Golden Retriever Dog Forums banner

marking question

2K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  missmarstar 
#1 ·
When do intact males start marking? Caleb is 13 months old now and he's become a lot more interested in sniffing lately but he hasn't shown any real marking behavior. DH and I taught him to check in with us before going potty, so maybe that has something to do with it? Anyways, I'm just curious if he's likely to start marking soon, or if I just got lucky and he's a non-marker.
 
#2 ·
Oh gosh... I even posted about it here when Sam first did it (sad moment for me LOL), but without going back to look when that was, I'd estimate it happened when he was about 7 or 8 months old maybe? He didn't just immediately start doing it all the time... at first it just one time... then a couple weeks went by.. then it was a few more times. Now it's every single time he goes wee (he's 22 months old now).

Not all dogs will lift the leg... and some are just late bloomers. I'd prefer my dog didn't mark on walks (or on poor Dillon :doh: ) but it doesn't really bother me enough to tell him not to or anything, although if I know he's definitely emptied his bladder quite enough, I'll stop letting him stop and sniff so much and start pulling him along in a power walk so he is less able to stop and lift.
 
#4 ·
Yes, I definitely would say that lifting the leg to pee and marking are pretty much one and the same. Dogs typically start to lift the leg around when they reach sexual maturity. Does Caleb pee multiple times on walks, or is it just one big pee in the beginning and thats it? If he's peeing several times on walks, that's marking behavior.
 
#7 ·
Does Caleb pee multiple times on walks, or is it just one big pee in the beginning and thats it?
On a 1 hour walk, he'll go at least once, but not more than 3 times. He'll get distracted by smells, especially if another dog just went by, but he won't pee to mark over they're scent, or anything like that. And he definitely doesn't try to pee on every tree, twig and blade of grass like I've heard other dogs will do.
 
#8 ·
Yea, that doesn't sound like marking behavior at all. Believe me, you'll know. Sam does exactly what your last sentence said. Dillon loves to sniff around on walks and take his sweet time, but he's not peeing all over everything like Sam does. Sam will literally be lifting his leg and nothing comes out because he has NO pee left.. but he still tries his hardest. Poor dumb dog. :doh:
 
#12 ·
When do intact males start marking? Caleb is 13 months old now and he's become a lot more interested in sniffing lately but he hasn't shown any real marking behavior. DH and I taught him to check in with us before going potty, so maybe that has something to do with it? Anyways, I'm just curious if he's likely to start marking soon, or if I just got lucky and he's a non-marker.
None of my intact males have ever lifted their legs in the house. And, even though intact and usually lifting a leg to pee, intact males will occasionally squat to urinate - ie if there is nothing to lift their leg on, or, if in a tight space.
I don't think it matters either way - I simply consider it a housebreaking issue. If housebroken, no urinating in the house, period.
As for outdoors, intact males will urinate a thousand times, even if only a drop or two, if you let them. Alterered males do not generally do it as frequently. Again, I don't think it matters - I consider it a training issue - if I know the dog has eliminated and we are walking, they don't stop until I do.
 
#13 ·
Just wanted to clarify that while Sam will lift his leg on very twig or blade of grass outdoors, he has never once marked indoors or even shown any inkling of doing so. As PG said that is another issue entirely than a dog just becoming sexually mature and lifting his leg outside. I would never ever be ok with a dog peeing in my house as I'm sure no one here would be. lol

And Sam will lift his leg even if he's just standing in the middle of the grass in the yard with nothing to pee on. He's a big dork like that.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top