dog peeing all over apartment

Question
Hi, I live in NYC with 2 roommates and a 4 year old yorkie/poodle mix.  Because we are always on the go, we only take him out about 3  times a day.  We leave pee pads out in the kitchen for him that he uses, but we can see that he pees on every possible corner, table leg, dresser, etc, that he can when we are not around.  Why is this and what can we do to limit him to only his pee pads and outside??  Thanks!

Answer
Hi, David,

Thanks for the question.

Does he get a chance to play with other dogs on a regular basis? There are a lot of dog runs and play groups in New York. Part of his problem may just be a general restlessness due to not getting enough playful exercise. Play is a deep-rooted need in all dogs; the more it's satisfied the happier and more well-behaved your dog will be in all areas, including housebreaking.

Here's a link: http://www.tiny.cc/playbenefits

As for teaching him to go only on the pads, what you'd have to do is confine him to a hallway, or the bathroom or kitchen, using a puppy gate to keep him in that area. Put his bed and water dish in one corner and cover the rest of the space with pads or newspapers. As you notice that there's one pad or section of the floor that he chooses most consistently, you can gradually take up the rest of the pads. The more often he has a chance to go on just that pad, the more he'll tend to gravitate to it when he needs to. You can also find a spray called "No-Go" which you can spray on all the other floors in the apartment. They'll have to be re-sprayed regularly, but the product contains an odor that tells dogs, "Don't pee here!"

I hope this helps,

LCK