Curious question about male dogs

[gritsar]

This is something I'm just curious about.
Our older GSD Jax is now 20 months old. He started lifting his leg to pee when he was about 8 months old. It took him awhile, but he can now pee without getting it all over his front legs.
My question concerns our younger GSD, Kane. Kane is just a few days past 11 months old (born, Dec. 8th). Kane is still peeing like a girl dog. I would expect that by now he would at least be trying to lift the leg, but he's not.
Unusual?

Kane is a very large dog, but still very much a puppy in his mind.

 

[matthewschickens]

We have three females and a male. It's been 3/4 of a year and still no signs of peeing like a boy. I don't know...?

 

[redhen]

My male Saint.. is 3 yrs old now. And he still doesnt lift his leg to pee. I just think that some males squat like girls.
I'm glad that mine dosent lift his leg though.. cause dont they pee on stuff?

 

[annaraven]

I was told by my vet that if they're neutered early enough, they never learn the "lift the leg" trick. It's supposedly a competition between males - I can pee higher than you so I'm bigger and better! So if they get neutered early, they don't have the same level of hormonal competition... Anyways - that's what I'm told.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I should have mentioned - neither Kane nor Jax is altered. If we ever do get them neutered it won't be until after they hit the 2 year mark.

 

[mandelyn]

My two year old male Shepherd (unaltered) STILL pees like a girl. I think it's because the marking is a dominant male thing, and since he's low on the totem pole here, he just won't do it.

Instead, my girl Shepherd hikes her leg when she pees. Never saw that before. It's the only dominant thing she gets to do.

I bet since the other male does it, the younger may not. I wonder if he starts if arguments will start over which male is in charge? If it is actually dominance related, I would keep a close eye on if they become competitive when/if the younger male starts to do it.

Leg hiking is dominance, males are to mark, that's why if you neuter them early, they may never do it. So it makes sense that if the dog is never of the mind to show dominance, he won't start to mark.

Leg hiking is for marking, not for the sake of urination. But who knows.

 

[2pinkmom]

I dunno. Our mastiff was neutered late, and he still doesn't lift his leg. My theory is that it is a size thing. Seems like maybe there is an upper weight limit on leg lifting.

 

[synoviaus]

Most males will hike their legs at sexual maturity, but Leg lifting is a learned behavior. Most puppies learn it from watching other dogs. So, its not necessarily something your dog will do. Though its more common in males, females can also be leg lifters. Either way don't worry about your male if he does or doesn't. Also, its not a sign of a problem (psychological or sexual). We had a Bluetick that lived to be fourteen and he never hiked his leg. He was fine though because he sired over fifty puppies!

 

[gofasterstripe]

My male Basset squats to pee but my female chow mix lifts her leg but sorta squats!!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I wondered about that too. Kane doesn't like his feet off the ground for anything, not "high fives" or paw shaking. He's pretty heavy for a shepherd, so I thought maybe that has something to do with it.
He's finally lost his baby fat, but is still well over 100 lbs.