Hi
I am not sure how much to indulge our corgi regarding his wees on our walks - at 9 months he started to lift his leg at about 7 months and since then I think he has marked every vertical object on our walks. He used to do one big wee at the beginning of the walk but now he does small wees every 30metres or so. The number is reduced when he is off the lead because he knows we are not going to wait around for him to potter everywhere and so he runs after us. He also tends not to wee when I distract him with a walking toy and walk him to heel but I don't want to stop him weeing, I just want him to do bigger wees and less of them. Should I be tugging the lead to stop him?
Sorry to be daft but how do I know if he has used up all his wee on our walks so when we go back home he is all wee'd out?
He doesn't wee in the house; he drinks normally and has not been neutered. He hasn't shown much interest in human legs or female dogs [yet]. He also isn't a dog I would call dominant but I suspect he might be trying to walk us on his terms not ours.
thanks for any help
cizzy

Hi
I know at my dog classes they teach you to walk with the the dog on a certain side of you,but I have to change one of my dogs to the side away of:ie walls,posts and trees he drives me nuts sometimes with him stopping every 20 yards is it habit or marking his ground,who Knows but when henry stops we all come to a sudden stop the other two look at me,they want to get to the woods but there is now way henry is getting rushed.

It's a very bad move to change the side your dog walks around. If you don't set a side then sooner or later your dog will cross over and you will trip over him! The instructor at your class is right, pick a side and stick to it.

Regards John

Hi john
Yes your our right about keeping your dog to one side only,two of mine our very good on the lead with henry it is a different matter he his our original baby at 60kgs you dont trip its like hitting a brick wall,as they say the reason you cant teach an old wise dog new tricks as the old fellow knows them all too well enough,thanks for the info.

When I take my lot out I don't stop to let the boys wee whenever they want (I'm a cruel heartless woman :)). I hate it when dogs wee against my property, so I don't let mine wee against anyone else's. Every quarter-mile or so I stop at what I think is a suitable vertical surface and tell them to "be busy". If they don't, then they wait till I let them off in the wood.

If they try to wee at other times, I'm afraid I keep on walking (briskly). They have no choice but to follow. On walks I want to be in charge....especially when I'm walking 4 dogs at the same time!

Hi
Cant speak for the first poster but I dont let my dogs mark or foul anyone elses property,what is a suitable vertical surface that does not belong to anyone?

A "suitable vertical surface" is my gatepost (the boundary of our territory!) or the hedges of my friends' fields! :)

sorry- to clarify - I agree it is unfair/unhygienic and don't let him wee on people's property/lampposts, we walk on the river or in rugged parks where the vertical objects are trees and clumps of grass [yes, these are considered skyscrapers to Mr shortlegs] and off the path. I think I will have to toughen up though. I tried using "Hurry Up" when he was a puppy and this was one command he just never got.
Cizzy

I allow mine to have a pee just before we leave and when we get back. Unless we are gone longer then I allow them to pee more. They are usually pretty good.

I have also read that dogs that mark where they walk if same trail all the time see it as theres and become territoral.

ttfn:)

Same here, any time I have been in charge of a male dog I simply refuse to allow them to mark while we walk. They are allowed to have a good pee as we start against the privet or a tree,but not gate posts or lamp posts.

On finishing the walk they will get one more opportunity. A dog that really needs to empty will sometimes squat, or lift quite low, the rest is ego!

when i had rotts, they werent allowed to pee or sniff while on the lead,!-when let off they could please themselves,!!!

Thanks, I better nip this in the bud. There are a few nearby trees I can choose from. Do you have a special instruction to stop them weeing or do you tug on the lead to stop them?
Cissy

I use "No! Heel!" and carry on walking!

Dear Cissy,

As far as a special command to communicate to the dog that you dont want him peeing anymore, you can incorporate any command you want.

But in order to actually teach him the command you will have to say it and then keep walking without stopping simultaneously. Eventually he will understand that the command is associated with your desire to want to go.

Additionally, neutered dogs have a smaller likeliness to lift legs and mark territory. Why haven't you considered neutering him? Are you breeding him? Showing? If not, then you may want to consider it as it is healthier and will make for a much more controllable and well behaved dog.

Afterall, dogs go through puberty to. They will become rebellious and disobedient at times. Although this may not apply to all dogs, neutering generally gives you a much stable dog because it relieves him of those hormones raging through his body telling him all kinds of mixed signals.

Best regards,
Oblivious

I agree that a dog should preferably not be marking whilst walking on lead, OK maybe if he is busting but that is a bit differnt to continually marking the same 20 lamposts or whatever :D

When I owned a male he did what i wanted and walked where and as i wanted, on lead. He knew this and was happy, if he really needed a wee he had one, but i didnt allow him to keep marking.

Once a dog is off lead they have more freedom and can sniff, wee, whatever; but on lead I feel manners are important and they must follow the speed etc dictated by the owner, and not vice versa :)

Lindsay