This is a recent question from a reader from BlissfulPets:

Question: I have an adopted schnauzer-terrier mix male who is neutered and urinates on furniture, walls and corners when you’re not looking. He does this even if he has been outside for hours playing and urinating outside. It has really become a problem because no matter how much we let him out to pee and play he always comes inside and when you leave the room he goes and pees on something and goes back and sits down like it never happened. We have tried everything to break him of this habit. What do we do?

Answer: I’ve got several tips to help you out:

1- You haven’t ‘tried everything’. If you had, the problem would be fixed. I don’t say this to nitpick words. I say this because when people say that they have ‘tried everything’ it means that they are in a frustrated state of mind and that usually they are blaming the dog. The reality is that this is faulty communication on your part. The better you realize that the problem lies with how you are communicating with the dog and not something the dog is doing wrong, the sooner you will fix the problem.

2- You need to understand the root of the problem. Marking and house training issues are separate issues. Your dog is not peeing because he needs to go to the bathroom. He is peeing because he needs to mark his territory. It just so happens that house training accidents and marking manifest themselves in the same way. That is why he is capable of being outside and peeing and then coming back inside and peeing some more.

3- If you know it happens when he’s not in the same room as you, don’t allow him to not be in the same room as you. If you are in a room, watch him. Teach him to lie down and stay. If you go to the next room, have him follow you and then keep an eye on him in that room. Again, make it easy to supervise him by simply having him lie down and stay. If you can prevent him from going to the bathroom in your house for a long enough period of time, you will recondition him.

4- Obedience train your dog. Marking is a dominant, territorial behavior. It is important that your dog understands that you are the one in charge in your home. Obedience training is the best way to accomplish that. It teaches your dog to happily accept a follower role.

Good luck.