can help reduce its desire to tag.

Avoiding bad practices is just as important as keeping good ones. If you yell at your dog or punish him in any other way when he marks, he will begin to hide the behavior, making it even more difficult to try to stop it. You should remember that tagging is a natural instinctive behavior for your pet, and while there are ways to minimize it, remember that most dog owners face it. If you want your dog to be tagless, just be patient with him, train him carefully, and he will start rewarding you with more enjoyable walks.