need advice

[trishS]

I want to thank everyone for welcoming me to the Maltese forum. I am training my 15 week old to pee on the pad.
Will I have to worry about him lifting his leg as he gets older. I do walk him outside a couple times a week to get exercise. I never had a Maltese so this is all new to me.
Thanks everyone!
Trish

[Kanga]

Hi Trish.
Scrappy is pee pad trained and does not hike his leg. At 3 yrs of age he still pees like a girl.:)

Though, on a walk I must add. If he is trying to get close to a pole that another dog had marked and he is trying to mark over the top off then he will hike his leg.

[Gregswife]

Hi Trish. My male, Bucky is 18 months old. He is neutered, but about 3 months ago, he started the leg hiking. He is also marking - I have no idea why. He is pad trained, and I wish he would go back to squatting. I think I will send him over to Bren for a while so Scrappy can teach him how he is supposed to be doing it!!!

[I Found Nemo]

:D Hi Trish,
It's weird sometimes Nemo lifts his leg (Rarely) and most times he squats. You need to have him neutered soon , I mean before or at 6 months.
I know some people would say that if you neuter them early they will never lift their leg:confused: don't believe that, cause it's not always true/
The marking issue also, it is best to neuter before he starts this terrible habit or it becomes the norm for him. Nemo was neutered at almost 7 months and the night before his neutering he started marking in my kitchen:( I almost lost my mind.
He is not doing it anymore (He is 1 year and a half) but If I let him upstairs in my house he will mark, so he is not aloud upstairs at all.
I got that cleaner you use when they mark and that helped cause it wiped out the scent and I firmly would say no loudly and he would stop. He began to realize this was not going to be tolerated by me.
It is not common and most likely if neutered early this should not happen, but I know it does it just all depends on the dog. So anyone who tells you marking wont happen if you neuter early or that they wont lift their leg if you neuter early doesnt have all the facts. It might happen or it may not..
Good Luck.. In any event neutering early is the best thing..
ANDREA~

[Kanga]

I just remembered something lol

Marking is not just a "male" thing some females also mark and hump :fainted:

But, Andrea is right, the earlier you neuter the better chance you have of it not happening. Scrappy was neutered at 5 months.

[I Found Nemo]

Yes the same applies for females also.
I need to point out that humping has nothing to do with being sexual it is dominance. Just cause you neuter it will not stop humping that is an "Old Wives Tale" when a dog humps it is saying that he or she is the boss,it is showing dominance over the thing or animal it is humping. Has nothing to do with sex..
ANDREA~

[Kanga]

hehehe thanks Andrea I should have clarified that in my post. :)

For that reason it is a good idea to keep the hair trimmed short there for when his Lipstick does pop out. Some dogs have had to have surgery when the hair was too long and wrapped around the "lipstick" when it came out and stopped it from going back in. :fainted: Important to be aware of this. :)

[I Found Nemo]

hehehe thanks Andrea I should have clarified that in my post. :)

For that reason it is a good idea to keep the hair trimmed short there for when his Lipstick does pop out. Some dogs have had to have surgery when the hair was too long and wrapped around the "lipstick" when it came out and stopped it from going back in. :fainted: Important to be aware of this. :)
:fainted: Thanks Bren..LOL

[Kanga]

Too much info do you think :confused:

I feel like a Martha Stewart wannabe :D

[I Found Nemo]

Too much info do you think :confused:

I feel like a Martha Stewart wannabe :D
:D no not at all..I just hate that word:fainted: Lipstick:fainted:
There in never to much info, the more the better..
ANDREA~

[trishS]

Thank you everyone for the advice! Will be making an appointment for the neutering soon.
Trish