The Naked Scientists
Toggle navigation
Login
Register
Podcasts
The Naked Scientists
eLife
Naked Genetics
Naked Astronomy
In short
Naked Neuroscience
Ask! The Naked Scientists
Question of the Week
Archive
Video
SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
Articles
Science News
Features
Interviews
Answers to Science Questions
Get Naked
Donate
Do an Experiment
Science Forum
Ask a Question
About
Meet the team
Our Sponsors
Site Map
Contact us
User menu
Login
Register
Search
Home
Help
Search
Tags
Recent Topics
Login
Register
Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences
Cells, Microbes & Viruses
Why do male dogs sniff, and then urinate on, things like lampposts, trees etc?
« previous
next »
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Down
Why do male dogs sniff, and then urinate on, things like lampposts, trees etc?
2 Replies
13669 Views
0 Tags
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
thedoc
(OP)
Forum Admin
Moderator
Hero Member
510
Activity:
0%
Thanked: 21 times
Why do male dogs sniff, and then urinate on, things like lampposts, trees etc?
«
on:
03/12/2016 22:53:01 »
Anand asked the Naked Scientists:
I have seen few hundred times dogs urinating on streets, roads when I was in India. But now, today, a dog in my street made me to wet my brain. Okay, here my question, why dogs (only male) always urinates on something.. say...lamp post, tyres, bin bags and even on wall. What's the science behind that? I remember that male dogs (most often) smells the place before urination and why the female dogs doesn't do that?
I really thank you all The Naked Scientists for such an informative talk-radio program.
What do you think?
«
Last Edit: 03/12/2016 22:53:01 by _system
»
Logged
evan_au
Global Moderator
Naked Science Forum GOD!
11035
Activity:
9%
Thanked: 1486 times
Re: Why do male dogs sniff, and then urinate on, things like lampposts, trees etc?
«
Reply #1 on:
04/12/2016 03:25:06 »
It has to do with marking territory.
Male dogs urinate as high as possible on vertical surfaces to show their height. Female dogs tend to urinate on the ground, but this also gives a scent signal to other dogs.
I would be surprised if female dogs did
not
pay attention to such signals. But neutered dogs may be less interested than whole dogs.
Dog droppings also provide a chemical signal, in conjunction with their anal glands.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_behavior#Scent
Logged
alancalverd
Global Moderator
Naked Science Forum GOD!
21159
Activity:
71%
Thanked: 60 times
Life is too short for instant coffee
Re: Why do male dogs sniff, and then urinate on, things like lampposts, trees etc?
«
Reply #2 on:
04/12/2016 23:25:41 »
For the same reason that they lick their genitals: because they can.
And as far as I can tell from several neutered bitches, they mark territory, signal to others, and read the signals, to pretty much the same extent. The problem is that whilst dogs tend to pee on trees, which are fairly resilient, bitches like to pee on a well-manicured lawn and discolor the grass. But in the street or a park, bitches still have a good sniff first and like to pee where others have been.
"Have one on me" said a friendly old tree
To a dog going home to his spouse
"No thank you" said he "for as you can see
I've just had one on the house."
Logged
Helping stem the tide of ignorance
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Up
« previous
next »
Tags:
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...