Marking

[bizzylizzy]

Is it "reasonable" to train a dog not to continually cock his leg while walking on the lead? Humphrey has loads of time off lead but when he's walking with me on the lead, I've been trying to gently pull him away and keep walking as I think he needs to learn that marking isn't acceptable everywhere. We were in town yesterday, a rare occurance, so I used the opportunity to train under distraction. I was approached by a very irate young man who accused me of mistreating my dog, not  allowing him to "even sniff". OH got really annoyed, an argument started and then the man said he'd been video' ing me and threatened to call the police!! 
In the end, I just carried on walking because I was worried about it escalating, but then I was awake half the night worrying that I really was being unreasonable. Its really upset me and I'm chewing myself up and worrying that I really was being too heavy handed. What does everyone else do? How else do you prevent entire males from marking every few minutes?

[ips]

Forgive me but I don't fully understand exactly what the young chap was irate about, what was the issue that he took exception too ?

[bizzylizzy]

He accused me of pulling and dragging my dog along  ..... (he admitted he didn't have a dog himself), and when I said Humphrey was in training, he said I was using old fashioned methods and should be using treats instead! I honestly cannot figure out how else I'm supposed to do it,  ALL the trainers I've ever been to have insisted I take the dog for the walk, the dog shouldn't take me and that's my thinking too, he gets loads of praise when he's walking well but if he digs his heels in, there's no option but to be assertive,  - or not? Luring him with treats doesn't work in that situation anyway, he's in a world of his own when he's got a smell under his nose. 😒

[Gazrob]

Don't get worked up about it you did nothing wrong. My dogs unneutered he pees everywhere if given the chance. I have teached him a toilet command. Before our walk I take him to a place to do his business I usually take him off the leash for this. After he's done I'll put his leash back on and just keep walking, if he tries to sneak in a pee I'll tell him no gently tug on his leash and keep on walking. Keep him close so he can't sniff too much. This isn't easy to do. I'm still teaching my dog this. He does sometimes get a sneaky wee in. He's got to learn that when he's on leash his only job is to stick with me and walk.

[ips]

Doesn't sound like you did anything that warranted that reaction.
Cant help with the marking as never had a dog, I have witnessed other folks dogs with this behaviour and it looks quite frustrating.
I wouldn't worry about it.

[bizzylizzy]

Don't get worked up about it you did nothing wrong. My dogs unneutered he pees everywhere if given the chance. I have teached him a toilet command. Before our walk I take him to a place to do his business I usually take him off the leash for this. After he's done I'll put his leash back on and just keep walking, if he tries to sneak in a pee I'll tell him no gently tug on his leash and keep on walking. Keep him close so he can't sniff too much. This isn't easy to do. I'm still teaching my dog this. He does sometimes get a sneaky wee in. He's got to learn that when he's on leash his only job is to stick with me and walk.

Thanks Gary, that's my thinking too!

Doesn't sound like you did anything that warranted that reaction.
Cant help with the marking as never had a dog, I have witnessed other folks dogs with this behaviour and it looks quite frustrating.
I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks Ian!

[Mudmagnets]

I wonder how the same young man would have felt if you had allowed Humhrey to smell and pee on seats or every lamppost, shop sign, would you then have an unruly, untrained dog?

The bloke is talking out his backside, probably someone or something else miffed him off and he was taking out on you.

[lescef]

A 'know it all' with no actual experience. ........ don't dwell on it. 
I distinctly remember our trainer saying not to allow sniffing at every gate post. As I've only ever had bitches I'm not sure if this advice is any use to you..
I have a 'walk on' command so as soon as Maddie (the one who sniffs the most and longest  ) puts her nose near a wall I say it. When I do allow a sniff every so often I say 'go sniff'. Once I'm fed up standing there I count out loud '1...2..3... walk on'. Sometimes I count slowly but they have both learnt that means we're finished here and they move off very often before I say walk on. It was originally taught with treats but I don't use them now.

[bizzylizzy]

A 'know it all' with no actual experience. ........ don't dwell on it. 
I distinctly remember our trainer saying not to allow sniffing at every gate post. As I've only ever had bitches I'm not sure if this advice is any use to you..
I have a 'walk on' command so as soon as Maddie (the one who sniffs the most and longest  ) puts her nose near a wall I say it. When I do allow a sniff every so often I say 'go sniff'. Once I'm fed up standing there I count out loud '1...2..3... walk on'. Sometimes I count slowly but they have both learnt that means we're finished here and they move off very often before I say walk on. It was originally taught with treats but I don't use them now.

Thanks Lescef, , that sounds like a  really good idea !!, will give it a go!! 👍

[Gazrob]

I take my dog to a specific area before our walk off lead and tell him to go toilet. After he's done his business I put him back on lead and we just walk. No sniffing just the walk. If I let him pee once or twice on lead that will just confuse him. So off lead he can pee on lead he can't. It's still a work in progress but he's slowly getting the message.