Expert: Kaza - 6/6/2010

Question
QUESTION: my bishon is a bishon cockapoo mix and he wont stop urinating in the house D:! personally i think it is because he won't use the doggy door. any tips on getting him to use it again? (he use to, but has stopped.) he never goes in front of us inside and tries to pick spots we don't usually see (like in the corner behind the table)

ANSWER: HIs age would be of use so I can indicate what development stage he is going through.

Either way males scent in the home , that is what a male will always do. Just if you catch him say NO and take him outside , once outside say
PEE and he will eventually learn to scent outside.
If its an issue then you could castrate him, it stops some marking but not all, vigilance is the issue and also mopping the house with lemon oil and water will remove the smells that attract him to do it.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: yeah he is almost three, we have been taking him outside like you said since he was a few months, but any training tips on using a doggy door? he is afraid of it because my brother used to lock it all the time, and he would hit his head on it.

Answer
Remove it and allow him to walk through it for  a few days, throw a ball through the open gap to encourage him to use it, smear the edges with some peanut butter or another treat he may like, make him feel that its safe and a cool way to leave for a piddle.

However male dogs do scent , that is simply how they feel they can protect those within the boundary they are creating.