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Here’s a mystery no one’s really been able to crack! Why do female dogs squat to pee? Is there a reason?
If you’ve long wondered about this question, the good news is you found this article! We understand there’s a lot of confusion about why a female dog may squat to pee.
So, we’ve put together some information to help you learn why a female dog does this. Let’s get started!
Why Does a Female Dog Squat to Urinate?
That’s one of the oldest questions around. Why do girl dogs squat to pee, while boy dogs lift their legs? Well, there’s no clear answer to that. Things can really get confusing because there are girl dogs who lift their legs and male dogs who squat when peeing. So, what gives?
Studies have shown that most male dogs seem to lift their legs. This may be to keep from receiving backsplash when they urinate, but no one’s quite sure. Then there are males who squat. They may have a medical condition that makes it challenging to lift their legs, or they just prefer to squat sometimes. Older males also tend to squat due to arthritis and other problems.
When it comes to female dogs, experts believe that anatomy may be the reason more female dogs squat. Female dogs have a shorter urethra than male dogs. This may make squatting the better choice, as the dogs won’t be splashed with their own urine.
However, there are female dogs who lift their legs. These dogs may not have been spayed and so may lift their legs to spread their urine around. The goal is to attract a mate, so spreading more urine could help. During heat, female dogs may also lift their legs to scent mark objects rather than pee.
However, some female dogs may lift their legs to show dominance. Or they may have received more testosterone in the womb and have more male behaviors for this reason.
Should You Be Worried If Your Female Dog Squats to Pee?
No, this is completely normal canine behavior and is nothing to worry about. Even if your female dog lifts her leg isn’t a reason to be worried.
The main worry will be if your dog is lifting her leg and scent marking when she’s in heat. This will draw all the male dogs for miles around! In that case, it’s best to have your dog spayed unless you plan on breeding her.
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Kyoko
Kyoko is from a family of 3 and moved to New York with her parents and siblings when she was 13. Kyoko is fond of spending a great amount of time with pets, specifically her beagle Luna and cat Missy. Her boyfriend often complains that she spends too much time giving attention to their animals. Kyoko has written dozens of articles concerning pets and is aiming at owning a pet shop one day!
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