Squat or leg lift?

[Rio]

I have a strange question, (nothing new there then) do male Chows lift their leg to pee? Is it an age/maturity thing, or do they just not bother?

[chowchowdaddy]

I had always hoped that Ming would not lift his leg and we were told that if we walked him with our older female, Chia, that he would just emulate her and squat. It worked for awhile, then he started lifting his leg, although he was the clumsiest little thing when he did it as a couple of times he lifted his leg and just kept on going up and over and actually toppled over with an arc of pee flying through the air. Hysterical looking, truly! Sometimes, he'll just stand and sorta spread all 4 legs and "go" and other times he'll lift his leg, depends upon how energetic he's feeling, I think, plus how long it has been since he's "gone:" the longer it's been, the more likely he won't want to lift his leg and leave it up that long!!!

[Tippsy'smom]

Our first chow, Cinder, lifted his leg...

My mix boy, Jasper, didn't lift his leg until about the time he turned 2.

[TyChowgirl]

Ty starte to lift his leg around 5 months I believe. And this is where he started to only pee on things about 2 ft high or more... for the most part. So between the fact he won't poo anywhere near the condo and the need to "mark" everything, we pretty much need to go around the block to get things accomplished lol

[anthonyfearn]

i have a female (maggie) and she lifts her leg sometimes

[Victory]

They have to learn and normally start at about 5-6 months of age. It is a normal thing and a sign of health, (joint and muscle) when they do so. A male that is neutered before doing this may never learn to do so, but may also have joint and muscle problems do to lack of proper muscle growth. Some males will do the opened four leg stand if they are trying to cover where a female has gone before them. It's not a squat, but they spread all four legs and stand to go...looks weird, but it has a purpose.

[Rory's Dad]

Rory is an intact male, and started with the leg lift at about 4 months. Most people i talk to attribute this to marking and a very strong male drive. We show Rory, and my handler was concerned that he had a prostrate issue, he we getting 'excited' when peeing. Turns out she had a female in heat at the same show, and we attribute it to that.

[Ursa's daddy]

Malachi, my neutered male started some time between 1 1/2 and 2 years of age. Our two female terriers will hike themselves up and mark territory. Wolf, our female husky would also mark.

[chow fancier]

I always thought it had to do with hormones. Teddy was about 5 when he came to me and he lifted his leg at that time. However, he had been neutered that day and about 2 weeks later stopped lifting his leg. He hasn't lifted a leg for years now, but he doesn't squat either he just leans forward slightly and goes.

[Blackbear]

Our boy was nuetered at 4 months and never learnt how to *Censored Word* his leg. He just squats. Our previous lifted his leg on everything and marked his teritory but he was nuetered at 10months. Victory s 'explanation makes sense.

[Cam Atis]

I have a strange question, (nothing new there then) do male Chows lift their leg to pee? Is it an age/maturity thing, or do they just not bother?

YES. Yes, and No.
It is a strange question indeed!
Have you only been introduced to dog species fairly recently like as soon as you got your pup?
Sorry if I sound not so nice. Just that, I dont expect it coming from someone grown-up. as I grew up observing such behavior from dogs.
Feel free to ask as you seemed like you've just landed on Dogland and have no idea how the canines do their business.

[anthonyfearn]

quite a sensible question i think , we have 2 chows ,the boy squats and the girl lifts her leg how strange is that

[Sirchow]

I have two females...one always squats in a ladylike manner and the other squats over a tussock of grass, lifts her leg sometimes and runs off still doing it many times...She is the more dominant of the two and when on heat she marks everything with a sort of half leg lift.

[Victory]

Our boy was nuetered at 4 months and never learnt how to *Censored Word* his leg. He just squats. Our previous lifted his leg on everything and marked his teritory but he was nuetered at 10months. Victory s 'explanation makes sense.

It is based partially on hormones which also govern growth rate and strength. A male neutered too early may never learn to lift his leg, he may also lack muscle development in his hips and be more prone to hip problems, (there was a good essay written by a Vet on this somewhere on the web, but I can't find it just now) Here in the US some hunters who don't want their males neutered because they want to have the muscle deveolpment in their hunting dogs, will give their males vascetomies, rendering them unable to father puppies but still alowing for the heavier muscle growth and resulting stamina they need for a working dog. Some sled dogs are also given vascetomies for the same reasons.

[612guy]

Brutus was 10 months old when he started to lift his leg. We believe he learned it at doggie camp when we on vacation with the boys there. Our female boxer still is the dominate one and even humps Brutus. The good thing about this is we can lay Brutus on his side or back anytime to brush him and he doesn't fuss. But at camp he was all boy with the other dogs so they had to seperate him from the girls. We were glad because we were starting to wonder.

[Blackbear]

We had not planned to desex our boy at that age but he deveolped food allergy and required an e-collar to stop him licking the sores. Vet said to desex at same time so he would lick the wound. I wish the vet had given us all the information.

[Rory's Dad]

I am still puzzled with Cam's response...what is it you were trying to say? Makes no sense to me whatsoever.

[Rio]

No Cam I have not 'just landed on Dogland' as you put it. And I am fully aware of 'how canines do their business' the question I was asking as I am sure you are aware is on a Chow forum, meaning I was asking specifically about the Chow breed, and from the responses I have read it is quite a valid question. Not all male Chows relieve their bladders in the 'normal' canine way. So my question I believe was a valid one. For the record I am an adult.
Sadly for me I was not blessed with enough time in my life to observe dog behaviour as I was growing up, I had far more important things to do, education,family,raising my own children.
I would ask that if you do not have anything constructive to add to my query that you keep your attitude and single-minded opinion to yourself thank you very much. No apologies from me if that sounds mean.
Before I am reminded this is an open forum, there are rules on etiquette quite clearly posted and I feel you have over-stepped the line on manners and how to be civil to other people.
As a parent I personally would slap any one of my children side-ways if they ever spoke to people they did or didn't know in the way you readily do.
I will however apologise to other members who took the time to respond to my query if they feel it was a ridiculous question, thankyou for your responses.

[sue]

I have twin boys zeus & achilles they started to raise there legs at about 4 months old when we started going out after they had all there injections.Thats when the pair of them took a lot of interest in females.At first it was quite a performance when walking through the woods they would hook there bodys around the tree lean in to it & the leg would go up about 1 inch off the ground.Of course every time they managed it i would get the look & stand there giving lots of praise saying what clever boys they were.I would get a few laughs from friends as they passed me it was comical.Now achilles raises his leg about 2inchs off the floor but zeus goes all the way to almost a right angle especially if theres any females in season that they have scented.They were both castrated at 1 year old but it didnt change there behaviour.

[Rio]

I now have a comical image of Chows tree hugging in my head. Thanks for that Sue, do you have pics on here of your boys? Love the names too.

[Cocoa]

Rio, your response to Cam was bang on.

I will however apologise to other members who took the time to respond to my query if they feel it was a ridiculous question, thankyou for your responses.

No need to apologize, it is not a ridiculous question. Not just chows but with other breeds I have known male dogs that go their whole lives without ever doing the leg lift and I know of at least one female dog that was raised around males that always lifts her leg to go.

[TyChowgirl]

LOL at the tree hugging. When Ty does his leg lift, a lot of times he'll have his legs almost in a straight line to where a few times he's kind of toppled off balance and rolled over in mid-air, mid-stream because his ground leg will rise up to his tip toes...like a balarina? Others it's normal, and sometimes, half-heartedly when he's almost out of pee and not concerned about his marking, like..."meh...just a drop, let's go!". Also, he'll get really enthusiastic certain times and scratch the ground with his back feet.My friend said he moon walks because he goes backwards and kicks his back legs out behind him.
I have seen a female hike herself up and pee at the dog park. I have to say it was quite unusual to watch!

[Hugo]

Hugo always squatted until after he was desexed around 5 mnths (I think) now he mainly lifts but occasionally still squats. Not a silly question and as I say to my son, the only way to inform yourself is to ask questions!

[Rory's Dad]

Not sure if its funny or not, i always just thought odd, but i have seen Rory actually get on top of a small bush in his attempts to mark.

[PCC]

I can't exactly remember when Dim Sum started to lift his leg, but he was an older...maybe a year? I'd say he does it 90% of the time now. When he has a really full bladder and needs to peeeeeeeeeeeee, then he squats. Like Rory, he like to get on top of a bush. Yesterday, he got on top of a pile of grass clippings the landscaping guys had piled up.