HELP WITH MALE LAB

[FISHER ED]

I have a question for any owners of male dogs. I have a 13 month old non-neutered Choc Lab. He stays in an outdoor 6x12 kennel with a wooden dog house located inside the kennel. At 11 months he started doing the marking his territory thing on the trees in our yard and along his walking trail. Now at 13 months he has started to mark the side of his dog house. Up to this time he has not pee'd in his kennel at all. He's not going a lot either, just enough to leave his scent.

Is there any way of breaking him of this? I've swatted him a couple times for doing it and he stops for a few days but just when you think he has learned, there he goes and marks the house again. The bad thing I can see about punishing him is that I never catch him in the act. He seems to know he has done something wrong as he's shy when I come and see he has pee'd. Any help would be appreciated as this is driving me nuts. Or is it just something I'm going to have to put up with? Thanks.

Ed

[LABS4ME]

Probably going to have to live with it. He's not relieving himself...he's doing just as you discribed, marking his territory. If you neuter them before the age of 12 months, generally speaking that will diminish their desire to mark their territory. If you have a male that is being bred, they generally mark even more than intact males that aren't being bred. It's just nature taking it's course and if you are seeing him becoming timid when he sees you coming, back-off on him a little or other problems may develop. Good luck! Ken