Why Do Dogs Lift Their Legs?
Some dog behaviors are just so famous that even non-pet owners can laugh about them. For example, just about everyone knows about the unfortunate habit that some dogs have of lifting their legs. Why do dogs do this?
You might not know this but both female and male dogs lift their legs, although it is way more common in male dogs. Rather than just a means to eliminate urine (it's not physically necessary for dogs to raise their leg to use the bathroom), it is thought that the behavior has an even more complex background. Believe it or not, it is another way of communicating with other dogs.
Urination is a way to mark territory. A dog's sensitive nose can detect the powerful chemical signals that only other dogs can produce. Lifting the leg allows dogs to spray their urine higher where it is closer to the nose level of other dogs. This allows the scent to be better distributed in the air. Every time your dog sniffs at a place where many other dogs have urinated (and maybe even pees on the area itself), it's sort of like the human habit of reading a bulletin board or newspaper.
Some behaviorist think that the higher the urine, the more impressive other dogs may perceive this dog to be. And of course, the more things that a dog urinates on, the more likely it is that other dogs will know they have been there and stay away.
An unfortunate side effect of this form of communication is that occasionally dogs will urinate inside the house. And when that happens, you're really in for some trouble.
Most dogs are house trained to do urinate outside but every once in a while even the best dog can have an “accident.” Maybe they were left in the house too long, maybe they got nervous, or maybe they have a medical problem. There are a variety of reasons dogs will have “accidents” in the house. When the accidents become more frequent, your dog will have an even harder time breaking the habit.
For some owners it's a familiar situation: your pet had an accident in the house days ago, but the smell is still there. You've tried sprays and powders but can't seem to get rid of the unpleasant odor. Air fresheners can cover it for a little while but soon it's back as strong as ever. How do you clean out those old, nasty smells and stains? I've tried a lot of different products but Zero Odor is the one product that can really knock out the smell at the source.
When pets urinate on carpet, liquid seeps through the top layer and into backing and padding. It's these areas which harbor most of the smelly stuff and are also the hardest to clean.
Zero Odor works great for dogs who frequently urinate indoors such as puppies, senior dogs, and those with health conditions. They're also handy during housetraining and great for the occasional accident. Each bottle contains everything you need get rid of the odor.
This product is different because it works by bonding to and changing the odor molecule to one that doesn't smell. Zero Odor was actually developed for the military for soldiers that found themselves out in the field with stinky shoes and more. It's strong enough for them, and it's strong enough for every pet odor that I've encountered since hearing about it for the first time several years ago. In fact, I've tested it for myself and seen the results over and over.
If you have any pet odor problems, Zero Odor is great. I use it to spray the air after a stinky pet comes into the office, I spray it after I cook fish in the house, and on my kids' stinky shoes. And it is amazing on pet bedding, litter boxes, and pet urine odors. Check out this video {picture above} to see it in action:
I hope you like this product as much as I do.
Until next time,
Dr. Jon
P.S.: I really want to make it easy for my readers to try Zero Odor because I love this product. My friend Dr. Debra over atPetProductAdvisor.com is offering a special discount; just click any of the links on this page to get the savings.
P.P.S.: All of Pet Product Advisor's items come with a 90-day guarantee. That means you can try Zero Odor and other pet-tested, vet-approved items with absolutely no risk to you.
You might not know this but both female and male dogs lift their legs, although it is way more common in male dogs. Rather than just a means to eliminate urine (it's not physically necessary for dogs to raise their leg to use the bathroom), it is thought that the behavior has an even more complex background. Believe it or not, it is another way of communicating with other dogs.
Urination is a way to mark territory. A dog's sensitive nose can detect the powerful chemical signals that only other dogs can produce. Lifting the leg allows dogs to spray their urine higher where it is closer to the nose level of other dogs. This allows the scent to be better distributed in the air. Every time your dog sniffs at a place where many other dogs have urinated (and maybe even pees on the area itself), it's sort of like the human habit of reading a bulletin board or newspaper.
Some behaviorist think that the higher the urine, the more impressive other dogs may perceive this dog to be. And of course, the more things that a dog urinates on, the more likely it is that other dogs will know they have been there and stay away.
An unfortunate side effect of this form of communication is that occasionally dogs will urinate inside the house. And when that happens, you're really in for some trouble.
Most dogs are house trained to do urinate outside but every once in a while even the best dog can have an “accident.” Maybe they were left in the house too long, maybe they got nervous, or maybe they have a medical problem. There are a variety of reasons dogs will have “accidents” in the house. When the accidents become more frequent, your dog will have an even harder time breaking the habit.
For some owners it's a familiar situation: your pet had an accident in the house days ago, but the smell is still there. You've tried sprays and powders but can't seem to get rid of the unpleasant odor. Air fresheners can cover it for a little while but soon it's back as strong as ever. How do you clean out those old, nasty smells and stains? I've tried a lot of different products but Zero Odor is the one product that can really knock out the smell at the source.
When pets urinate on carpet, liquid seeps through the top layer and into backing and padding. It's these areas which harbor most of the smelly stuff and are also the hardest to clean.
Zero Odor works great for dogs who frequently urinate indoors such as puppies, senior dogs, and those with health conditions. They're also handy during housetraining and great for the occasional accident. Each bottle contains everything you need get rid of the odor.
This product is different because it works by bonding to and changing the odor molecule to one that doesn't smell. Zero Odor was actually developed for the military for soldiers that found themselves out in the field with stinky shoes and more. It's strong enough for them, and it's strong enough for every pet odor that I've encountered since hearing about it for the first time several years ago. In fact, I've tested it for myself and seen the results over and over.
If you have any pet odor problems, Zero Odor is great. I use it to spray the air after a stinky pet comes into the office, I spray it after I cook fish in the house, and on my kids' stinky shoes. And it is amazing on pet bedding, litter boxes, and pet urine odors. Check out this video {picture above} to see it in action:
I hope you like this product as much as I do.
Until next time,
Dr. Jon
P.S.: I really want to make it easy for my readers to try Zero Odor because I love this product. My friend Dr. Debra over atPetProductAdvisor.com is offering a special discount; just click any of the links on this page to get the savings.
P.P.S.: All of Pet Product Advisor's items come with a 90-day guarantee. That means you can try Zero Odor and other pet-tested, vet-approved items with absolutely no risk to you.