Marking His "Territory"?

[Carol and Banjo]

I know this topic has been discussed but can't seem to find anything.  Today, while out for his daily walk Banjo lifted his leg to mark a utility pole!   WTD?!!!!   This was the first time he's ever done this.  I have noticed in the past few days while out walking he has stopped alot to sniff at posts or poles.  This is new behavior.   Generally, I don't stop to allow him to do this.  When I see him starting to sniff I'll say "come along" and if he doesn't respond he gets a correction.    My question is, should you allow a dog to mark....or should he be discouraged and corrected?   Also, why at 17 months old is he suddenly doing this?    And, finally.....will this lead to marking inside the house???     As far as I know there are no new dogs in the neighborhood.   I'm really puzzled as to why he's doing this now.

This is all new to me so any input is greatly appreciated. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

He's not "marking"...he's posting a reply to a previous dog, very much like I'm replying to your discussion here. It's called P-mail for a reason. :)

Seriously, JD does this too, and he has never marked indoors or had a single accident from the first day I brought him home, even when he's been on heavy-duty prednisone. They don't leave P-mail unless there's something to reply to. In our yard, Jack still mainly squats to pee, albeit with a slight tilt toward an evergreen bush.

As far as allowing him to do it, that's up to you, but it won't lead to aggression or dominance or marking indoors.

As to why he's first doing it now, it might be the kind of thing that they don't do until they reach maturity. Maybe there's a secret code among dogs that only grown-ups can participate in the P-mail system.

 

[Kyoko]

 P~ mail !!! That is so funny!!

[Jennifer and Jack]

Secret code, Now that is funny.

[Adina P]

I think it is highly unlikely that marking outdoors will lead to marking inside.  If you went somewhere where another dog had marked then he 'might' but in your house I doubt it.  Rosco marks on walks (when he gets a pee break) but not ever in our house.  (He did once mark in a pet-friendly hotel though).  I have no problem with him marking on bushes or trees as long as he's on a pee break, but I will correct marking on other things.  YOu never know what new marking was done on that utility pole...new dog or not.

[L.M.]

I've heard that sometimes males take a while to actually lift their leg.....like Karen said, I'm sure he was "replying" to a dog (lol I love that explanation Karen) and that dog's scent.  I doubt he will begin marking in the house.  In my opinion, if a dog is trained, he's trained, and shouldn't regress to peeing in the house no matter what...unless a medical issue or something of course.  On another note, my 80 pounder Seamus just turned 2 and still squats to pee......everyone at the dog park makes fun of him lol  ;)

[cheryl & oliver]

Lindsay, our Oliver is also a big boy, 72lbs, and he too sits and squats to pee, lol, and he is 2 yrs old too!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Kona is four years old and 90 pounds. He's a squatter.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Quincy sometimes squats, sometimes lifts the leg a little and sometimes he lifts so high he almost tips over. He started replying to p-mail at about the same age that Banjo is now, he mostly does it when he is off leash because I don't stop for him to do it when we are walking. The good news is that he has never done it inside the house so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Banjo is far too smart to be a bad boy. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think this is totally normal, and I'm thinking Guinness was about that age when he first learned to "be a man".  Murph learned a little sooner, because he watches Guinness and always wants to pee right on top of where Guinness went.  They have never done it in the house.  When we're on walks I don't allow any sniffing, so it's a non issue then.  When they have their "free time" and can smell they will find all the spots where another dog has left them a "message'.  What I find so funny is that they seem to be able to pee and pee and pee when they find these fences, poles, posts, street signs.  It's like they have a "spare bladder" that holds all the pee they'll need for these "special occasions".  Our Banjo has grown up!

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

I think it's totally normal (at least it is for Dex & Kirby).  They'll have a peeing contest when we go for a walk.  I swear they go 15 x each and by the end Dex is always firing blanks.

[Michele, Biscuit & Mo]

Penny squats but leaves her mark along our walking route.  It's "P-Mail."  My favorite story is the big rock near our house.  She would mark it and then the neighbor's Rottweiler would mark it.  Then, one day, we saw a coyote walk up and mark it, too! 

 

I don't think Banjo will mark anything inside.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Wonderful wonderful scents.  Powerful for a dog.  Just be glad we don't leave p-mail ( cute name Karen) or can't smell all those scents.   I'm finally reading A Dog's Purpose, where the narrator is a dog and he talks about all the wonderful scents in the neighborhood and how he likes to smell them and leave his scent also.

When Spud lifted his leg for the first time I called DH, who was out of time. Hoorah!  A proud  moment for DH. His employee was in the background and he broke to tell him it was not an emergency back home but that his puppy was becoming a man.  It is a man's thing I suppose. 

We stop at that sign each and every time we walk.  It is just a ritual.  A custom.  Spud has never marked in the house except once and I swear he was sleep walking.  He stood up from a very sound sleep, staggered over to a pillow, let loose and plopped back down to snore.  Before he was neutered he did mark up some strange humans.  Of course, we made an appointment right away!

He does wait for Starlit to pee, and then goes over and marks right on top of her spot.  

My theory, is he is telling that Big Black Bear a Big Red Dog wants his bird feeders left alone!!