Checking his work.

[blehmannwa]

Havoc is an 19 month old neutered male. Right before his neuter, he had started lifting his leg. He had a pretty extensive surgery as he was cryptorchid and his retained teste was elusive. He didn't lift his leg for quite a while after surgery.

In the past few months he has started marking again. Due to my husband's illness, we walk the same territory every day. Havs lifts his leg, walks a few steps , runs back and checks his work (smells his own urine) and kicks dirt. He's very happy when he does this but I've never seen this behavior before. Does it mean anything? Is it just goofy?

He is the biggest dog in the hood, and is walked more frequently than most dogs. I do think that most of our park is "his." He has never marked inside or in classes but he will do the same marking and checking on new trails.

[elisabeth_00117]

Stark is intact (3 years old) and after he potties (both) or marks he kicks the grass/dirt with his back legs as well. His tail is high up and usually swings a bit when he does this. I notice it more when my young female is in heat as well. He does sometimes go back for a sniff as well.

[blehmannwa]

Thanks, he's my first male dog and I just think it's so odd. As though he's checking to make sure that he has overpee'd every one else.

[paulag1955]

Shasta and even my puppy, Thor, go back and sniff where they've peed. Every. Single. Time.

The dirt kicking is to spread their scent over a bigger area, I believe.

[jetscarbie]

My male does this also. The dirt kicking always cracks me up b/c I call it wiping his feet after he pees or poops.

Actually, all my dogs go back to smell their waste.

[qbchottu]

Whisk likes to check his work, but he LOVES to check everyone else's work even more...

He's not so much of a dirt kicker, but he definitely drools like a rabid raccoon every time he gets a whiff of a female's urine!

[Cheerful1]

Joey checks his work, and others as well.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Daisy has always done what we call the poopy dance,back legs going and grass and dirt . Obviously after the aforementioned event. But once we got Lucky she did it after both. Lucky pees in the same places every day, no dance.I havent had to trim at the northeast corner of our deck this summer. I would love to see daisy do the dance one more time but her hips cant handle it. Lucky has always been a klutz and if he danced he would fall over.Daisy now rolls and gators where ever she pees. The battle for terrority continues. Havoc is doing the" Its my terrority dance".

[Wild Wolf]

Very normal behaviour. Neutering won't curb the need to mark territory, that is basic instinct for all canines.

[chelle]

My nine year old spayed female does the kicking dirt thing.