People often mark where their territory begins or ends. A fence may separate one yard from that of a neighbor, just as painted lines demarcate parking spaces, and the bedroom door clearly delineates that area from the rest of the residence.
For example, a dog may bark to drive away what he perceives as intruders to his territory. A cat may mark a valued object by rubbing it with her face. Some pets may go to the extreme of urinating or defecating to mark a particular area as their own.
A person — or an animal — who guards or defends the area she considers to belong to her is territorial. You can also use the adjective to describe anything relating to the territory itself.
Marking territory is done when pets are wanting to“stake out a claim” to a particular object and to let others know about their claim. Some pets may go to the extreme of urinating to mark a particular area as their own. Urine marking is not a house-soiling problem, but is a territorial behavior.
Jealous is when you want something that's not yours. Territorial is protecting what's already yours.
Territoriality usually is associated with the possession of some physical space, but it can also involve such processes as dominance, control, conflict, security, claim staking, vigilance, and identity. If a territory is important to a person, his or her sense of identity may be closely tied to it.
Being territorial is wanting your partner by your side so you can be there for him/her.
People who “mark their territory” do so as a protective mechanism. By being territorial, it gives them a sense of control or perceived power over others. These territorial behaviors may stem from an inner insecurity or experience where they didn't have control in their past.
Types of Territory
The three categories are the primary, secondary and public territory.
You need to remember that marking is a natural instinctive behavior for your dog, and while there are ways to minimize, it is worth remembering that most dog parents experience this behavior.
Example Sentences
Those mountains are in Mexican territory. Guam is a U.S. territory. The birds are busy establishing territories and building nests. Male cats spray to mark territory.
Male dogs and some female dogs often lift a leg when they urine mark. Most urine marks contain only a small volume of urine. In contrast, routine urination is done to empty the bladder—we all need bathroom breaks.
Urine-marking occurs when there is either instability in a dog's relationships or when a dog is feeling anxious. It is not a house soiling problem. To resolve the problem, you need to address the underlying reason for your dog's need to mark.
Marking behavior includes scraping, claw raking, spraying (squirting urine and scent), and cheek/head rubbing (Ahlborn and Jackson, 1988; Blomqvist and Sten, 1982; Chundawat, 1992; Freeman, 1983; Rieger, 1978, 1980; Wemmer and Scow, 1977).
Incorporate other people or animals into play or walks in your dog's “territory”, if it is safe to do so. Gradually, you will break the cycle of territorial behavior by distracting your dog with other behaviors that are not compatible with territorial aggression.
It refers to the ability to develop more choices (more colors = more feelings) coping with different situations.
In international law, a "territory" is an area of land which is outside the borders of a nation, but owned by that nation. Examples are: Puerto Rico as a U.S. territory, or Bermuda as a territory of the UK.
Territorial disputes are often related to the possession of natural resources such as rivers, fertile farmland, mineral or petroleum resources although the disputes can also be driven by culture, religion, and ethnic nationalism.
Territorial aggressive displays may range from growling and barking to lunging, chasing, snapping and biting. Territorial displays may occur at windows, doors, behind fences and in the car. Some dogs may quickly claim territory and show similar behaviors at picnic areas, park benches, etc.
A territory is land a person or government protects from intruders or outsiders. Some territories have defined boundaries like a nation, province, or city, while others, like a neighborhood, may not. The people living in a particular territory often share similar traits, like ethnicity, culture, or religion.