“X” Marks the Spot

by Sam Mazzotta

Dear Paw4Pets: A friend of mine told me that he trained his dog to go in a specific spot in his backyard by using a scented rock to mark the spot. How does that work, and where can I get this rock? — Frank in West Roxbury, MA.

Dear Frank: Your friend essentially trained his dog to identify a particular scent with a location that’s OK for him to eliminate. Using a focal point like the rock is pretty helpful when you’re trying to train your dog to do this.  Hopefully the scent is unique enough that the dog won’t smell it elsewhere in or around his neighbor’s house! You can most likely find something like the scented rock (or a similar training tool) at a local pet store or online. Look under house training or basic obedience. Most dogs can be trained to use a specific spot, or several designated spots. It’s best if this training begins early in a dog’s life. If the dog is used to just running anywhere in the yard to do his business, disassociating him from this behavior is necessary and adds time to the process. You’ll also need to be absolutely disciplined yourself with this method — taking the dog out at specified times, daily, to that spot, until he completely associates the area with elimination.  Ultimately, you’ll want to be able to just let the dog outside at that specified time and have him go on his own in that spot, although some dogs may never reach that point. The upside of this, of course, is that your lawn will remain free of little surprises as well as yellowed spots on the grass. The extra benefit, however, is that you give your dog a little more “face time” as you work with him to use the designated spot, something that rewards both of you.

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