Boy's don't automatically lift their leg

[turner]

I didn't know this and someone correct me if I am wrong but, ever since we got Deisel he doesn't lift his leg to the side to pee! He does a little lift it out behind him. I was then told that this is a learned behavior, it isn't automatic for them. They learn from watching other boy dogs. Is this correct.

[Cookiebaker]

That is so funny that you should post that, because this afternoon I was wondering the same thing. Does lifting the leg have to do with hormones?? If we get our dog neutered before his hormones kick in, will that prevent him from lifting? (He hasn't lifted yet) A friend of mine had a dog that lifted his leg on ANYTHING (porch, house, flowerpots, cars, mailboxes) and I was worried that he would be like that. So I have worked pretty hard on getting him to pee in only one spot in the yard. It seems to have worked so far, because when we go for a walk, he won't pee. He will hold it until we are back to "his spot".

[pupper-lover]

Jake is a year and a half old and I have only seen him lift his leg once. He has a sister, so I think he assumes squating is the way to "go". Jake has been around lots of boy dogs that "lift", but he has never picked up the behavior. I guess time will tell.

My family dog, Cody (also male), did not start lifting his leg until he saw other doogies doing it. I assume that this is a learned behavior, but that some boys are more likely to do it than others.

[wolf_Q]

Yeah I was kind of wondering about that too. Reggie and Smokey definitely do the leg lifts...ALL the time. I think part of that is probably the fact that they spent basically all of their lives unneutered. They are neutered now, but Smokey was maybe 4 years ago, and Reggie just a few weeks ago. I plan on neutering Nebo when he's about 4-5 months old. I don't know how Nebo could miss seeing Reggie/Smokey lift their legs, but I don't know if he will develop it if he is neutered that early. I find it annoying that they lift their legs on EVERYTHING, but I'd rather he lift his leg, or people might mistake him for a girl, lol.

[Uabassoon]

My friends male dog never used to lift his when when he peed, but when we started taking him to the dog park and he was around male dogs then he started to lift his leg. So I think that it's something that they learn.

[C.C.'s Mom]

I'm taking care of my mom's dog (poodle mix, very cute and small) now that they're on their holiday, and she lifts her leg. She's a girl and has always done it. My parents think it's because of her curly butt and that she never likes getting her hair wet. Well, I don't know if that is the reason. It looks cute, especially since the dog is so very fat and has these little small legs.

(The dog (Dunja) is on a diet now)

[Former User]

I hope you don't mind if I tell about my RB dog... At first he did it like girls, but once, I was having a walk with him and with a friend of mine. Her male dog peed by lifting his leg and my dog was so amazed because of this and stared at him. After he was finished, my dog tried it too, and he fell over Ok, that was hilarious, we coulnd't stop laughing, but my dog wasn't too impressed, so he tried again, and succeeded that time. He looked SO proud, and after that, he always lifted his leg.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Male dogs lift their leg when they pee to mark their territory. If a dog sees other dogs doing it and then he goes over and sniffs he will naturally associate that in order to get my scent "that high", I need to lift the leg. He may also smell a scent of a male that came before he did and he will want to cover the other scent with his.

If you have a dog that shows any sign of dominance then they will most likely start lifting their leg anywhere between 8 and 16 months old. If they haven't by this time then they probably won't and in most occassions will not be territorial.

You will find that male dogs can go about as many times as there are obsticles to mark!! It is usually done as a territorial trait! Having them nuetered is not a guarentee that they will not have some dominant characteristics that will cause them to be territorial. Getting them neutered if they are dominant is strongly recommended though since it will ease extra hormones from coming into play.

[wolf_Q]

LOL Casper and Kitty! That would have been hilarious to see!!

Yeah, doggies are just doing what comes natural because of their wolf instincts. Wolves do this to mark their territory boundaries. They do it often to make sure other wolves do not invade their pack's territory. Maybe if the dog is peeing in the yard that is it's territory.......but I don't think the entire neighborhood is! lol.

I'm sure Nebo will do it, he has dominance issues. Last night he was playing with a milkbone ball, trying to get the treats out. Smokey came over to sniff it, and Nebo went for him! It scared me, but luckily nobody got hurt! I always feed him outside, because he is very protective of his food bowl. Not with people, just dogs. He is fine if I pet him, take it away, or hand feed it to him.

[Andie]

Bull doesn't lift his leg but he doesn't squat either. He kinda just stretches out and goes. It's funny to watch really cuz I always think he's gonna pee on his front legs. BTW he does that because when he was little most of his back half was broken by horses. (or that's what I've been told)

[lovemymaltese]

I have never understood why some boy dogs life their leg and some do not. Tango has always lifted him leg, but my roommates dog is now 6 months and he never has.

[Cincy'sMom]

My mom's male pup only lifts his leg at the dog park, not at home (where he lives with two females dogs) My Sadie, although she doesn't life her leg to do so, marks everything she possibly can!

[anna_66]

I find it funny that most of the dogs in this post seen other dogs lift their leg before they done it. Angus never lifted his leg until he was about a year old. And he had never seen another dog do it, he was always with Keisha & she was a girl, and she sure didn't! I don't know what made him start, he just did it one day

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom
My Sadie, although she doesn't life her leg to do so, marks everything she possibly can!

So does Dixie!!! She can squat about 100 times when we are at the park or any where there are other dogs. She is very dominant over other dogs though. We call her Mrs. Queen Bee when she falls into this routine!

Originally posted by Anna_66
I don't know what made him start, he just did it one day

Dusty didn't see other male dogs doing this either. He just started lifting his leg when he was around one year old.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Yup, Draker too didn't start lifting his leg until her was about 10 months old. Not sure if he saw another dog doing it or not, but just one day he decided he was going to pick his leg up! He can lift it pretty high too

The behaviorist we go to said that lifting the leg is also a dominance sign. I have seen females do it as well.