We can’t think of anything that might have triggered the change in behavior. A reduced amount of physical activity is 1 of the most common signs of pain caused by hip dysplasia. From my point of view, regardless of the dog's age, rolling on its back and displaying its belly (part of its automatic, motor response) is the dog's ultimate sign of submission. The occasional marking or accident may still occur, but with good training and a good relationship with your pet, you can correct leg lifting with ease. i have 3 jrt's my youngest is 13 yrs old. maybe he's just saving energy when he trots. This is why it is more common to see dogs such as Beagles, Bracco Italianos or Bloodhounds engaging raising their front paws in this way. Not near a beach? UPDATE: Well, finally at the age of 4, our male dog stopped squatting to pee, and he started to lift his leg instead. In his book, "Ain't Misbehavin': The Groundbreaking Program for Happy, Well-Behaved Pets" author and animal behaviorist John Wright cites Dr. Peter Borchelt's research into sexual dimorphic behaviors (behaviors that differ between males and females), which shows that 90% of males urine-mark and 95% lift their leg to … Avoid neutering the dog at a young age. It will encourage your dog to lift his legs higher than normal and provide a distraction. females don't do it. Step 2. Monitor your dog’s activity and see if it decreases. My dog does this, but only when he has an upset stomach. It was almost as if it happened overnight! the oldest is a 15 yr old short legged male. What Quora User said. To get him to stop pulling on the leash, get a choke collar. He squats, then lifts his leg, almost like he's confused by the feeling he's having down there. It’s so common that most owners don’t even give it a second thought. Many male dogs lift their leg to urinate. My dog pulls on a choke collar too, regardless of whether or not he can't breathe, but I can't bring myself to use a prong collar. The instinct to lift the leg may not develop normally in a neutered dog. as far back as i can remember he has always lifted his r/hind leg when he trots. The causes stated above are the most common causes we see when a dog is dragging his back legs. The leg-lift maneuver allows the dog to get its scent on a vertical object so that other dogs who walk by will smell that the territory has been claimed. (That's not entirely true. When a dog lifts its front leg, it is part of the hunting sequence. My dog experiences a skip/hitch step in his back left leg. He’s typically a very submissive dog — at least he was for the first 3-1/2 years of his … Reasons for Dog Dragging Back Legs. Using multiple techniques to correct your dog from lifting his leg will be most effective to keep this problem behavior from recurring. All dogs slow down as they get older, but a decrease in activity should not occur until your dog is an advanced age. The hunting sequence is a so-called because it goes through stages. You can also try walking your dog through tall grass or elbow-level water. Hill Work-This is a great way to help build strength in your senior dog’s hind legs. And you may wonder, at what age does a male dog lift his leg to pee. If it wasn’t, he would run normally. been checked out by the vet, nothings seem to be wrong. It is most likely that he is suffering from a luxating patella. Although your observation indicates that he is not in pain, in fact his hind leg IS bothering him. Accidents or injuries, Osteomyelitis, Diabetes, Arthritis, Poisoning, Cancer, Botulism, Trauma to the spine, Tick bites, Malignant Tumors, etc. My vet did the exam and it appears it is not the knee cap - Answered by a verified Dog Veterinarian We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. 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