Can anyone advise me please. I do drive but fancy a train trip to visit relatives soon with my gorgeous dog Alfie. I think he will be fine BUT he has a habit of 'over cocking' his leg and marking his spot. I am afraid he will 'pee' up anything and anyone on the train! He is house trained but whenever we visit new places he is very over enthusiastic with his peeing. Any ideas please?
Lynda Readman, via our facebook page
Is he neutered? That can reduce his urge to mark.
ReplyDeleteI don't drive, and so my dogs have always travelled by train. I really wouldn't expect him to go - unless he has an infection or weakened bladder for any reason. However, he might find it a little bewildering, especially the noise at the station, if he isn't used to it.
ReplyDeleteI would make a mission of going down to stand at the platform for a few days in a row, with a bag of treats and learn not to be spooked if he hasn't had that kind of socialisation before. Ensure his collar fits correctly! (I've seen so many dogs wear a collar that slops around their necks that could so easily slip off if the dog becomes anxious)..
He'll be a little unsure, first few times, so treat it as you woul any new encounter. Take control Once on the train, talk to him, keep him close and keep his attention on you, and once you've found your seat, tell him to settle. A settled dog won't pee, and a dog doesn't tend to pee if it knows its going to be lying in it.
Have a word with your vet. You can get a health check and if that is clear you can discuss neutering. It's worth noting that there is a difference between 'marking' and simply urinating to empty the bladder. An intact dog is far more likely to frequently mark.
ReplyDeletedifficult one to answer , just take some dettol and kleenex in case!!
ReplyDeleteA really hard one , just be prepared with tissues and discinfectant !! Good luck woo woo x
ReplyDeleteHi Lynda
ReplyDeleteCastration if not already done may help, but scientific research shows that it is not an all-out cure, as many dogs that are neutered then continue with scent marking behaviour which is the frequent leg cocking you describe. Dogs that are neutered once they are already cocking their leg are very unlikely to stop as it will have become a learned behaviour. Dogs that are neutered can still develop leg-cocking behaviour, too. As your dog is already cocking his leg, do not put too much faith in this as a solution.
A tip that may help, depending on how squeamish you are, is to take a pre-urine scented cloth or tissue along with you for the journey. Dogs will cock their legs to distribute their scent and this is not dependent on a full bladder. Place the scent cloth (or cloths) around where you are sitting so that the area is already pre-markedand therefore does not need him to feel he has to cock his leg. It may, to a very sensitive human nose, smell of dog wee but it is unlikely to be detectable by humans, as you do not need to have a lot of urine on the cloth for your dog to detect it!
Quite how you get the urine on the cloth, I leave to your creative planning but as this is a tricky situation in any case, it is worth giving it a go.
To prevent him feeling insecure in any way (another cause of leg cocking), take some really interesting activity toys with really tasty food inside, and a comfy non-slip bed or piece of Vet bedding. This should keep him lying down and less bothered about his surroundings.
Make sure he has an empty bladder, take cleaning wipes in your bag, and keep a sharp eye.
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
Karen