My male dog does not lift his leg when he urinates. Is that a problem?

Our question this week was:

I have a male dog that is 11 mos. old. His mother was boxer and he is mixed with something else (Retriever?) He does not lift his leg when urinating as male dogs do. He has been neutered. Is there something wrong?

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Linda Oswald

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. If your dog is eating and drinking well, playful, and having
normal urinations and bowel movements, he is probably fine. Some dogs will not lift their leg until they are passed puberty – around 12 to 15 months of age so he may just need more time.

A number of male dogs don't lift their leg to urinate. Some female dogs do lift their legs to urinate. To be honest, I'm not sure why.

I've seen some dogs seem to "learn" to lift their legs when raised around dogs and others do it when raised alone. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason.

Regards,

Dr. Debra

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