If your dog has been peeing on the wall, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about it.
So, why does my dog pee on the wall? The most likely reason why your dog is peeing on the wall is that they are marking territory due to new scents, being in a new environment or aggression from other pets or people.
There are a number of possible reasons why your dog pees on the wall and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my dog pee on the wall?
Below are likely reasons why your dog will pee on the wall and what would make each of them more likely.
Marking territory
The cause is likely to be that your dog is marking its territory. This would be especially likely if your dog only sprays a little on the wall. Dogs will mark their territory to make it clear to other dogs and animals in the area that they have been around recently. Tips are mentioned below to prevent this kind of behavior in the house.
Anxiety
If your dog actually pees on the wall instead of just spraying a little, it could be the case that your dog has some anxiety. This would be more likely if your dog has been doing it when they are likely to be anxious such as when there are loud noises inside, when you are not home or when someone is shouting.
Not enough training
If your dog pees instead of sprays, it might also be because you did not train your dog to pee outside well enough. This would be more likely if your dog has always done it and you did not spend much time training them. In this case, it could help to watch some Youtube videos that show you how to house break your dog.
New people or animals
If your dog has been spraying on the wall, it could be due to new people, pets or smells being around. They have new scents so your dog is marking its own scent to establish its territory. In this case, the behavior should stop as your dog becomes accustomed to the new smells.
Aggression with other animals
If your dog has been around other animals or they have been being aggressive towards your dog, the cause could also be that your dog is marking due to the aggression. In this case, it would help to prevent cases of aggression such as by feeding your dogs separately.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
When your dog first started doing it
If your dog did not always pee on the wall, it would help to consider what else happened when they first started doing it. If they started doing it suddenly, it could be due to new people or pets, moving to a new house or because you started hanging out with new people and your dog has been picking up on their scents on you.
The timing of when your dog does it
It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that your dog tends to do it. If there is a certain time your dog tends to do it, the timing might have something to do with it. For example, if your dog tends to do it more when you arrive home, it could be due to the scents that you have on you.
How to stop my dog from peeing on the wall?
Below are some options you have when preventing the behavior.
Get your dog spayed or neutered
If your dog has not been spayed or neutered, one option would be to spay or neuter your dog since this often results in reduced marking behavior.
Limit your dog’s access to things with a strong scent on
Since your dog might be responding to new scents, it could help to reduce your dog’s access to things with new scents on. One way to do so could include putting your coat, in a wardrobe and your shoes in a show box so that your dog can’t smell the scents on them.
Wait
If your dog has been doing it since something such as getting a new pet or moving home, it would be more likely that the behavior will stop as your dog becomes accustomed to the new smells.
Get help from a vet
If you can’t figure out why your dog has been doing it and your dog has been behaving unusually in other ways, it would help to take your dog for a checkup. By doing so, you should be able to rule out medical causes and get expert advice tailored towards your dog.
Get help from a dog behaviorist
If the behavior persists for more than a couple weeks, it would also be an option to get help from a dog behaviorist. By doing so, you should be able to see what has been causing the behavior and how to get it to stop.