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Leg Cocking to wee

34 replies

TeaOneSugar · 26/01/2013 20:08

DD would like to know when our puppy will start to cock his leg for a wee, any idea what the average is?

He's a six month old cocker spaniel.

We've only had one male dog before, a rescue who always squatted because he had bowed from legs, so it's a novelty.

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BooBooChicken · 26/01/2013 20:14

Ours always squatted, he is neutered and the vet said the leg cocking is hormone driven, goes with the desire to scent mark

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tabulahrasa · 26/01/2013 20:28

Mine has started to occasionally, halfway through, lol, he's 6 months. (currently unneutered)

My last boy was neutered at 7 months and randomly started cocking his legs at about 18 months, but only about half the time he went, the rest he still squatted for.

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catsrus · 26/01/2013 20:32

It's also a sign of dominance - I've had 2 very dominant bitches who cocked up their legs - all the better to scent mark!

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Floralnomad · 26/01/2013 21:04

My mums dog has always squatted and was neutered at 6 months , mine was neutered at about 8 months and he cocks his leg when we are on walks but just stands to wee in the garden ( doesn't squat just sort of stretches) . I would agree with the hormonal thing because mine was a rampant humper before he was neutered.

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Milliways · 26/01/2013 21:11

Our last German Shepherd only ever squatted, but we found out when he was 6 or 8 that he had a "wonky pelvis" with his lower spine fused to pelvis, so he would fall over if he cocked his leg!

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TeaOneSugar · 26/01/2013 21:25

floralnomad Ours is also a rampant humper, including fresh air.

He's "intact" still, our vet recommends leaving it until he's about 9 months.

I'll tell DD we'll just have to wait and see :)

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Floralnomad · 26/01/2013 21:28

That's the main reason I had mine done , it was impossible to take him anywhere without embarrassment !

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aliasjoey · 26/01/2013 21:30

my aunt has a very dominant bitch and she cocks!

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portraitoftheartist · 26/01/2013 21:33

Before I had kids and my dog was my baby, he started cocking his leg at 3 months old. I cried.
Humping is normal adolescent puppy behaviour, they grow out of it.

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DoingTheSwanThing · 26/01/2013 21:35

We have 2 4 year old cockers, both neutered. One did it from being a few months old, it's a rarity for the other to bother!

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digerd · 27/01/2013 09:51

With my Westies it was 7 months at first attempt. But they have quite short legs, compared to Cockers.

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Floralnomad · 27/01/2013 09:56

I wonder if leg length is relevant as my terrier has long legs (cocks),but my mums has short legs (doesn't cock) and I have a friend with westies who also don't cock their legs . Perhaps we should do a survey !

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tooearlytobeup · 27/01/2013 10:28

My Springer is 18 months old and has never cocked his leg. He was neutered at 7 months. He didn't hump either though.

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Cuebill · 27/01/2013 11:12

Nothing to do with hormones, nothing to do with dominance just a dogs personal preference. Some male dogs squat and cock leg, so do just one.

Do some of you DH sit to wee on occasions or are they just dominant buggers who always stand Hmm

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digerd · 27/01/2013 11:57

I saw a very determined little Yorkie male do a handstand to get his scent marked as high as he could up a lamppost.

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GobblersKnob · 27/01/2013 12:00

Mine is 2.5 and not neutered and very rarely cocks his leg, which means he generally wee's on hs front feet, not his most endearing habit Hmm

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D0oinMeCleanin · 27/01/2013 12:06

No idea about leg cocking, but someone mentioned the 'D' word.

I'm bored of typing the same things again and again so I will let this research do my work for me today Grin

Dogs do not try to dominate. Nor do wolves.

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DeepRedBetty · 27/01/2013 12:23

Most of them seem to start at around 9 months, give or take, I think it's all to do with their own convenience. Some dogs never do it, some bitches take it up, I've always assumed they don't like widdling on their legs so organise themselves in whatever way avoids this best.

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mrsjay · 27/01/2013 14:58

mine does both he started cocking his leg at 9ish months but squats and does a leg lift hover combo Grin he is nutured,

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ImNotaPheasantPlucker · 27/01/2013 15:52

My Springer x is 16 months and still squats.

I must admit that, for some reason, I don't want him to cock his leg Smile

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digerd · 27/01/2013 16:18

My niece's rescue male has always squatted. Now he's 11 and got arthritis, he cannot squat anymore, and sweet thing can manage just a slight bend now.

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digerd · 27/01/2013 16:29

I taught my DH to sit as showed him the yellow spots on the light pink floor mat and he was horrified. He was a very clean and hygienic man- just had never noticed it before. And no he was not a domineering person, his Mother was that. But she had reared 13 children, and lived to be 89.
My females only slightly cocked when inseason. With small dogs it was funny them losing their balance when cocking for the first time

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D0oinMeCleanin · 27/01/2013 16:34

Our newest foster cocks his leg. He's just spent 20 mins in the yard with Devil Dog having a mad scenting spree over the top of each other.

The newest one, who we shall call Donkey, is the most gentle dog I have ever met, he is scared of Whippy fgs, so not dominant in the slightest. Devil Dog is anxious and nervous, which at times can come across as cocky, but he's not dominant.

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Chaoscarriesonagain · 27/01/2013 16:36

My cocker is 12. A boy and didn't cock his leg for long enough! He alternates between cocked leg and a sit down pee! Used to it now!

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SpicyPear · 27/01/2013 20:51

SpicyPup started occasionally cocking from 9 weeks! Some frantic googling ensued to check something wasn't horribly wrong. He has consistently cocked from 13 or 14 weeks and never squatted, just did it standing up. He is 5 and a half months now and marks on walks. Furry plums off in a month or so I think!

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