Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm a first time wolfdog owner, and I know a lot of people will criticize me, but I honestly don't care. A friend of mine rasied him from a pup and had him in the house until he got too big and knocked things over, then they tied him up ouside. He's about a year old, maybe a little over. They were told his father was a dog and his mother a wolf. You can see the wolf in his face it's clear as day, but for the most part the rest of him looks all dog, so I'm guessing he's a mid to low content. He's a really sweet boy but a bit shy at first and I'm told that's in his nature. Anyways, I got him from them because they felt he deserved a better life. They live on a farm and he's a little too interested in the bunnys and chickens. When you look at him he looks pretty big, but if you put your hands on him you can feel all his bones. I love animals and I hate to see them in those conditions, I do no believe in tying dogs up, my great dane is spoiled rotten and is treated like my child rather than my pet. So I did a lot of online reading about them and decided to try and give this guy a better home. My dane was recently spayed (lastweek) and our roommates had a male dog previously that marked on the floors and couches, he's gone and I've tried to clean as best I can. I can't smell anything but I know he can (he's marked twice already). We've got an appt. to get him neutered, but I don't know if that will help. I'm a firm believer in crate training and so far he doesn't mind being in one. Is there anything I can do to prevent him from wanting to mark the house? Chemicals to take out the urine? I just want some POSITIVE advice from someone who has been in this situation. If I can have him inside I'd like to, otherwise he goes back to that awful situation. I don't believe in punishment, so what positive reforcement type training would work in this sitution?

You can get some good ideas from the articles alphabetically filed under the title "Housetraining" at the link below my signature.

Two things you can do for scent problems. Clean all the old spots with a liberal--possibly more than one--application of a bacterial enzyme odor eliminator product such as Nature's Miracle. This removes scents dogs can smell but people cannot.

Then treat any fresh spot that happens with a real dousing of clear, undiluted vinegar. Do not punish the dog (read the articles for why). Just let the scent of the vinegar do the talking.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47