Mad Marking

[Cathy]

Hi All! Maximus is nearly 3 years old now and is usually good about going potty outside. He will go months without an accident, and then all of a sudden....he looses his mind.

He knows when people are leaving the house for work or whatever, and if he is mad about it he will go somewhere in the house, even if he was just let out and did his business outside.

During the day he has full reign of the main floor and upstairs hallway. We keep all the bedroom doors closed so he won't soil anything "by accident".

We have recently had a lot of family visiting to Max's delight. He just loves everyone! They all left last weekend and he moped around the house for two days.

Today is the first day that he will be left alone for a period of time since they left, and my son just called to tell me that he is heading off to work, but dad left our bedroom door slightly open....and Max marked on the big bed and pillow.

He knows better than this. It is like he is getting even or something. Do we have a alpha problems here? Or just a sensitive feeling kind of guy?

Help! I can't take this much longer. He is a big boy now and should not be doing this. It must be us. :crying:

[lotsadox]

You may have an alpha problem. At obedience school one of the instructors recommended "Leader of the Pack" to me to read. It explains about how dogs lived in the wild and how they understand the family or "pack". Cash is my "mad marker" (we used to call him the "Peemeister", he was so bad). I've been reading the book and doing the exercises with all of them, but particularly Cash and the marking has cut down to almost nothing. I did find one spot in the front hall (unfortunately that's his favorite place) yesterday so it looks like we have a little more work to do. Working to establish that I am the alpha and the dominate member has helped so much. I used to have to put everything up so it wouldn't get marked. Now it's just occasionally, hopefully in the future it'll be not at all!

There are also a couple of books that I"m going to get that I understand are really good. One is "The Dog Whisperer" and the other is "The Dog Listener". Try one of them, it might help you. It's surprising how easy it really is to establish that you are dominant and in control.

[Cathy]

Thanks for the reply. I saw a post from you earlier mentioning "Leader of the Pack". I looked it up on Amazon.com and the book is only 12 pages long. Is this the book you are referring to?

[lotsadox]

Not the same one. This Leader of the Pack is by Nancy Baer and Steve Duno. It's about 137 pages, easy reading. Every chapter starts out with how wolves in a pack live a relate then goes on to how to apply this to your "pack" and has exercises to do. It's very good.

[Cathy]

Wow thanks. I did find it on amazon. I am sure glad I asked you about which book it was. The Baer/Duno book looks great. I can't wait to get it. After reading the sample pages and back cover, I am just sure we have a alpha problem. I am also sure that we (probably mostly me) have created it.:fierce:

I treat Max like my little baby.:flush: