As a male dog starts to reach maturity, he will increasingly lift his leg while urinating. Sexual maturity in puppies usually starts in male pups around the 6-month mark in small breeds, and up to around 9 months in medium to large breeds, and it may not occur until over a year in some giant breeds.
Leg lifts may stop due to medical conditions. “If a male dog is neutered early in life, they may not have the hormonal influence that affects this behavior,” Klein says. “An older, arthritic dog may urinate by squatting rather than lifting its leg because it feels painful.” Pee posture largely depends on your dog.
Male dogs start lifting their leg to urinate when they are approximately 6-12 months old. Both neutered and non-neutered dogs will lift their legs, but it is more common for a neutered dog to squat. For the dog, it's all about personal preference and their message.
Squatting and leg lifting are acceptable behaviors in dogs of both sexes. You heard right: Males may squat to relieve themselves, and females may choose to lift a leg.
All canines use urine to mark their territory, but some do it more than others. All male dogs, big and small, raise their leg to pee or scent-mark much more frequently in the fall than in the summer, likely because it is mating season.
Also, if a male dog is neutered before he reaches maturity, he may never develop the habit of lifting his leg to urinate. However, a dog who has been neutered later in life might still retain that habit. Interestingly enough, it's not just male dogs that can lift their legs to pee. Female dogs can do it, too.
As soon as you see him preparing to pee, give him the command to lift his leg. If he does, reward him with treats. You may have to do this for a few weeks before he will simply lift his leg each time he pees without the need for a command. Be patient and it will happen.
Marking is most common in, but not limited to, male dogs, and typically begins at puberty. Depending on the breed (small breeds mature faster than large breeds), this usually happens around six to nine months of age.
Puppies under the age of twelve months are the most likely to urinate when they're excited, as they're still learning to control their bladders.
You'll need to take your dog to the vet immediately if your pet produces only a few drops of urine -- or none -- when they try to urinate. Don't wait: being unable to urinate can quickly result in serious illness for your dog or even death.
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
Your Dog is Scent Marking
Dogs use scent to mark territory and send messages to other dogs. There are scent glands on and in between your dog's paw pads. Scratching the grass after urinating or defecating helps spread the pheromones secreted by these glands around the area.
When dogs get excited, they'll likely wag their tail. They might also leave behind a small puddle of pee. It's an instinctual, physical response called submissive urination, and it's normal in young dogs.
This may seem like a housetraining issue, but if your puppy is only having accidents when they're full of enthusiasm, you know this is excitement urination. It's common in exuberant puppies who can't seem to control their emotions.
It's an instinctual, physical response called submissive urination, and it's normal in young dogs. Submissive urination typically happens whenever a dog feels excited, shy, anxious, or scared. It also happens when a dog wants to acknowledge another's dominance — like recognizing you as their owner.
As male dogs reach puberty, they will start cocking their legs and you may notice an increased interest in other dogs. Typical behaviour increased confidence with other dogs and/or people. Keep male puppies well-exercised, enriched and encouraged during all behaviours. Remember to reward them when they've been good!
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.
Your pet may be urine-marking if:
The amount of urine is small and is found primarily on vertical surfaces. Dogs and cats do sometimes mark on horizontal surfaces. Leg-lifting and spraying are common versions of urine-marking, but even if your pet doesn't assume these postures, he may still be urine-marking.
Spaying or neutering your dog should reduce urine-marking and may stop it altogether. But if he has been marking for a long time, a pattern may already be established. Because it has become a learned behavior, spaying or neutering alone will not solve the problem.
Neutering. If the dog is sexually intact, neutering is the first step. In many cases, male dogs that are neutered stop urine marking within weeks to months of the procedure. Female dogs that are spayed almost always stop the behavior. However, behavior modification is often needed as well.
Elevate: The typical male posture; the dog is peeing by lifting the leg above the hip. Flex: The dog is peeing by flexing the rear legs. Squat: The typical female posture; the dog is peeing by squatting down with the legs flexed more. Lean raise: The dog is peeing by leaning forward but also lifts the leg.
Adult dogs that are one year or older should be able to hold their pee in for up to 6-8 hours. However, 8 hours is a bit of a stretch, and ideally, you should not expect your dog to hold their urine for longer than 6 hours.
Highly excitable puppies can sometimes wee when you come home or when they meet new people. This is known as excitement urination, and it can also happen during very active play. Most dogs grow out of it, but there's plenty you can do to help change their behaviour.