Your Siberian husky lifts his leg to pee because he wants to be sure that his presence there is obvious.
Male dogs usually lift their leg to pee, while female huskies tend to squat when they are peeing. For dogs, the urine is so much more. It’s not just the need to empty the bladder. For dogs, it’s a way to communicate. That is why Siberian huskies sniff where other dogs pee also. A dog that marks more frequently has high status because his scent is more present in that area. By doing so, he is defending his territory and covers other marks.
Why do Siberian huskies lift their leg to pee?
It is more practical for Siberian huskies to lift their leg to pee because if they urinate while standing the urine may end up on their feet. A Siberian husky female will pee while squatting because she will make less mess. If you have a Siberian husky male that doesn’t lift his leg while peeing, he may be just a puppy that doesn’t have enough balance to do that. Or he didn’t see how other dogs lift their leg to pee. In any of those cases, most likely your Siberian husky puppy will start to lift his leg and pee, as it is a normal and usually instinctive behavior.
Does it matter what leg your Siberian husky lift?
Dogs are ambilateral so for them, it doesn’t really matter which leg will lift to pee. Still, your Siberian husky may choose more frequently to lift one of them. It depends a lot on which side of the street you walk your dog.
When will my Siberian husky lift his leg to pee?
Your Siberian husky will most likely lift his leg to pee when his desire to mark his territory kicks in. Usually, this happens between 6 and 9 months of age. Your Siberian husky male can start lifting his leg to pee if he sees this behavior at other dogs or he reaches sexual maturity. Your husky puppy needs to gain his balance in order to lift his leg.
What information does your Siberian husky’s urine contain for other dogs?
A dog’s pee contains pheromones that have personal information about that dog. The urine that your dog sniffs and leaves behind while marking may provide personal information such as gender, health, what he ate, reproductive status, and even age.
Basically, the urine, when it comes to dogs, is like a personal data sheet and id card that also sends messages. Yes, your Siberian husky will sniff to check what others want to say and to leave messages behind. That is why your Siberian husky likes to sniff where other dogs pee. Each dog’s urine is different. It is his or her personal signature.
Why do Siberian huskies pee on things?
Siberian huskies, like any other dog breeds, have the instinct to mark things with their own scent. Even things in public places, such as trees, flowers, borders, fire hydrants, bushes, and so on. Basically, on everything. This behavior is more prominent if Siberian huskies haven’t been spayed or neutered. But even if your dog was spayed or neutered, he will still need to mark on things.
This behavior’s roots are well-grounded in canine history. Siberian huskies lift their leg in pee and leave a few drops of urine. When another dog finds it, he or she will analyze the pee and mark the spot again. Many Siberian Huskies make kicking moves with the legs after they pee to spread the smell and let other dogs know who owns the territory.
By scratching the grass, your Siberian husky leaves a visual mark of his presence. This behavior might happen when your Siberian husky poops outside. He doesn’t want to cover his poop as cats do; he wants to let others know who owns that territory.
Your Siberian husky pees to mark his territory
A Siberian husky pees to mark his territory. Other dogs will sniff it and find about him. Your dog wants to increase his rank and he will pee on top of other dog’s marks to show them that he is still here and this is his territory. The more frequently he pees in a territory, the higher the status. He will keep peeing on trees, rocks, bushes, corners where other dogs marked to enforce his status. It’s important for your dog to be a top mark. A top mark refers to the fact that he is peeing on top of other marks.
Siberian huskies will also smell other dog’s urine and they will pee on top of it. By doing so, your Siberian husky wants to mark the one that pee first as a subordinate to himself. This type of behavior usually occurs when you are walking your dog outside. You might not notice this behavior, but your Siberian husky sniffs and decide where to pee.
Female Siberian huskies during the heat cycle and peeing
Female Siberian huskies during the heat cycle pee to let other dogs know that they are available. As I mentioned earlier, the urine means so many more for dogs and they can transmit strong signals.
Being ready to mate is another message that can be communicated through urine. They pee to say “Hi, I’m available for a date!” If you keep your intact female in the yard, you may also notice dogs rooming and staying outside your gate. They got the message.
note: by intact female, I’m referring to a female dog that has not been spayed.
Male huskies may mark if they sense a female dog in heat
Un-neutered Siberian husky can smell an unspayed female dog, even if you are not aware of that female dog. Your dog will start to mark and to act differently if he gets the smell of that unspayed female dog. Your male may stop to listening your commands, acting out, and even try to escape.
If your neighbor has a bitch in heat that stays outside, try to keep your un-neutered dog in the house. This usually happens if your dog is not neutered. Neutered males have less interest in the urine of an intact female. Still, a neutered Siberian husky will keep his high interest in the urine left behind by an intact male.
Why does my Siberian husky lift his leg but not pee?
You might have seen your Siberian husky lifting his leg and not peeing. This is called a dry mark and is usually made by male dogs. When a dog lifts his leg is a strong visual sign for other dogs. He is letting other dogs know that he is ready to confront other dogs or engage in a conflict if it’s necessary. Even if your Siberian husky doesn’t live a shot of urine to mark the spot, other dogs that watch him get the idea because the visual of him marking is enough.
Last thoughts on why Siberian huskies lift the leg when peeing
Let your Siberian husky smell and to discover new smells during the walks. Even if it’s other dogs’ urine. It is important for all dogs to discover the world. Both females and males have to sniff and find new smells. Urine differs from dog to dog, it’s their own signature. And what other dogs can learn from his marking is important.
It’s important to let your Siberian husky to smell other dog’s markings. This helps him to get to know other dogs without face to face interaction. When your dog meets the dogs that marked that spot, he will already know a few things about them.
Your Siberian husky leaves a message behind for other dogs when he’s marking. The message differs. From “I’m here! This is who I am”, “This is my territory!”, “I’m ready to mate”, to so much more.
Besides the message, dogs that sniff your Siberian husky’s urine will find some things about him, such as gender, what he ate last time (did you read my article on dogs that eat pasta?), or even if he is ready to mate. With all these being said, let your dog sniff and mark outside if he needs to. I hope you find this article interesting and that you found out why your Siberian husky lifts his leg to pee.
Are you interested in Siberian huskies’ behavior? Read Why does your Siberian husky lick you?
