Why doesn't my male dog lift his leg when he goes to the bathroom?

Question

I know it sounds stupid, but I have a 12 mo old Basset Hound and he has lifted his leg once, on a blade of grass when he was six weeks old. He has two sisters and I wonder if this has anything to do with it. He squats like the girls.

Answer 1

Most dogs learn my example when other dogs are around! I had a male who was raised around females & he squatted for almost 3 years, until we got another male dog & he had to lift his leg in order to mark off the territory! I think it is a combination of the female urine smell being ON the ground rather than higher up where a male is forced to lift his leg in order to cover the urine with his own & just not knowing this is an option!

Answer 2

I have a Pit Bull Terrier who's almost a year old and he's NEVER lifted his leg. He squatted as a puppy. He was altered when he was 12 weeks old, and the vet advised that having this done before he learned to lift his leg would almost certainly result in him never lifting his leg to urinate. The vet was right... ten months later, this dog is strong as an ox, but he WILL NOT lift his leg to pee. As far as I know, strength has something to do with leg-lifting, but not everything. If you had him altered at a young age, that's a likely contributor; if not, there are other things that could have influenced his potty style. You mentioned your bassett has two sisters-- it's very likely that he learned by example.

There's nothing wrong with how your dog pees... just his preference. Like the old saying goes: "If it's not broken, don't fix it!"

Answer 3

Maybe the blade of grass cut his little weiner. LOL. I'm still laughing at this question. Basset Hounds are so close to the ground anyway, why bother lifting their leg. If he's clean, it really shouldn't matter anyway.

Answer 4

I really wouldn't worry about it. I have a 7 month old male puppy and he doesn't do it either. If he's been neutered at a young age that could be why. Are there any male dogs around him? Maybe he just needs to be "taught". LOL

Answer 5

Don't worry, your dog's not a cross-dresser! (: Actually, my male Greater Swiss Mountain Dog also does not lift his leg often. At what age was your dog neutered? This could have a strong effect on his potty habits, since leg-lifting is a territorial trait most commonly exhibited by sexually mature male dogs.

Answer 6

Lol, our dog did this for a while... sometimes he squatted and sometimes he would stand like a male, but not lift his leg, so he'd pee all over himself. I think it took him seeing other male dogs to understand how they peed... so I agree with you, that it's probably because he's around the females. We have a female pug who thinks she's a male and humps other dogs, so go figure....

Answer 7

that's in all probability broken and that i could get to the Vet ASAP. You on no account carry a dogs by his tail. i will inform you he broke the tail. NO dogs will cry in basic terms for no longer something and if he does not take a seat, something is erroneous.Get to the VET precise away.

Answer 8

I have a Jack Russell Terrier that we had neutered around 9 months old and he still will not lift his leg either. Not all males will do that , my Border Collie didn't do it either and he was 5 years old.

Answer 9

Some dogs just need a little more time to learn it...once they get tired of pee running down their leg...they'll think of the brainy idea..."wow! If I lift my leg it points my wee-wee up and ends my delema of daily stinky paws!!"
A pit-bull that I once had..unfortunatly hit by a fast speeding car. was a little slower and learning to left his leg...that's why I thought it was a girl puppy at first!!

SmileyCat : )

Answer 10

They may not consistently start lifting their legs until a year old. It may be later or not at all if he was neutered at an early age.