Hey there,

I have a 8 month old Lab, she's called Roo!
I have been slightly concerned about how much she pees when I'm on walks with her? I don't know whether this is normal because I know dogs pee to mark there territory. But I wasn't sure if girls do it as well? And she doesn't look like she's marking anything she just goes randomly!

Also she seems rather constipated before she goes for a poo! She clearly tries to go a good 3 or 4 times until it actually happens! I don't know if this is anything to be bothered about but I was wondering if you could share any information on that?

One last thing is that she is following me round everywhere! She seems fairly normal though maybe not as energetic as usual and is lying down a lot. This may be 1 because she just wants company and is tired or 2 she is trying to tell me something is wrong??
It's obviously not very serious, but I was just wondering if you could give me any advice?
Maybe these things are all linked? But wasn't sure?
Thank you
x

Female dogs will also mark territory-- being that she is 8 months old, she might be getting to a point where she's coming into heat [is she spayed at all? If not then this might be relevant-- if she is, then disregard this part lol]... female dogs can normally start coming into heat from 6-9 months old [other breeds sometimes do not start until after they have turned a year old].

So if she's coming into heat-- it could be the reason why she is 'peeing' a lot when you take her on walks. Does she sniff the ground at all before she goes, or is she just squatting and going without checking out the area first? Keep a close eye on that-- they will actually mark certain spots, especially if male dogs have been around. What they are doing isn't exactly the same as 'marking territory' but more like leaving their scent for a male dog to find in hopes of getting bred.

What sort of food are you feeding her? Certain foods might have different effects on our pets- and lower quality foods can cause dry bowels or constipation. It's recommended that you buy a puppy food [and later adult food] where the ingredients have some type of meat listed FIRST. Beef, chicken, fish-- You never want the types of foods that have corn or a type of grain listed as their first and main ingredient, as dogs ARE carnivorous animals and they need meat before 'veggies' so to speak. The better foods cost a little bit extra, but your pet's health is worth it! :)

[Purina is generally an all right brand to buy. Some places have a brand called 'Diamond' which is an excellent food and for a 20 pound bag, it costs about 10 dollars- which can go a long way :) You can also look into some Holistic types of foods, though those really run very expensive... ]

If she keeps up the marking or you're truly worried, call the vet and explain the situation and see if the vet believes it is necessary to make an appointment to see the dog.

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As for following you around- perhaps she has separation anxiety? Does it seem that she wants to play a lot and you don't have the time to? Or maybe she is just wanting your company. Unless she becomes very, very needy and attached or causes damage because she isn't being paid any attention, it shouldn't become a big problem. :) Some animals are just very people oriented or attached to their owners. My roomie's dog [a Shetland Sheepdog] always follows her around, or me even! However, if they become too desperate for attention, be sure that you are giving plenty of it in the first place. If you feel you are, then you may have to do a trial based separation... such as going outside for short periods and returning-- just to show your dog that you aren't disappearing forever. Some pets seem overly worried that their owners are going to abandon them [more seen in rescue animals, though, I believe].

Much luck to you :)

Thank you for your comment it was very helpful!
We feed her royal canin! Its good stuff lol
As for the peeing thing that's a very good point as she is due to come into season any time now! She has not been spayed yet but it due to be after her first season!
She does get a lot of attention, as I have 3 kids who love her!
And she is obsessed with playing 'ball', I was just concerned about the fact she was following us around and sleeping! She has done this once before and she was sick, so I have noticed she likes to be around people when 'feeling ill'! Lol
Thanks again :D
X

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flylihop

thankyou for your comment it was very helpful!!
we feed her royal canin! Its good stuff lol
as for the peeing thing thats a very good point as she is due to come into season any time now!! She has not been spayed yet but it due to be after her first season!
She does get alot of attention, as I have 3 kids who love her!
And she is obsessed with playing 'ball', i was just concerned about the fact she was following us around and sleeping! She has done this once before and she was sick, so i have noticed she likes to be around people when 'feeling ill'! lol
thanx again :D
x

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=) You're very welcome. I've come to learn a lot about dogs since I've gotten into doing training classes, and one of my best friends is a breeder- and now I'm around dogs constantly :D I've learned a lot, and I figure it does well to pass along the information I know- especially if it can help someone else out. :)

Royal Canine is pretty good, actually- sometimes food companies will also change their ingredients, so if you think there's a chance that she's not feeling well [especially since you've said she's done this before when she was sick] try a different brand [but don't switch it up suddenly :) mix it in with the food she's used to so you avoid making things more complicated lol] to see if it seems to help her.

Otherwise, if she's about ready to come into heat, it might account for her strange behavior on all counts.

I usually suggest a vet check for changes in behavior. In this case, perhaps not, or at least until you see more physical symptoms. One of the first sign of a female coming into season is flaky behavior. Clinginess is quite common. As much I hate to see the risk of an accidental breeding if a dog isn't spayed at 6 months, I have seen some info I can't discount suggesting it may be better overall for he dog to wait until later. When she does come in season, be very careful. She will be making attempts to get loose beyond anything you would have imagined. Once loose, there are far worse thing than an unwanted litter her body isn't ready for. Accidental breeding can also bring fatal infections an injuries. The worst thing is getting killed on the road.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flylihop

Hey there,

I have a 8 month old Lab, she's called Roo!
I have been slightly concerned about how much she pees when I'm on walks with her?! I don't know whether this is normal because I know dogs pee to mark there territory. But I wasn't sure if girls do it aswell?? and she doesn't look like she's marking anything she just goes randomly!

Also she seems rather constipated before she goes for a poo! She clearly tries to go a good 3 or 4 times until it actually happens! I don't know if this is anything to be bothered about but I was wondering if you could share any information on that?!

One last thing is that she is following me round everywhere!? She seems fairly normal though maybe not as energetic as usual and is lying down alot. This may be 1 because she just wants company and is tired or 2 she is trying to tell me something is wrong??!
It's obviously not very serious, but I was just wondering if you could give me any advice?
Maybe these things are all linked?? But wasn't sure?
Thankyou
x

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How is it that my dog is peeing in the house now although before he never did it

Could be a physical problem or a challenge to your leadership. We need more details to help.