Puppy cocking his leg.

My boy is only 17 weeks old but for the past week or so he has been cocking his leg when he goes out for a wee. Not just once or twice but nearly every time he goes out.

It's a bit early for this isn't it?

Hi Sonia no it is not too young, dogs mature at different rates and some puppies lift their legs when quite small.
People often worry that their dogs don't cock their legs , many don't until after the hormone surge which occurs around 8 months for dogs.
Some dogs never lift their legs at all , my sons springer now aged 4 included

Thanks Mini, my last boy didn't do it until he was around 9 months so Ace seems very early. Arr I'm disappointed now, I thought he was advanced

You will find that cocking a leg is often a learned experience. Both female and male dogs do it, so it is not dominance or sex related.

Dogs do it so they can mark a vertical surface so that rain will not wash it off easily, and so that it is easily to smell. If your dog is doing it alot, it may be more insecure than other puppies its age.

As a by the way, I think that dogs that dont always cock their leg may be smarter because they dont risk falling over. After all, much about what dogs do in the off lead areas is being prepared for anything, and not off balance.

My three year old bitch has always cocked her leg but my 13 month old dog did it once months ago but obviously decided it was too much like hard work and hasn't done it since! I have two other male dogs who do it so, if it is learned experience, he is definitely smarter than they are!

He doesn't mark vertical surfaces, he literally goes out on the grass, lifts his leg and pees up nothing He never does it on his walk, just in the garden.

Trust me, he is far from insecure, nothing phases this dog!

I remember my boy started cocking his leg only a few weeks after I got him (he was 9 weeks when I got him). He has always done it ever since.

Sometimes he lifts his leg a bit when he poos as well, usually when he tries to poo in a bush.