My puppy is growing up !

[RedHelenB]

He's just cocked his leg for the first time on our walk today. Now for the troublesome adolescence phase!

[Chasingsquirrels]

Oh how old is he, ours is 5m and I've been wondering about this...

[RedHelenB]

Just over 5 m9nths

[Chasingsquirrels]

Thanks - I've only ever had female dogs before.

[BiteyShark]

My boy dog is 17 months and has never cocked his leg to pee

[RedHelenB]

I thought all male dogs did so was surprised when he didnt as a pupoy.

[JaimeLannister]

My 6 month old is started to do this more and more. My previous boy never cocked his leg at all.

[Chasingsquirrels]

Lol - it's like little boys standing up to pee, but they usually learn from others - how do puppies learn to do it??

Mine is more more adolescent the last week or so, good job we love him to bits.

[BiteyShark]

I read it was mostly a learned behaviour. Clearly BiteyDog has been playing with the girls too much

[RedHelenB]

Didn't do it this morning in the garden so maybe he did copy the big dogs on our walk?

[tabulahrasa]

I don’t think it is learned, I’m pretty sure it’s hormonal... one of my dog’s specialists asked for the age he started leg cocking at to help determine his testosterone levels...

Also, he was in month 2 of house rest when he started leg cocking, lol

[BiteyShark]

tabulahrasa I am just going on several google articles that say it's mostly learned behaviour for male dogs.

Mine never showed any interest in doing it but then again he was always a submissive dog so don't think he wanted to play the 'I can mark higher than you' game.

[Aprilmightmemynewname]

Op how can we believe anything you say without pics? You may not even have a puppy!!!

[vikjul]

Vikpup (now 1yo) cocked his legs regularly from around 10 weeks, so not learned behaviour in his case.

Relatedly, over the past month or two, he has started to kick back dirt with his hind legs after peeing or pooing, so I was wondering the other day whether that is hormonal or learned behaviour, perhaps inspired by other dogs at his daycare.

[vikjul]

*leg not legs

[Hoppinggreen]

My boy cocked his leg for the first time the same day PFB ( human) started Secondary School
I sobbed as all my babies had grown up!

[pigsDOfly]

My dog never kicked back dirt until she saw another dog do it so in her case it was definitely learned.

However, I feel she's never really got the hang of it as unlike most dogs who do a series of good hard kicks she does something more balletic with each leg being stretched fully out behind her, once for each leg - most delicate and ladylike.