Dog pees upstairs and always has but am feed up with stair gates- how can i stop him?

[ElizaPickford]

He's 18 months old and we've always had a stair gate since we got him because every time he gets upstairs he pisses everywhere. But I'm fed up of stair gates and the stress if someone leaves it open, and having to constantly run up to check if he's up there.

Last night we stayed at a friend's house and due to space Dog slept in with us and miraculously didn't pee in the bed. So am wondering if keeping him out of certain rooms is perpetuating the problem? I'm wondering if I put his bed in our room and supervised him initially, he might not be inclined to pee there? Anyone got any experience of this and advice on how to break it? Thank you!

[ElizaPickford]

Should add that he's long since neutered and will pee in whichever room he can get into...

[ElizaPickford]

Just my ridiculous dog?

[Mitchy1nge]

stupid question but is he getting enough opportunities to go out and read and send weemail in interesting outdoor places each day?

[Mitchy1nge]

my q is stupid not yours, for avoidance of doubt and offence etc

[SpicyBear]

What type of flooring do you have up there - is it carpeted?

It sounds as if he has never learnt that this is part of his house. If he is never allowed upstairs then he won't necessarily see it as a space he shouldn't soil.

I would toilet train him like a puppy again upstairs by only allowing him up there under careful supervision. You could even tie him to you with a house line for a bit then whip him out as soon as he gives any signals of needing to go or looking for a spot to mark, such as sniffing around.

[ElizaPickford]

Hello - thanks for replies. He's good as gold downstairs generally, always has been since we got him, but we've always kept him downstairs so I'm thinking that this is probably why, as you say SpicyBear, he doesn't think that it's part of his house.

I took him upstairs on a lead the other day and watched him like a hawk, and he was ok, so I'm thinking we'll carry on and hope he gets it into his head that it's a no pee zone. Also it's carpet so it's seriously annoying if he does wee up there.

[SpicyBear]

I wondered if it was carpeted - carpet is nice and soft and absorbent like grass so very appealing to pee on! For dogs I mean, not me...