House training
How do I stop my dog from marking when visitors come over?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Take the dog outside for a bathroom break shortly before guests arrive, and keep them on a leash or in a separate room for the first 10 to 15 minutes of a visit if marking has been a pattern, gradually allowing supervised freedom as they settle. This management approach, alongside general marking training, addresses the excitement and unfamiliar scent that visitors bring.
Why visitors specifically trigger this
A new person carries unfamiliar scents from their own home, sometimes including other pets, and combined with the general excitement of a visitor arriving, this can push a dog toward marking behavior even if they rarely do it under normal circumstances.
Setting visits up for success
A bathroom break right before guests arrive removes one variable, an empty bladder cannot be confused for marking, and keeping the dog leashed or gated for the first several minutes lets you supervise closely during the highest risk window before gradually loosening restrictions as the visit settles into a calmer rhythm.
Key takeaways
- Unfamiliar scents and general excitement from visitors can trigger marking even in otherwise calm dogs.
- A bathroom break right before guests arrive removes one clear variable from the equation.
- Leashing or gating the dog for the first several minutes of a visit allows close supervision.