Male dog toilet training/leg lifting!

borderlinemeath

We have been fostering a young adult rescue dog (maybe a year to 18months old) for the past week. He's quite good at going to the toilet although it's tough work to encourage him to go out for his final piddle at night.

Anyhow, whenever he wees he doesn't lift his leg. He does his own thing during the day as the door is open for him to wander in and out and he goes but just squats. When I bring him out for his last wee before bed he has to be on his lead because he just wont bother otherwise and I was thinking this would be the one to try and teach him how, but is there a way? Our other dog is female and can't help him!

Also he's quite shy and insecure still, he had a rotten start to his little life prior to being rescued so I don't know whether to try and teach him for another while yet or just do it in conjuction with getting him into the habit of widdling before bedtime.

Any ideas appreciated!

DamagedTrax

perfectly normal. it usually takes a dog 6/7 months to start "marking". if this lad was neutered before that he may never lift his leg.

borderlinemeath

He's definately more than 7 months old, more like 12-18months. And he was only neutered by the rescue within the past two months.

Nobody knows his full past but he certainly had a rough start to life as he was close to death when found by the rescue, so I was wondering would it have a bearing on his lack of "marking his territory". He only goes when he needs to, even out for walks he doesn't act like a regular male dog, no marking at all, just goes if he feels like it.

DamagedTrax

i wouldnt worry about it at all. lots of dogs never lift a leg... and sometimes bitches walk around doing it all day. they're just odd little creatures that have their own odd little ways sometimes

Whispered

There is no need to worry about it, some do and some don't. He might do it eventually. If not it's not an issue. Both of mine lift sometimes and pee like a girl at other times, depending on what mood takes them.

If you do want to encourage leg lifting then make sure you provide something that they would naturally like to pee on, like a tree or bush. But I honestly don't think it's necessary.

piperh

My lad is 9mnths old and tried to lift his leg a couple of months ago and fell over :rolleyes: never tried since. He doesn't mark at all but he was neutured quite young. He will go when i tell im to " go have wee" but i've found that if his walk was later then he'll go when he comes home but not before bed. Never has a accident so i'm not to worried.

I wouldn't be to worried if i were you, Although i do now have a strange picture in my head of you cocking your leg at a wall and your neighbours calling the men in wite coats

borderlinemeath

piperh wrote: »

My lad is 9mnths old and tried to lift his leg a couple of months ago and fell over :rolleyes: never tried since. He doesn't mark at all but he was neutured quite young. He will go when i tell im to " go have wee" but i've found that if his walk was later then he'll go when he comes home but not before bed. Never has a accident so i'm not to worried.

I wouldn't be to worried if i were you, Although i do now have a strange picture in my head of you cocking your leg at a wall and your neighbours calling the men in wite coats

I'm lucky that the neighbours can't see me cos I'm in the country, but I'm sure they heard me last night - I took the dogs out at about 11.30 for their last widdle and Coco heard something in the distance so started running around and barking like mad, poor Benson (rescue dog) got a fright and hugged into my legs. I couldn't see Coco (we have an acre of land) so was calling at her to shut up that she was giving Benson stage fright! He eventually went when she stopped barking but it was about 5 mins of me telling her to Shut up!!

He's had 2 overnight accidents but I've persevered with making sure he goes before bed, getting loads of praise while doing it and taking the lead off so he can head in by himself and then he gets a treat. Hopefully he'll learn from the master (Coco) and will eventually just be able to go out and do it without the lead. Leg cock or no leg cock!

noddyone2

Well done for taking on rescue dogs, I have 2 - well worth it, they'll repay you. You need lots of patience, and always praise when he does a good job, Smacking or hitting only teaches fear. If he pees indoors because he's stuck, you need to get him out last thing at night, he'll get the routine eventually. Best wishes.

ISDW

I honestly wouldn't worry about it, some dogs do, and some dogs don't. Although it is always a very proud day when any of my pups have grown up enough to cock their legs:D

I am really, really curious though, if you are, or were, going to train him to cock his leg, how were you going to do it?;)

borderlinemeath

ISDW wrote: »

I honestly wouldn't worry about it, some dogs do, and some dogs don't. Although it is always a very proud day when any of my pups have grown up enough to cock their legs:D

I am really, really curious though, if you are, or were, going to train him to cock his leg, how were you going to do it?;)

We have 4 young sapling trees so I've been circling these in the hope that
he might be inclined:D. I was hoping if he socialised with a few male dogs that he might get the hint, we went to the beach for walks but he did his usual stance and just went when he had to, and we met plenty of dogs along the way!

Lifting my leg as if to show him wouldn't have a good effect, he may have had some abuse before he was rescued because he's scared if I lift a ball to throw it for Coco so lifting a leg may scare him:(

piperh

Oh Borderlinemeath the joys of dog ownership eh

I'm sure he'll get it eventually, just keep on as you are its probably just a case of breaking old habits so taking a bit longer.

TG1

My dog started lifting his leg at about a year old, but a friend has a lab/springer who is about 19 months now and did it for the first time 3 days ago.
he has been walked with mine since he had his vaccinations at 12 weeks, but only got the notion to try now, he was neutered at 9 months, so we thought he was never going to get there, but he surprised us all!
I wouldn't worry, as I think they all just decide to do it in their own time!

Zapperzy

As the owner of a dog who feel's the need to mark absolutely everything including every blade of grass and occassionally the odd few things in the house (shopping bags, washing baskets etc.) I would see it as a blessing if he never learned to lift his leg and mark! I have met a good few males who squat and the odd female who lifts, my male does both.

I also have crazy visions of you outside at night lifting your leg against trees in an effort to teach him!

Discodog

Zapperzy wrote: »

I also have crazy visions of you outside at night lifting your leg against trees in an effort to teach him!

It's bad enough that a neighbour once heard me say "Come on girls it's freezing. Hurry up & piddle". God knows what they would think if I cocked my leg. My little chap never pees or marks indoors - except at the Vets

I solved the walking around the garden by telling him to "Be a good boy" & giving him treat once he pees. It took about a week for it it to sink in. Others may boast about their dog's obedience with their sit, stay etc but mine will pee on command & it's really useful on cold wet nights.

piperh

Discodog wrote: »

It's bad enough that a neighbour once heard me say "Come on girls it's freezing. Hurry up & piddle". God knows what they would think if I cocked my leg. My little chap never pees or marks indoors - except at the Vets

I solved the walking around the garden by telling him to "Be a good boy" & giving him treat once he pees. It took about a week for it it to sink in. Others may boast about their dog's obedience with their sit, stay etc but mine will pee on command & it's really useful on cold wet nights.

Sorry to take this off topic but i think i can beat that for embarrasment, once took in a rescue cat whose name was B**tard :eek::eek:, quickly changed it to pebbles but took a while for her to get used to it and standing at the door shouting "B**tard, time to come in" was not good. God only knows what my 80yr old next door neighbour thought .

mymo

Second the training them to go on command, I say "do you business" and they do, takes time but late cold nights or during long car journeys, its very handy.
Start by saying the phrase as he goes, then watch for him to assume the position and try to say it as he starts. After a while you'll see the cues, sniffing and then the pause, try to pre empt him, eventually he'll go when you say it.

Oh and my boy is 3 and only cocks his leg when out, on his property he pee's like a girl:p

borderlinemeath

I haven't had to go out with Coco for years, We switch off the TV and tell her it's time to "get them done" and she heads for the door, does her thing and comes back in. Have never had an accident in the house with her. She wakes me up at about 7.30am and we head out to "get them done" again.

It's only now getting Benson trained that I've noticed the lack of leg lifting and have to go through all the training again. Once he gets used to it I'll try and encourage him to lift the leg. Not looking forward now to tonight, he doesn't mind the rain too much, but I sure as hell do!

borderlinemeath

I'm so proud of Benson,:D when Coco went out last night for her last piddle, he went out after her - without the lead on! (a first) and went and did his stuff. (I followed him with the torch!)

Although he didn't lift the leg:o.

Huge progress for a little dog who wouldn't go in our out doors when he arrived last week and is still very jumpy and nervous.