Would getting a six month implant be a good idea?

[ihatethecold]

I have a male vizsla that is 15 months old.
He is a great well behaved dog but he will mark in other peoples houses if a dog already lives there.
We feel he is too young to neuter and it may not stop him marking.
We have heard about an implant that last six months but our local vets have said they haven't done many.
They also said we could give him an injection that lasts 3 weeks to see if it works.
But that's £75.
Far too expensive for such a short time.
Has anyone else tried an implant?
Do you remember how much it costed you?
Thanks.

[tabulahrasa]

I'm not really sure what the point is if it's just because he's too young? As far as I know if stops all the hormones in the same way as actual castration, so if he's too young for that, he's too young for the implant too...

[ihatethecold]

We want to see if it will stop the marking in other dog owners homes.
If we castrate and it hasn't worked then there is no going back.
If the implant works then we know it temporary. He will be going to a home borders for a week at the end of May.
They have 4 dogs already.
I'm not happy that he will pee in their house.
They are actually ok about it and say they will just clear it up if it happens.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I have used the implant, but not in this situation. The implant itself is not cheap and comes as either a 6 month or 1 year version. Has been very effective in the cases I have used it in, however, marking is not necessarily a sexual behaviour so it may not work in this instance.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

What maybe effective is an Adaptil collar.

[ihatethecold]

Could you tell me what that is please lonecat?
If we can avoid implant/ neutering then we will.

[ihatethecold]

I will also google when I get back from school run and dog walk.

[SpicyPear]

Frustratingly I can't find the evidence at the moment but at a seminar I attended we were shown a study suggesting neutering is not that effective at stopping marking.

My male dog would mark in homes with other dogs or where other dogs have been if allowed so I watch him carefully to begin with and interrupt and put him out if he starts to cock his leg. I now usually only have to do this once and he will stop.

[ihatethecold]

The problem is I won't be at the h

[ihatethecold]

Home

[ihatethecold]

Home

[ihatethecold]

Fgs. I won't be at the home borders to keep an eye on him.

[SpicyPear]

Of course but would they not be prepared to keep a close eye on him to start with?

[ihatethecold]

They said it wasn't a problem, they already have 4 dogs , 1 is still intact.
I think they will just clear up after him, rather than prevent it.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Adaptil is a collar that releases pheromones that are dog specific making them feel relaxed. This could reduce his need to mark our dog sitters home as his own territory.

[ihatethecold]

Thanks. I did look online and see it's to help with anxiety.
Do dogs mark because of stress then? I thought it was to show dominance.
He wants his scent over the other dogs.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Well they feel insecure so mark areas to help them to feel more confident. Dominance is a very dated theory.