4 year old dog pottying in house

Question
PLEASE HELP.  Our 4 yr old Boxer, whom we love dearly, is still peeing in the house.  He does do his business when we let him outside but repeately pees in the house when no one is looking.  For instance, it is not unusual to enter the dining room and see that he lifted his leg on the table leg or enter the family room and the sofa has been hit.  It is unbearable yet we can't seem to break him of this.

Answer
Peggy, your dog is exhibiting marking behavior. Marking is a completely different issue from housebreaking. I would recommend that you keep him confined to the room you are in, and maybe even let him wear a leash that he can drag around, whenever he's loose in the house. That way, if he starts to lift his leg on something, you can immediately correct him, both verbally and with a leash pop if necessary, and take him straight outside. Whenever he does potty outside, you should praise him warmly!

Another option might be to let him wear a 'belly band,' so that if he *does* try to lift his leg and pee on something in the house, he will not be successful. Often, this will help break dogs of doing it, because they end up peeing on themselves, and no dog likes to do that. If you go this route, it's important to keep the belly band changed like you would a baby's diaper, whenever he soils it, and to keep his belly and prepuce clean.