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Dog Urinating in Agility Tunnel
So, this app kind of got lost and I recently thought about it with a client I just had reach out. Was wondering if anyone has ran into this issue or might have an idea.
We have a 4 year old un-altered Schapendoes.
He is doing Agility currently, and does really well, but is on the verge of being kicked out due to his tendency to mark/urinate inside the tunnel. Per the group standard belly bands and harnesses are not authorized during agility.
She has informed be the trainers at the agility facility have tried some things to include, kicking at the tunnel when he stops inside, and using recall to get him back, but he finishes his marking and then recalls.
He also is known to mark in other places like stores, but never inside the home.
My thoughts were teaching equipment cueing, however no harness can be worn so this won’t necessarily work. But I think it will boil down to a solid Leave-It and re training tunnels to add value to coming through the tunnel, starting with shorter tunnels and building up. Has anyone dealt with something similair?
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6 Replies
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@Justreymac , I wonder if the pet parent starts re-training with their own fresh, new tunnel…? The tunnel at his class has lingering pee mail from other dogs, no doubt (even if it has been cleaned and humans can’t detect an odor). Teach a swift run through a scrunched-up tunnel, reward heavily with whatever is meaningful to the dog, then gradually extend the length of the tunnel.
Separately, they could teach a strong leave-it when the dog comes across urine marks of other dogs. Ideally, they should know where the pee scent is so they can train and give timely cues most effectively. Probably a good idea to put peeing on cue rather than letting this dog indiscriminately pee wherever he wants.
Eventually, a pee scent can be ‘enclosed’ in a tiny container of some sort (to keep the tunnel clean) and placed inside the tunnel for continued leave-it training.
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Yeah that is kind of the game plan I was looking at, although the enclosed urine idea is actually a great thought for use in associating to the tunnel, I appreciate that! All we can do now is try haha.
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????????
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@Justreymac – Virginia has already shared some great ideas.
I don’t know this breed – had to look it up! So, thanks for sharing that; it’s always fun to find a unique breed.
Urine marking is really compelling for some dogs. I would be asking about the dog’s other motivators? Does he love fetch, or tug? Can we connect a speedy run-through a short tunnel with THE GAME OF ALL GAMES? By speeding up the run with a stronger motivation, perhaps that’s an answer. For this to be effective, they’d have to begin with focused exercises – maybe even not in a tunnel – to get the behavior of “speedy, undistracted recall to tug”. I might even train it to include calling off of scents while out and about.
The dog will always default to doing what is most important to the dog. In a sport relationship, I’d be working on making myself and my game the most important and most fun thing of all.
What do you think?
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I think this concept is another great option, especially when I think odor detection, the dog enjoyed the search but only searched in motivation for the play after the odor is found.
Awesome stuff! Thank you!
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Happy to brainstorm with you, @Justreymac – please keep us posted on this dog’s progress. We’re all learning together. Thanks!
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