How can I get dog to stop marking & biting?

He’s: 5 year old shih tzu & neutered

His behaviors: He will “nip” a kid in the face if they get too close to his (he’s left puncture marks & bruising on my daughter on several occasions). He marks & urinates in the house. Same spot, different spot, the bed. You name it, he’ll pee on it. He was doing this before I came around.

What I’ve tried: Cleaning the carpet with cleaner that is made for urination When I catch him I yell the dogs name & no & take him outside. Once when I went to carry him outside he bit my hand. I follow him around which is impossible I’ve tried praising & giving treats Creating him at night (which is sometimes impossible bc when his daughter is over she’ll cry about it & he’ll get to sleep with her.)

The biting I’ve never witnessed (with the kids) so I’ve never tried anything. He will never bite the kids when an adult is around. He’s bit 3 kids that I know of & he has gotten my daughter 5 times on the face. 6 if you count when I told her to tell him no afterwards so he bit her again.

I’m at a loss. We fight about him all the time. My house smells of urine. I can’t find all the spots in this 2,100 2 story house. We have a 7 month old who is about to crawl but can’t 1) bc of the urine in the carpet 2) we’re afraid the dog will bite her.

If I put him in his kennel during the day he will screech bark until he’s let out, so putting him in there while she plays on the floor is not an option. He’s allowed on the beds, couch So really nowhere is safe. My boyfriend suggested no carpet flooring but again, the smell. I can’t take it anymore.

Things I won’t try: A pee pad. That doesn’t solve the smell. A diaper. I’m not changing a babies diaper & a dogs diaper.

His mom brought the dog when he was 5 months old bc she had cancer. When she died a year later, my boyfriend inherited the dog. He will not get rid of it & he’s made that clear.

FYI: I’m the only one who looks for the spots to clean up. The family will literally walk through a dried puddle & not bat an eye & it absolutely baffles me.

Stephanie W.

I have a puppy that has started marking so I know exactly how you're feeling! Something that has really helped me is spraying the areas in which your dog tends to mark with vinegar. This strong smell masks their scent and makes them no longer want to pee there. The smell really bothers them and tends to keep them from continuing to pee. If this doesn't work, you could try placing something in that area to try and cover it up. But getting rid of the scent and cleaning it efficiently is typically the most successful way to go about it, since they return to their own scent. If they can't find it, it's likely that they won't pee there anymore. Also shampooers and carpet cleaners really help get rid of the smell of urine and clean carpets / rugs.

For the biting / nipping, I would be very strict with him and try to engage him in toys or distract him when he becomes this way. There are a lot of dogs that simply hate having dogs or people near their face, so this may not be something that is able to be fully changed. However, you can definitely work with him on it and try to limit his nipping. You could try using a spray bottle with water and spraying him when he bites. It won't hurt him at all, it will simply be a way to snap him out of his aggressive behavior. Try your best to read his behavior before it gets to the point of biting. If his ears go back or the hair stands up on his spine, along with growling or showing teeth, this can show that he may be close to engaging in aggressive behaviors.

Good luck!

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How can I get dog to stop marking & biting?

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