Has your bitch ever raised her leg by a tree or fire hydrant? While leg raises are stereotypically a male dog thing, it turns out that female dogs lifting their leg to pee are more common than you might think!
Do male dogs only lift their legs to pee?
While many male dogs raise their legs when they pee and urinate, not all of them do! Dr. Jamie Richardson, Chief Medical Officer at Small door veterinarynotes that “Traditionally, male dogs have a tendency to lift one leg to pee while female dogs crouch. However, some bitches lift one leg and some males crouch – it just comes down to personal preference. “Most puppies, male and female, squat to pee when they are puppies, and some male dogs squat some or all of the time, even in adulthood, just like some female dogs begin leg raises.
Why do bitches raise their legs?
There are a variety of behavioral reasons dogs might raise their leg to pee. “Lifting a leg to pee is often associated with a urine mark. Dogs can make urine marks for attention because they are anxious and / or want to establish territory, ”says Dr. Richardson. There’s even a reason dogs, regardless of gender, try to lift their leg as high as possible while peeing. “By raising the leg, the dog can direct its pee at a vertical object. As the urine runs over the object, the larger surface area covered results in a stronger odor,” says Dr. Richardson.
Interestingly, Dr. Richardson that raising his leg to pee can affect the dog’s size. “Studies have shown that smaller bitches have a tendency to lift their leg up to pee more than medium and large bitches.” By lifting their leg as high as possible, dogs may be trying to make themselves appear taller than dogs that do later come by and find their marker.
Usually, if your bitch lift her leg to pee, you don’t have to worry. Photo: zoranm / Getty Images
Should I worry my bitch lift her leg to pee?
While bitches raising their legs to urinate may surprise some owners, it is not uncommon and nothing to worry about. While, like Dr. Richardson noted above, some bitches may lift their leg to mark the territory for attention because they are anxious or want to appear taller for many dogs, there is no underlying cause of behavior. She might “just find this position more comfortable than squatting”. Parents may find it surprising when their bitch starts lifting her leg. Dr. However, Richardson advises, “Owners don’t have to worry about bitches lifting their legs to pee while they still do business in acceptable locations.”
While lifting the legs to urinate is not a cause for concern, special attention should be paid to changes in urination patterns in any dog. Dr. Richardson advises that if your dog is involved in an accident or “shows other signs of stress while urinating, such as being unable to urinate”. B. Exertion, wailing, urinating more or less often than usual, you should have a veterinarian examine him as soon as possible. These could be symptoms of a disease that needs treatment.
This is how to keep your bitch clean when she lifts her leg to pee
It is perfectly normal for bitches to lift their legs while peeing, but the girls can likely spill urine on themselves, especially until they practice aiming. This can stink in heavily coated dogs and even lead to health problems. “It is important to purge the urine from them so that they do not suffer from irritation of the skin under the fur from urine burns,” advised Dr. Richardson. The good thing is, you don’t have to do a full bath for your dog just because he has a bit of urine dripping on the inside of his hind leg. Dr. Richardson suggests that “you can use a warm washcloth or one of the commercially available pet wipes for a quick clean.” There are even travel-sized packs of pet wipes that you can slip in your car or in your purse for quick freshening up your girl on the go.
Featured image: Photo: ThamKC / Getty Images
