By Laurencia

How Do I Get My Dog To Pee On Target?

Why do male dogs lift their leg to pee? And how can I improve my dogs aim?

dog on a leash sitting in a city street at night

Content:

Why do male dogs lift their leg to pee?

Do Female dogs lift their legs to pee?

Will my Male dog lift his leg on Oui Oui Patch?

How to improve your dogs aim

Why Do Male Dogs Lift Their Leg To Pee?

The two main reasons why male dogs lift their legs to urinate are:

Preferred stance
Marking their territory

For dogs, urinating isn't just to eliminate water waste - it's also really important for them to mark their presence and their territory. This is why you may have noticed that your dog will wee multiple times on your walks, but only with a very small amount each time.

Also, lifting a leg makes it easier to urinate higher, and therefore mark a larger area. This is often why when out on a walk, your dog will try to aim as high as possible on a tree trunk, fire-hydrant or fence.

As dogs are very territorial animals they will take any opportunity to mark their territory when out and about. Female and Male dogs do this, but it's more common in Male dogs.

Unfortunately though male dogs don't always hit the mark! Often causing a greater mess than their sisters.

“It might be uniquely beneficial for small dogs to exaggerate their body size and competitive abilities through relatively high scent marks if this enables them to avoid direct conflict,” writes Dr. McGuire. “In contrast, large dogs, with greater competitive abilities, would have less incentive to avoid direct conflict.”

Do All Male Dogs Lift Their Leg?

With this said, not all male dogs lift their legs and this behaviour is generally rare in puppies - it's developed as the dog gets larger and therefore is more likely to want to assert their dominance.

Puppies will generally start off with the 'juvenile' lean stance, and then normally after 9 months will start to begin to lift their legs.

Do Female Dogs Lift Their Leg?

While this is a behaviour largely associated with male dogs, Females have been known to act in the same way. This is usually only the case when they would like to send a message perhaps in a place that's further away from home and isn't necessarily due to a preferred stance.

How To Improve Your Dogs Aim 🎯

Can you train your dog to aim on target?

Absolutely. A dog-trainer or patient and consistent parent can help their dog hit their target more successfully. The best way to do this is by using dogs' incredible sense of smell, and training them as young as possible. Puppies will learn infinitely faster than grown dogs.

For a complete guide on training checkout our blog post: How To House Train A Puppy In An Apartment: 6 Steps

Sources:
Dr Maguire
PetMD