Male dog doesn't cock his leg!

This is not an issue, just wondering if other people have seen the same. My 15 month old Labrador has never cocked his leg. In fact he doesn't seem to be into scent marking at all! We got him neutered at 10 months, we tried to wait the year but he was starting to get aggressive and dominant with our then 2 year old (male, neutered) Newfie.

The Newfie cocked his leg at 8 months and is into scent marking when he's out on his walks but our Labrador still does "girl wees" and in fact isn't even into weeing on his walks at all! Newfie wees up the shed, walls and garden furniture but Lab just squats and wees every time

I'm absolutely certain there's nothing wrong with the lad. Just looking for other people's experiences!

Snugbugrug28

I hope you don't send him away to get 'fixed'

coffee to go

We’ve a setter collie cross, almost 5 years old, who has never cocked his leg, neither in the garden or on walks. Squat peeing is just his thing. He also likes to eat sitting down. We’ve just got used to his weirdness.

jellybear

My 7 year old, neutered, male lurcher rarely cocks his leg to wee! Only on a walk really but never in our garden. No idea why!😆

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221131#Comment_119221131

I was thinking maybe he thinks he's a girl and we should look into transitioning for him, like put a pink collar on him instead of his orange one, and maybe take away his blue toys and give him pink ones instead. And maybe change his name to Nigella instead of Niles.

Snugbugrug28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221216#Comment_119221216

Or you could change your own name to JK Rowling to frighten him into it!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221287#Comment_119221287

He's not easy to influence, our Niles.

The two dogs are named after the TV show Frasier, but our Newfie Fras is much, much more of a Niles than our Niles is! He frets about absolutely everything, and has no social skills.

Our Niles is just a headcase pupper.

Knine

This is normal enough in a neutered dog especially one who was done too young.

anewme

What do people feel is the correct age for them to be done? Our vet said from 6 months but our trainer said 14 months min to let them fully develop as they need their testosterone for when their puberty kicks in 8-10 months?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222803#Comment_119222803

The vet wouldn't have neutered him at 10 months if it was too young.

Dial Hard

Loads of male dogs never cock. Conversely, plenty of bitches do. It's utterly meaningless.

And plenty of vets still have very set ideas on spay/neuter (and many other treatments) that don't necessarily match up with current best practice. Same as doctors.

I'm more inclined to trust a vet who has examined the dog than a baseless guideline read on the internet. Just like how you don't take your medical advice off Google.

tk123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223161#Comment_119223161

Some vets aren’t up to date with new studies on spay / neutering age. I know the local vets here will neuter large and even giant breeds at 6 months which is just wrong and is linked to bone cancer in some breeds as well as cruciate disease… and behavioural issues depending on the dog. Also a vet isn’t going to know if growth plates are closed for example in an adolescent dog without an X-ray. My intact boy went into into scent marking overdrive and lifting his leg at around 11 months. My girl had her first heat at 13 months… every dog is different but the larger the breed the longer you wait - ie until the growth plates are closed and they’re fully grown. I’ve no intention of having Rory done unless there’s a medical reason.

Knine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223449#Comment_119223449

Do Vets neuter them for free?

Neutered males often look quite different to entire males. For example two litter mates at a place I go to. The neutered dog looks about 8 years older, has a huge amount of joint issues, can't run, is quite overweight. His brother is running rings around him, looks so much younger. Such a shame. These are small breed dogs.

I'd be changing vets to a vet more up to date on the effects of early neuter/spay.

My entire dogs don't mark etc in the house & are well behaved off lead. They live with bitches, some of them entire. My dogs will be staying entire.

handlemaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058250817/male-dog-doesnt-cock-his-leg

Its a dog that obviously doesnt identify as male.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223624#Comment_119223624

I would be more inclined to trust a vet who has examined the dog than an anecdote from a message board. Wouldn't you?

Knine

I'd not trust any vet to treat my dog who was not up to date with modern Veterinary Medicine.

I know lots of vets due to the hobby I am involved in & several vets have dogs from my lines.

I think you have problems with your vet if you would trust a stranger on a message board more than you trust them.

anewme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223587#Comment_119223587

Thanks for that. There is an awful lot of conflicting information out there. Our vets said that having them castrated protected them against cancer? My fella does not mark, he’s spotless in the house.

one thing that is a challenge is that a lot of boarding kennels or minders won’t take them past seven months of not done.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223647#Comment_119223647

Your attitude is really strange. You do realise all these strangers on a message board are speaking from the experience of dealing with their own vets and subject experts, right?

Nobody was having a go at you for neutering your dog, just pointing out that best practice evolves in pretty much all medical matters and not all vets (or doctors) necessarily keep themselves up to date on what that best practice is.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223884#Comment_119223884

This one person is suggesting I change vet based on absolutely zero information.

I am telling them that taking advice from strangers on the internet is not equal to advice from your vet - and it is irresponsible to suggest that it is.

You do realise I tell people to trust their vet based on my own experience, don't you? Honestly I find the attitudes of those who believe internet anecdotes are equal to the education and experience of a vet is what's strange here.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223587#Comment_119223587

I know a vet who'll still do a tail-docking if someone "refers" you. There's plenty of anti-vax qualified vets and all. :P

But anyway, I wouldn't worry about it, my dog sometimes cocks her leg for a piss, sometimes doesn't. She's done a couple of stealth dumps in the weeds with a leg cocked as well. 😅

tk123

I thought my guy was going to tip over recently he lifted his leg that high lol 😂

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119224000#Comment_119224000

It's actually embarrassing how high my Newfie can wee at times, like all the way to the top of someone's garden wall!

My husband just brought the dogs home from a walk and said the Labrador was straight out and cocking his leg on everything. Just like that!

Our male dog didn’t lift his leg until he saw a lot of other males doing it. I would have preferred he never started because he started peeing on the sides of the couch then!