At what age do male dogs lift their paws to urinate?

WHY DO MALE DOGS LIFT THEIR PAWS WHEN THEY URINATE?

Approximate reading time:  7 minutes

If you have an unneutered male dog at home, you have probably wondered why they have a funny way of urinating. Unlike bitches, who simply bend over, dogs lift one of their two hind legs to pee. Do you know why they do this? The first thing to know is that it is an instinctive behaviour, i.e. it cannot be learned or easily eliminated, as it is something completely natural and involuntary that your pet carries in its DNA.

The reason your dog lifts its paw to urinate is none other than to mark its territory. Through urine, a dog leaves a trace of their presence in a place, both to orientate themself for future walks and to send a message to other dogs through their pheromones. By sniffing the urine of a fellow dog, a dog can find out many things about their health, their mood, their age, their sex... By peeing in this position, the dog is able to raise their stream a few centimetres, so that the trail is at the height of the noses of other dogs passing by. Moreover, by urinating higher up, the air is better able to spread the pheromones and chemicals contained in the wee-wee, which makes it reach further and last longer in the environment. Amazing, isn't it? Another theory explains that dogs urinate by lifting their paws to appear larger than they are. This would be another way of marking their territory and sending a warning message to other dogs.

Table of contents

1- When do male dogs start to urinate with their paws up?

2- What if my male dog does not lift their paw when urinating?

3- Do neutered dogs lift their paws when they urinate?

4- My dog lifts her paw when urinating as if she were a male dog

5- Do older dogs urinate like female dogs?

6- Does marking come earlier in the presence of other dogs?

7- Can I correct my dog so that they do not urinate by lifting their paw?

When do male dogs start to urinate with their paws up?

This instinctive behaviour is related to the dog's testosterone levels, so it usually begins to occur when the dog reaches sexual maturity, i.e. during puberty. In small dogs this stage usually occurs from about 6 to 9 months, while in larger breeds it occurs from 8 to 13 months. However, these figures are guidelines, as puberty may extend to 14 to 20 months in some dogs. Before reaching their ‘adolescence’, puppies urinate in exactly the same way as bitches, crouching. However, as adult testosterone levels develop in their bodies, they begin to urinate by lifting one of their hind legs.

What if my male dog does not lift their paw when urinating?

Although the behaviour of urinating by lifting the paw is very common in these animals, it does not develop in all dogs. Some dogs do not exhibit this behaviour, which could be due to lower testosterone levels, although this need not be the case. There is nothing wrong with your dog urinating by squatting like a female and you don't have to teach him otherwise. Respect his natural way of urinating and, if in doubt, consult a vet.

Do neutered dogs lift their paws when they urinate?

Dogs that have been neutered before the development of the behaviour will not show this habit when they reach adulthood, but will continue to urinate crouching down like a puppy throughout their lives. However, if your dog had already begun to urinate with his paw up before being neutered, it is possible that he will continue to maintain this marking behaviour, as it will have acquired a habit. Some dogs may stop urinating in this way over the years, but it will depend on the individual case.

My dog lifts her paw when urinating as if she were a male dog

In some cases, it is possible for a bitch to exhibit this behaviour of urinating with her paw raised, as male dogs do. This may be due to high levels of testosterone, a condition that is more common in breeds such as the Rottweiler, Bull Terrier, French Bulldog and others. In addition, this tends to run in families, so if your dog urinates this way, it is likely that her mother did too. If your female dog urinates this way, it is not a problem and you don't have to do anything about it. If you want your pet to have offspring, check with your vet for any associated hormonal problems.

Do older dogs urinate like female dogs?

It doesn't always happen, but in some cases your dog may stop urinating by lifting their leg when they reach old age. Dogs over 10 years of age may suffer a drop in their testosterone levels, and as they no longer have this urge to mark territory, they may go back to urinating as they did when they were puppies, simply by crouching on the ground. However, in many other cases this habit will remain, as it has been a natural occurrence for so many years that your dog has incorporated it into their behaviour.

Does marking come earlier in the presence of other dogs?

If your puppy socialises with other dogs, don't be surprised if they start to urinate by lifting their paw very early. Experts say that the period of canine puberty is brought forward if the dog lives with other males of the same species, as this triggers a dispute over resources such as food, toys or females, giving rise to the need to start marking territory through this form of weeing.

Can I correct my dog so that he does not urinate by lifting his paw?

Lifting the leg to urinate is innate and natural in unneutered male dogs. As mentioned above, neutering can eliminate this instinct in some cases. 

If you are concerned about street furniture or trees, you can take a small bottle of water with you when you go for a walk with your pet and rinse his wee so that the acids in their urine do not damage anything in the street. In fact, cleaning up after dogs is compulsory in many places. 

When your dog urinates by raising their hind leg, they are marking their territory, leaving a record of their passage and communicating with other dogs in the vicinity, which is very natural for them.