mrs tornsocks Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) Hi, we're novice owners with a gorgeous 10 month old entire lab - who has just started cocking his leg, although he still wavers between crouching and cocking. He is cute to watch sometimes in that his hormones realise he is 'supposed' to be marking along the way, but sometimes the message doesn't reach his back half. For example, a friend brought her swf entire male over the other day, slightly older, and he went round the backyard marking. Arch followed, investigating all the swf's wees, and at one point Archie did not even realise he was peeing himself -- no crouch, no cock, just a bit of wee as he left the tree trunk. Anyway ... this now means walks are a whole new experience. I don't let him stop and sniff wherever he wants but his desire to has gone OTT. So the question is ... does this settle down a bit ? I get the sense he is discovering a whole new world but his nose never leaves the ground. It doesn't bother us massively, it's just a behavioural thing I was wondering about. He will be getting the snip soon, but after consulting a few experts and reading, we decided to hold off till he's 12-14 months (he had an overbite/growth plate questions etc. The overbite definitely seems to have improved in the last couple of months). Edited February 2, 2010 by mrs tornsocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 aw, 54 views, no opinions ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 All my boys are desexed and they still play the "my pee on your pee" game. It's a boy thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete.the.dog Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Well my boys about 1 and a half, he is snipped but still goes crazy on the sniffing and marking when on walks (well he goes nuts on the sniffing everywhere) so maybe you've got a while yet, maybe they grow out of it at around 2 years when they start to fully mature? Sorry not a lot of help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 So the question is ... does this settle down a bit ? No probably not, in my experience once they begin sniffing, lifting their legs and marking it continues for the life of the dog. Even if you get him desexed at 12 to 14 months the behaviour is likely to continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Mrs Tornsocks, your pup is at a gorgeous age Cheeky and cute. The urge to sniff and mark will most likely always be there, desexed or not. It is now a training issue, and though you say you do not let him sniff and try to mark while out on walks, you can obviously tell he still wants to, so he must be attempting it? Once you have taught him a very strong no nonsense "leave" and he the totally ignores the tree or whatever it is he was starting to eye off, then you will know you have it under control. Like I say, he will more than likely always have this urge, but he needs to learn that if you have decided it is a "no no" (and good idea IMO) then it is absolutely not acceptable behaviour. Eventually after much practice at this, he will learn not to try, but he will still feel that urge. The urge may die down after a time, as the behaviour can become learned. Sniffing the ground can be dealt with in exactly the same way. You decide what is desirable behaviour and what isn't for your life style, and follow through. good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosepup Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I'm going to be of no help... Moose pees on Zoe's pee while she is still peeing!! I think I need more help than you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mokhahouse Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Sorry this is not encouraging. Mokha always pees over Mollys pee spot and loves to sniff and pee on our walks. He is desexed and 19 months old now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) Mrs Tornsocks, your pup is at a gorgeous age Cheeky and cute.It is now a training issue, and though you say you do not let him sniff and try to mark while out on walks, you can obviously tell he still wants to, so he must be attempting it? Once you have taught him a very strong no nonsense "leave" and he the totally ignores the tree or whatever it is he was starting to eye off, then you will know you have it under control. Like I say, he will more than likely always have this urge, but he needs to learn that if you have decided it is a "no no" (and good idea IMO) then it is absolutely not acceptable behaviour. Totally right, he is almost more gorgeous than when he was a gorgeous baby. He is still super-excited on walks and we have some work to do. We've been out of formal training / obedience for a while and need to get back into it. Anyway ... he does pull alot on walks, mostly when he sees another dog, a person -- and now, a tree or yummy-smelling piece of wee wee grass. This is mostly what prompted my post; he has started dragging me across the grass to get to his sniff patch. This has been happening for 10 days or so although he has improved with the 'no'/'leave' in that time. All that said, today we went out for a brief afternoon stroll and three sweet kids and mum came the other way and wanted pats. Without being asked, he sat down, dropped and rolled onto his back for them to cuddle and give him belly rubs. With adults and bigger people he tends to want to jump up immediately although is getting better there too. He knew instinctively how to behave with the littlies and they went crazy when I showed them how to get him to 'speak', roll over and play dead on their command. I was choked up with happiness and pride at the way he behaved with the little strangers. Edited February 2, 2010 by mrs tornsocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4pups Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 OT could you please most a pic of the over bite and how it has improved, I remember seeing a photos of it when he was younger. My old JRT had a massive one as a pup and it as totally corrected now, it took until he was about 3 to finally settle. I work in Dentistry (human) and its so interesting how the jaw and teeth will continue to move after adolescence, I'm pretty sure canines would be the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) OT could you please most a pic of the over bite and how it has improved, I remember seeing a photos of it when he was younger.My old JRT had a massive one as a pup and it as totally corrected now, it took until he was about 3 to finally settle. wow, that is amazing and encouraging. I'll try and get him lying down for a pic-- it's still very definitely there but better. The main thing is his teeth and gums are in great shape, and he's healthy, no side issues from the o/bite. Edited February 2, 2010 by mrs tornsocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Mrs Tornsocks, it sounds like things are really go ahead in leaps and bounds. You are obviously doing a great job with him. Sometimes it might seem like everything is not going well, and in these times just try to remember how much he has improved, how much he has learnt and how far he has come. Training the dog a work in progress for the rest of his life. Perhaps with the pulling to see adults, make him sit, and only reward him with pats and cuddles from the strangers when he is sitting quietly. If he won't sit quietly, then make sure they do not approach and reward him for his silly or rambunctuous behaviour. It is amazing how they know how to be gentle with the littlies isn't it?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 Perhaps with the pulling to see adults, make him sit, and only reward him with pats and cuddles from the strangers when he is sitting quietly. If he won't sit quietly, then make sure they do not approach and reward him for his silly or rambunctuous behaviour.It is amazing how they know how to be gentle with the littlies isn't it?! I do try to make him sit, and he generally does when he's in front of them. I have started asking him to sit when he SEES another dog or adult and he does this -- but I feel like it somehow creates a heightened sense of tension, in that he knows if he sits, the excitement is not far away. His bott bott lowers to the ground very tentatively and slowly (it's kinda funny) but I guess it's better than having him yank away from me. I tell him to 'stay', 'stay' until they approach but when they're 2 metres or so, the sled dog kicks in. But he's definitely overall a good fella, and actually pretty mature for a 10 month old lab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Benson was desexed at 4.5 months and started cocking his leg at 10 months. He's now almost 3 and our walks involve a lot of sniffing and pissing and dirt flinging with his back legs. He's allowed to pee on council trees, grass, power poles. He is not allowed to pee on private gardens, fences, letterboxes, cars or buildings. If he tries to, I say "Leave it!" and I get a big huffy sigh but he keeps walking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss BeRidgierent Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) oh my boy is the worst we go to dog parks and he isn't even interested in playing. I think he just loves to smell his surroundings, he spend the whole time running around sniffing every single tree in the park at least 3 times and peeing on it at least once. And walks.... oh they are so much fun NOT! he loves lights posts and big bushy trees that he run into and hide in and have a big pee. but boys will be boys and he is 2, so no it doesn't get any better Edited February 2, 2010 by Miss BeRidgierent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 he loves lights posts and big bushy trees Oh yes, we go crashing through those spiky low bushes for a little squirt right in the middle. It looks so uncomfortable for him ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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