My Pet World: Rabbits make great pets, but don't give them at Easter
Dear Cathy,
We have a 2-year-old yellow lab who is not fixed yet. When I spoke to the vet, they said fixing him will not calm him down as many people say. He goes nuts when I get home from work, but believe most dogs do this.
He lifts his leg to pee everywhere. When walking, he stops about 13 times just going around the block. When playing fetch, he will stop almost every time to pee on the trees nearby when bringing back the ball. My question is, if a male dog gets fixed, do they still lift their legs to pee so often? -- Tom, Massapequa Park, NY
Dear Tom,
The enthusiastic greeting is normal, but let me know if you need advice on how to temper that energy if he is jumping or doesn't settle down within a few minutes of your arrival.
While neutering a dog doesn't change his personality, it will reduce his reactions to females in heat in the neighborhood, which can make him easier to manage and more content at home.
As for lifting his leg, male dogs always withhold a little urine to mark the next bush. If your dog sniffs something, he is going to mark it. Some dogs mark more than others. Neutering doesn't always make a difference, but it can for some dogs, so I encourage you to fix him.
You can control how often he marks things by not stopping every time he stops. Don't cut off of his scent-mail altogether, but only let him mark in a few places during your walks. This practice may help reduce his overall frequency elsewhere.
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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)
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