Dogs Pee in Their Bowls Explained
This is likely a territorial marking behavior, “either [on] the area where the dog eats, or the actual bowl,” says Leticia Fanucchi, an animal behaviorist at Washington State University.
Scientists are starting to identify the chemical differences among dogs of varying dispositions, a step toward understanding aggressive behavior.
In some cases, underlying anxiety or being bullied by another dog can trigger a pet to mark its territory. Feeding pets in separate areas can help, Fanucchi says, and so can using ceramic or stainless steel bowls instead of plastic, which retains a dog’s odor.