Dogs pee on trees for many reasons, but the first and most common of all is scenting. Canines have that urge to mark things as their own using their urine. Thus, dogs that pee on trees do it on purpose, and it’s not just to spray their urine on any tree. It’s their way of marking the territory as their own. Dogs usually do this when they are walking outside.
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Although it’s a normal thing for our dogs to do, it can be quite a frustrating activity for us. More so if their peeing mania damages our property. Worse, if it damages other properties.
In this article, we’ll give an in-depth take on the reason behind such actions taken by dogs. Moreover, we’ll also come up with ways to avoid peeing and protect trees.
Let’s get into it! And don’t forget, if you wish to know more about dogs and other animals, visit Animal Fate for relevant and informational articles.
Why Do Dogs Pee on Trees?
As I said earlier, dogs pee on trees for many reasons. Though they likely want to relieve themselves, the most common reason is scenting.
Scenting is a dog’s way of marking a particular territory with its scent. There are many ways to do this, but nothing is better than with their pee.
If you own a dog, you have likely seen your pet pee on certain trees and even other things (my pet even peed on my car’s wheels).
This urge of dogs goes a long way back in history. The instinct for marking territory intensifies when dogs pass by an unfamiliar place.
Through peeing, dogs can put their ownership on the area, and other dogs will know that the area has a mark of another.
Thus, it’s coming from their instinct, as they are territorial animals.
Another thing they can exhibit is overmarking. This happens when they go through a place or area with marks from other dogs.
When they smell such, they will pee on that same area to overpower the scent. This way, they make themselves superior to the original one.
Now that we know what the dog is doing, let’s get into the trees they’re peeing.
Can a Dog Peeing on a Tree Kill It?
A tree could get killed or destroyed due to pee. Although it’s uncertain how much pee it would take to kill a tree, the chemicals in a dog’s urine can do some damage to it.
A tree has many layers around it, and one of these is the cambium, and it’s what makes the tree grow in diameter.
The chemicals in a dog’s urine can pass through the outer barks, making their way through the vital spots. Constant peeing on that same spot can damage the tree, hindering its growth and killing it.
Although it doesn’t happen to many trees, a tree can get destroyed because of a dog’s pee.
For this reason, it’s important to train our dogs to stop peeing on trees, and it is possible in certain ways.
How Do You Stop Dogs From Peeing on Trees?
Stopping your dogs from peeing on trees is possible, and you can do it with proper training.
If you don’t know where to begin, you can do the following steps to teach your pet and prevent it from peeing on trees.
Take Your Dog Outside Often And Let It Pee Elsewhere
By taking your dog outside and letting it pee to its heart’s content, you lessen the chances of it peeing on areas you don’t want it to pee on.
Use Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement goes a long way for dogs, and it applies to their peeing urges.
Give your pet a treat every time it pees in the right place. This way, you’ll teach it to continue to do so.
Provide Instructions Near A Tree
Every time your pet comes near a tree, give it some commands. Ask your pet to sit or stand, or anything.
This way, it’ll be busy and will learn to do anything other than pee in a tree.
Always Supervise, Especially Outside
Whenever your pet goes outside, always make sure it’s under your watch. Don’t let your dog out of your sight, especially if you are on someone’s property.
Dogs are intelligent animals. Thus, while scenting and marking trees is in their nature, it’s not impossible to stop such.
With dogs, all you need is proper training and patience. Once you do, you’ll end up with well-trained companions.
While the best way to solve this peeing issue is by training your pet, you can still do something about the trees.
Thus, if you have a tree that receives pee from many dogs, you can still do something about it.
How to Save a Tree From Dog Urine?
A tree that gets peed on a lot by dogs usually ends up having damaged trunks and bodies. If you own one, it’s important to deal with those pees immediately.
If your tree already gets peed on, you can save it by watering the tree’s corners. It would also be best to do so in the areas where the dog’s pee is often splashed.
This way, you can still wash away the excess urine and prevent the tree from soaking in more of it.
If you have planted a tree recently, you may find it tempting to wrap it so it avoids urine. While it sounds like a great idea, the wrap may hold the urine, therefore damaging it all the more.
Another way to save the tree is by preventing dogs to pee. It’s possible by adding protection to it.
If you don’t know where to start looking, here are some tree protection you can get.
Dog Pee Tree Protectors
Many products provide solutions to protecting trees from a dog’s peeing urge.
If you want to give your tree some protection, you may find these products handy and useful.
Dawg Pee Tree Guard
This protector works by covering the base of trees. It creates a barrier that prevents dogs from peeing on the trunk. By using this, your tree gets some safe distance from dogs, and their urine won’t be able to reach the trunk.
Pros:
- Effective and easy to use
- Easy to set up stretch Bungee cord mechanism
- Offers permanent protection
Cons:
- You’ll need one for each tree (you’ll need a few if you have many trees)
Plant and Tree Guard
The Plant and Tree Guard works the same way as the first one. It works by creating protection around the tree, making it impossible for the dog’s pee to reach the trunk.
Pros:
- Easy and effective to use
- Offers permanent protection
Cons:
- You’ll need one for each tree (you’ll need a few if you have many trees)
Plant-based Repellent
This product is a spray you can apply to trees to avoid having dogs around. It works by releasing a scent that almost all kinds of pets will stay away from, and that includes our dogs. Moreover, it’s a plant-based product that won’t harm your plant upon spraying.
Pros:
- It covers a wide area.
- Protects trees by releasing the scent
Cons:
Not permanent. You may need to re-apply if the scent wears out.
Summary
Dogs have many reasons why they spray their pee on trees and other things. They’d likely do it for fun. Still, the first and most common reason is that it’s their way of marking and scenting their territory.
Indeed, it’s in their nature as territorial animals. Nevertheless, we all agree that it brings forth damage to properties. Thus, we need to stop it, and it’s possible by training our pets and by using reliable products.
