Okay so I'm the common denominator - Male dogs squat to pee

[Debbie]

Every male dog I’ve had for the last 25 years has squatted to pee. My first male was a mini schnauzer - he oozed macho and would lift his leg to pee about 50% of the time in his younger years, but mostly squatted as he got older.

Next up, male boxer - never learned to lift his leg. He had arthritis in his back and hips from a very young age so it just may have been more comfortable for him.

Male corgi - alpha dog wannabe. Healthy but rotund.

Great dane - very goofy at 15 months. It has never occurred to him to lift his leg.

All were neutered between 6-12 months.

It’s funny to me because we had all female dogs growing up because mother wouldn’t tolerate marking. Well guess what Mom I don’t have to worry about it either! :lol:

Any thoughts on why some boys squat rather than lift?

[Laurierace]

They all do that if you neuter them before puberty.

[MunchingonHay]

both of my male dogs squatted to pee.

My first dog’s nickname was “squatslikegirl” we all went camping and gave each other cool
‘indian’ names. My current male dog also squats and I have never seen him lift his leg.

My second dog was neutered before 2 months old, first dog was also a pound pup but was 6 months old when I adopted him, but I believe the was done early as well. He had a small little pee pee.

I am thankful for a non-lifter pee-er.

[irkenequine]

My 1 year old deafblind aussie mix was neutered at 11 weeks (young, but I worked at the clinic and sedated and intubated him myself…I wasn’t worried about him) and he has an itty bitty “puppalup dinky” as we call it in the house. He squats proudly to pee and doesn’t know how to lift his leg. NEVER once seen lipstick on him; he looks like he’s 8 weeks old between the legs.

Now his counterpart, macho bull terrier 3 year old who was just neutered a month ago; the marking stopped IMMEDIATELY but he’s much more ‘endowed’ and does the lipstick thing occasionally, etc and hikes his leg to pee every 4 seconds outside. Happy he hasn’t taught it to Tovin.

[Blinkers_On]

My boys squat to pee and thanks to some house guests have learned to leg lift. I’d rather the squat…

[Debbie]

Trust me, I’m just as glad they squat!! The other day my horse vet was out and was making fun of Farley the great dane and it got me thinking about the trend amongst my boy dogs.

I’d say of the four, that Farley was definitely pre-pubescent when he was neutered, but the others were more mature.

My vet made fun of how small Farley’s parts were for his size when he was neutered so maybe he was already a little hormonally challenged. :winkgrin:

[JB]

@Laurierace;5789983

They all do that if you neuter them before puberty.

What is puberty for a dog?

We got our dogs at 8 months, from the shelter, already neutered and spayed. Every now and then boy-dog will squat and girl-dog will hike.

[Laurierace]

I don’t know when they go through puberty for sure. I would imagine it varies somewhat by breed. I do it as soon as they are big enough. My last dog was neutered at three months old before we adopted him.

[aspenlucas]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;5789983]
They all do that if you neuter them before puberty.[/QUOTE]

Really? I have a two year old un neutered whippet. My husband didn’t have his Rotty mix neutered til he was older. Neither lift their leg to pee EVER. I’ve always been taught as a vet tech at the local vet clinic that lifting the leg is a marking/aggressive behavior and that it is something you can train your dog not to do.

[Kryswyn]

If you neuter early, they usually won’t lift their legs. Caveat being, if they are alpha’s in training (or think they are) I’ve had them lift their legs at 3 mos :eek: My youngest male was very submissive to my Alpha male and always squatted until shortly after his 1st birthday, which was our signal to neuter him. A month after neutering, he was back to squatting. Unless he happens to find himself next to a vertical surface (oh look I’m next to a tree!) and then he sort of halfway cocks his leg and looks around to see if anyone noticed. The other dogs pay him no attention whatsoever LOL!

[S1969]

Two of my male puppies lifted their legs at 10-12 weeks or so…can’t remember exactly. But I recall it was while still using a puppy play pen in the house and my youngest boy would lift his leg and pee out of his play area. Naturally. Who wants to play in pee? :lol:

[My2cents]

My boy was a rescue (saved by Lori at Sunkissed acres) estimated age around 1 1/2. He was neutered waay after puberty. He sometimes squats but mostly lifts his leg. He is THE most NON dominant dog ever. He’s known as the peaceful one or ‘even steven’ round the neighborhood. Heck, the friggin cat is the alpha in our family.

[MsM]

My Aussie was not neutered until he was 3. Still, he only lifted his leg sometimes. Otherwise he did the “stand forward” puppypee.

My Cavalier was neutered at 6 months. He is very similar - Often lifts on leg a couple of inches while leaning forward.

My friends Irish Wolfhound didnt really hike his leg either. She said she was told that many didnt much becuase of their size.

[glfprncs]

I have three male dogs…the youngest (who is now two) was neutered at the shelter at 12 weeks of age. He was a squatter until he was about a year old and then started TRYING to lift his leg. He wasn’t very successful at first (he’d topple over!). He still only slightly lifts his leg when he does, but he still squats about 50% of the time.

The middle dog, Louie (who is now 8), was neutered at the shelter when he was 18 months old. If it’s cold outside, he’s a squatter. Otherwise, he’ll hike his leg.

T.C. (the eldest at 12), was neutered when he was picked up as a stray at 6. He is the most dominant of the 3 dogs (though the pup is giving him a run for his money). When we go for walks, he lifts his leg on anything and everything to shout out to the neighborhood that he was there. At home, though, he sort of ‘parks out’ like a saddlebred and pees, oftentimes on his front legs. He’s got quite the bladder…we’ve timed him before peeing for well over 3 minutes straight. It would take quite a bit of balance and strength to lift your leg for that amount of time!

[JB]

@aspenlucas;5790328

Really? I have a two year old un neutered whippet. My husband didn’t have his Rotty mix neutered til he was older. Neither lift their leg to pee EVER. I’ve always been taught as a vet tech at the local vet clinic that lifting the leg is a marking/aggressive behavior and that it is something you can train your dog not to do.

Ah, but there’s a difference between a dog always doing it (apparently debatable?) if neutered early, and them also sometimes doing it when neutered late.

It’s that tricky logic LOL
“All dogs neutered early squat to pee” does not automatically mean “no dog neutered late squats to pee”

[Nezzy]

my male rescue AHT does it too, and i love it. He really is a good boy. we got him at 1.5 yrs old, not sure when he was neutered.

[Laurierace]

You can train a dog to do or not to do just about anything. Not sure why not marking wouldn’t be one of them.

[MunchkinsMom]

So, anyone care to explain why one of my female dog squats and lifts a leg? So does the female pomeranian that we are dog sitting at our house.

[bits619]

We’ve had probably… 45+ male foster dogs. All of them are neutered asap, regardless of age due to the rescue-nature (they must be sterilized before adopted). I’ve certainly seen many male puppies neutered at an early age later lift their leg to pee. However, we can’t rule out them doing it as a learned behavior from the other ‘big boys’ of the house.
MrB’s parents’ dog is a female that learned to hike her leg after being around one of my male dogs. She’s a pretty dominant female, so i’d say it wasn’t surprising that she picked up that behavior. She doesn’t hike her leg unless she’s in an excited state, especially around other excited dogs. SUCH a lady.:yes:

[aspenlucas]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;5790703]
You can train a dog to do or not to do just about anything. Not sure why not marking wouldn’t be one of them.[/QUOTE]

One of my biggest pet peeves. People walking their dogs and letting them “mark” on people’s bushes, tires, etc. Lifting their leg in the middle of the grass to pee is fine for me. Running around marking everything lifting their leg is NOT peeing.