I have 2 Yorkies (male and female) and both are 1 year old. The female has no problem going outside to urinate when it is time for our walks. The male, on the other hand, will urinate on my sofa and has even urinated in my bed on more than one occassion. This behavior just started recently and he has not done this before prior to the past month or two. He will sometimes attempt to urinate by my leg. I have talked to a few other people and I have heard many reasons behind this… One person said he was marking territory and another said that he does this because he is intimated by my other dog and is trying to show that he is the "alpha" dog. I just want to know… Is this a behavior problem? If so, can this be fixed? Also, he’s not neutered… if that helps with any suggestions.




9 Responses to “My 1 yr old Yorkie urinates on the sofa and my bed continuously. Is this a behavior problem that can be fixed?”

  1. Graciegirl

    Your dog is not technically "peeing". She is marking her territory. The reason she feels compelled to do this is because she feels unsure of your leadership and has assumed the mantle of pack protector. Her marking is to claim territory and scare off intruders by the scent of urine.

    The remedy for this is two-fold. First you need to supervise her closely and prevent any further marking. In addition, you need to thoroughly clean any areas she’s marked with a pet specific cleaner. Unless the scent is removed it will trigger further marking.

    The long term solution is to give your dog the confidence that you are in charge and don’t require her assistance to protect the pack. You would need to examine the dynamics of your relationship with your dog and communicate your alpha status. Examine things like; is she sleeping on the floor or in the bed with you? Are you eating before she eats? Does she walk behind you on a heel or does she lead you? I’d suggest you visit this site at http://perfectdogtraining.com and read the article "Training Tips" which addresses leadership issues.

    Finally, don’t show anger toward your dog for marking. She is merely doing what she thinks is in the pack’s best interest and if you show anger it will only confuse her.

  2. Mr.G

    watch a couple episodes of the Dog whisperer. It should help you.

  3. fuzzygarfield83

    urinating in the wrong place can be one of the first signs of a urinary tract infection. before considering a befavior problem, take your dog to the vet to make sure there isn’t a medical problem.
    if he gets cleared by the vet, then you should consider behavior issues. you should acutally be hoping for a uti, some anitbiotics will fix the problem easily. behavior problems take a lot of time and effort to correct.
    good luck.

  4. arkpudel

    If he is not neutered, he is marking his territory. The best, most reliable way to fix the problem is to have him neutered.

  5. Alli

    Make sure you also use vinegar on every spot they’ve peed on, that way they won’t pee there again. If they smell the spot, they will do it again unless you neutralize the odor.

    Also, make sure you leave a light on outside. My dog, for the longest time peed inside because she was afraid of the dog! Make sure a light is on so they aren’t scared. :)

    Good luck!

  6. Molly K

    Well part of the problem may be that he is not neutered. However, crate training a dog can be an effective method of house-training. You should probably keep him in a confined area… away from furniture! Take him on long walks and if you have a fenced-in part of your property keep him outside for a while. Be careful that your other dog doesn’t model his behavior… that is likely especially if he has asserted his position as Alpha dog. Good luck!

  7. countrymom

    This might help him stop. I think once they begin to go in one or two places, they continue on account of their scent being there. Get a clean spray bottle and mix half water and vinegar. Spray it on the spots. It will help neutralize the smells and, hopefully, discourage him from going. You might want to try him on paper close to the door.

    Call a vet or look up house training problems, for dogs, on the Internet.

    Good Luck!

  8. faith.halbert

    Sounds like you need to put her in a small area (bathroom, pin, etc.) and you need to buy the potty pads for dogs and sit there with him and put him on it and keep him there and give him commands, later he will learn to potty on the pad.

    P.S.-Do you sell puppies?
    I noticed you have a female and a male that are NOT neutered so if you do….please e-mail me!! Thanks!

  9. parties101

    ok what to do is this – get a long leash and wrap it round your waist and attach to your dogs collar, they will then learn to follow you around which means if you move they will need to also this shows that you are in charge.aim for 2 hours per day doing this it may take a week or 2 but it will help. now while doing this you will notice sniffing etc which is the cue for you to stop what ever you are doing RIGHT AWAY and take your dog out for a pee etc now when they start to pee put a word to it eg "wee pee" and do this every time you must be very firm about this as one mistake on your part could ruin all the work you are putting in. so for the week or 2 that you are doing this do not allow your dog onto anything that he has peed on AT ALL he will get the message and you should have no more problems.

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