Why pugs mark in the house and how to stop it

Pugs are pretty perfect, but let’s be honest, they can sometimes have bad habits. One of the worst of these habits, and arguably the most annoying to deal with, is marking.

Marking is when a dog releases a small amount of urine, usually in a variety of places. Unfortunately, it’s a very common problem. Marking can be a rather stinky, wet, and unpredictable issue, and no surface is safe.

The good news is there are solutions to stop your pug from marking in the house. Read on to learn why your pug marks and what you can do to prevent it.

Marking vs Peeing

Even though marking and peeing both involve urine, they are in fact two different things.

“Peeing” is when a dog empties their bladder completely, or nearly completely. It typically involves a lot of pee. If your pug is house trained, they would reserve peeing to either outside or to a designated spot. You can’t miss peeing since it’s usually a puddle of urine.

“Marking,” on the other hand, is when a pug stakes their claim on a spot (or piece of furniture, yikes) by leaving a small dribble of urine. Pugs don’t see marking as potty time – they are able to differentiate using the bathroom vs. marking their territory.

Is my pug marking, or is it something else?

Before determining if your dog is genuinely marking, you’ll want to rule out a few things.

1. Incontinence: Incontinence is when a dog leaks urine or completely releases their bladder with no control. Most dogs who are incontinent don’t realize they’ve soiled.
2. Urinary Tract Infection: A urinary tract infection, or UTI, can cause a dog to release small amounts of urine more frequently.
3. Medication or Disease: Certain diseases and medication have been known to cause frequent urination.
4. Submission: Submissive urination is when a dog urinates during greetings, play, physical contact, or punishment.
5. Excitement: Urination out of excitement is when a dog gets over-excited and urinates.
6. Anxiety: Some dogs will urinate when they feel overwhelmed with anxiety.

If your pug is marking, speak to your veterinarian to diagnose the reason. If it’s due to a specific condition, medication or other remedies may help curb the behavior.

Dog male pugs mark?

Yes, male pugs mark.

In fact, marking is normal behavior for most male dogs. It’s how dogs communicate with one another.

While not all male dogs will mark inside, they will mark outside.

Dog female pugs mark?

Yes, female pugs have been known to mark too, though not necessarily for the same reasons as their male counterparts.

Some female pugs will mark because they’re in heat. Others will mark to convey territorial messages, to establish dominance, or even in dealing with anxiety.

Did you know: Spayed female dogs that mark are usually alpha females.

Why do pugs mark?

Marking is a way for dogs to communicate with other dogs. Now, what exactly they’re communicating can differ.

There are a few different reasons why dogs mark:

• Marking territory: Dogs use their urine to mark areas they consider to be theirs. Marking their territory lets other dogs know that they are present.
• Asserting dominance: Alpha pugs mark to communicate that they’re the leader of the pack.
• In heat: Bitches in heat have been known to mark.
• Anxiety: Some female pugs will mark if they’re feeling anxious.

Urine communicates a lot, and as you probably know, dogs have an amazing sense of smell. They can smell up to 100,000 times better than humans! Urine signifies the reproductive status of the dog and their ranking. When dogs stop to sniff every tree, corner, or post, they’re checking their pee-mail – they’re learning about the other dogs in the neighborhood.

Why do pugs mark in the house

While marking outside is normal, and usually of no bother, marking inside the house is a different story entirely. No one wants to find droplets of pee on their walls, furniture, or belongings. Its’ smelly, wet, and, even worse, it can compel other dog visitors or dog family members into marking as well.

The most common reason pugs mark in the home to establish dominance. When they mark on an area, they’re letting other dogs and people know that this is their territory.

Even though female pugs can mark, it’s typically a male issue. Unfortunately, it’s an issue that pugs can pick up at any time, especially during adolescence.

What causes the urge to mark?

If your pug’s into marking, you’ll probably notice some habits or situations that provoke the behavior.

Some situations that might motivate your pug to mark in the home include, but aren’t necessarily limited to:

• If another dog enters the home.
• If your pug has not been neutered or spayed.
• If new objects appear in the house and your pug wants to claim them.
• If your pug feels anxious due to certain conditions like fireworks or thunderstorms.
• If the smell of dog urine is lingering in your home and has not been properly cleaned.
• If there’s an underlying illness.

The good news is, with the exception of illnesses (which should be treated by a veterinarian), all of the other reasons for your pug to mark can be remedied. You can train your pug to drop the bad habit of leaving their marks around the house.

How to stop your pug from marking in the house

Marking inside the home is annoying and unhygienic, and it gets old real fast. Luckily, you can take steps to prevent your pug from marking in your home, and break the terrible habit. With consistent training, your pug will correct their behavior and realize that the real alpha pug in the house is you. They want to make you happy after all!

Here are some ways to solve the marking problem and get back to enjoying the pug life, sans pee.

Spay or neuter your pug

Marking is common among dogs that are not spayed or neutered. If you’re not planning to breed or show your dog, then consider altering them. Spaying or neutering a pug that marks helps to reduce or even eliminate the issue.

Be warned: if you’ve waited a significant amount of time to spay or neuter your pug, and they’ve had time to develop a habit, then altering them won’t necessary solve the problem. It might help though!

Close supervision

This goes without saying, but training involves close supervision. You must stay alert, and keep on your pug and their behavior. That means spending time with them, dedicating attention to them, and being consistent.

Identify the problem

As stated above, there are a number of reasons your pug could be marking indoors. Once you’ve ruled out any medical or emotional issues, it’s time to start focusing on why your pug picked up the habit.

Did your pug always mark or did they suddenly pick up the behavior? What was happening in the moments your pug decided to mark? Does your pug mark when you are home or only when they’re home alone?

You’ll need to find out what triggered the behavior before you can begin to change it.

Watch for cues

Marking is not always a quick drive-by act. Your pug will give you a cue before they mark. They’ll usually sniff around, walk in tight circles, lift a leg and put it down, or other similar actions.

If you keep an eye on your pug, you can catch them before they go. Pay attention to them and see if they try to sneak away. Tracking the behavior is a great way to stop it.

Pug Training Tip: If your pug marks, never yell at them if you catch them in the act! Instead of stopping the behavior, they’ll just start hiding it. It will make training much more difficult!

Create a bathroom routine

Dogs, similar to babies, love routine! Ask dog owners who have kids or who work in cities and you’ll learn that dogs do best when on a schedule. They’ll have a designated potty time, walk time, feeding time, and even sleep time. No surprises.

Adjusting your dog to a schedule is a good idea when training, especially when it involves bathroom habits. Train your pug to mark outside by choosing a specific spot or route where they have a designated area to mark. Once they do, reward them with a treat.

Also, try to use this time to control how often your pug marks on the walk – don’t let them pee on every tree, pole, or hydrant! Use a short leash to prevent constant markings.

Clean up bad smells

Dogs love to mark in the same spots, or to mark on top of another dogs’ markings. All those pee smells are too tempting for them to resist! If your pug marks, clean up the area immediately. Remove those aromatic urine smells, and remember, just because you can’t smell it, doesn’t mean your pug can’t! Scroll down to see the cleaner we recommend.

Move items that trigger behavior

Dogs love to mark their territory on the same spots over and over – in case any one forgets it’s theirs! That may be your favorite armchair, or a potted plant. If you notice your pug favoring certain items, move them. Block access to the area, and switch things up.

Be careful with new objects

Dogs love to put their territorial stamp on new items, especially if another dog is around. If a guest visits, make sure they put any new belongings in a hard to reach area, like a closet or on top of a chair. Keep new things off the floor and don’t let your pug claim them.

Confine your pug

While training your pug to stop marking, make sure that they are not left unsupervised, and if they are, confine them. It’s best to keep them restricted when you’re not home. Confine them to a certain room or area, or use a dog crate. If you’re confining them to a room, be sure it’s a place they have never marked!

Interrupt and redirect sniffing

If you see your dog sniffing a spot and circling around it, chances are they’re about to lift their leg or pop a squat and mark. Don’t yell or reprimand your pug! Instead, interrupt their sniffing focus and distract them. You can use a toy, squeaky sound, or use a favorite word, like their name or treat.

Diverting their attention in a positive way will make them forget about marking, at least for the time being, and help break the habit.

Limit their view to the outside world

Some pugs may be motivated to mark if they catch a glimpse of the neighbor’s dog or other animals. If you see your pug staring out the window, or intently through a door, block their view of the outside world. Keep the shutters closed, draw the curtains or close the door.

Think twice about outside visitors

Pugs are motivated to mark when there are new smells around – including new objects, people, and, especially, dogs or people with dogs. If you’re in the midst of training, you may want to limit the amount of new beings entering your home. Keep those triggers, including certain folks, away until the behavior is under control.

This goes both ways and includes your visits as well – don’t travel to a friends house with your pug if they’re still working on their marking.

Products that will help with dog marking

Belly Bands

Belly Bands aren’t a fix to your pug’s marking problem; they’re more of a band-aid. Still, they’re incredibly useful, especially when you’re in the midst of training and/or when your pug is visiting other homes or a hotel.

Belly Bands are cloth bands that go around your pug’s midsection. They cover your pug’s privates, and usually attach with velcro. The bands catch and absorb urine, and prevent pee from getting on the floor or in the house. Try these if you have a male pug.

If you have a female pug, not to worry – you can use diapers instead. There are both disposable and reusable ones on the market.

Belly band tip: To keep them clean and prevent the outside of the belly band from getting wet, use inserts or line the inside of the band with feminine pads to soak up any pee.

Strong Cleaner

It’s important to remove any scents of urine in your house, especially if your pug has designated a favorite spot for marking. Use a strong cleaner to remove the smell.

The best ones are usually enzymatic pet stain removers, like this one or this one. They are specially designed to completely remove both the stains and the smell.

UV Flashlight Black Light

Black lights are a dirty room’s worst nightmare. They help you find invisible stains, like pet urine, that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Just because you can’t see the stain, that doesn’t mean your dog can’t smell it!

Use a black light to find those pesky pee spots you’ve missed and get rid of them, so your dog isn’t tempted to mark in those spots again. We like this one.

Dog Crate

While you’re training your pug not to mark, a crate will come in handy to keep them contained while you’re not home. This will make clean up time much easier.

If you’re looking for something chic, collapsible, and travel friendly, we like the Diggs kennel, even though it’s on the pricier end. If you’re on a budget, check out this metal dog crate that comes with either a single or double door and in various sizes.

Alternatively, if you’d like to restrict your pug when you can’t keep an eye on them, you can use baby gates!

Your pug marking questions answered

Why does my pug mark in other people’s houses?

Many dogs will mark when confronted with new objects and new smells. This is especially true if there are or were other dogs in the house – your pug can tell! Your pug will mark when they feel the need to assert their dominance or to ease their anxiety about being away from familiar territory.

Why does my pug mark after being neutered?

A neutered pug is less likely to mark, but in some cases, neuturing will only diminish the urge, and won’t take it away completely. Sometimes, especially if your pug has been neutered later in life, the habit remains ingrained in your dog.

Not to worry, you can still use the advice listed above to train your pug to stop marking.

Why does my pug mark their bed?

Dogs that begin to mark their bed and personal objects may be responding to stress, anxiety, or grief.

Why does my pug mark me?

If your pug marks you (gross!), they may be doing so to mark you as their property, or they could be wanting attention.

Learn more about pug stuff here.

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