We don’t know, but according to some research presented by Dr. Anneke Lisberg might have shed some light on the topic. Anneke is one of the few people researching chemical communication in domestic dogs, as those of you who have been reading the blog for a while are aware. Even though chemical communication is essential to communication in many species, including our dogs, very few people have attempted to study it. We primates are primarily visual and most of our chemical communication is unconscious, which doesn’t help.
In previous studies (Lisberg and Snowdon 2009), Dr. Lisberg discovered that both sexes investigated the urine marks of the other, though neutered males showed less interest in female urine than in male urine. Unfamiliar urine received more attention than urine from familiar dogs, and intact dogs’ urine received more attention than that of spayed or neutered dogs. Furthermore, dogs that approached the scents in “low-tail positions” spent more time investigating the samples than those that did so in high tail positions.
In addition, Lisberg discovered that dogs in high-tail positions were more likely to receive food first in a circle of familiar dogs. By the way, that is the typical biological definition of the term “dominance,” which is frequently misused and simply denotes which animal will obtain something that everyone desires, typically without engaging in conflict.
Lisberg collected urine from intact male dogs in a more recent study. Some of the dogs had approached the urine of other dogs with high tails, while others had their tails held parallel to the ground or lower. The next step involved leading 30 healthy dogs (15 males and 15 females) to two wooden stakes that had been covered in either high- or low-tailed dog urine. So that some dogs encountered the high-tailed urine first and others saw it in the opposite order, order was controlled. This is standard procedure to make sure that the results aren’t tainted by the order itself, which is a crucial consideration in this case as you’ll see in a moment.
When the data were analyzed with presentation order as a factor, there was an intriguing interaction between the type of urine presented and when it was presented, even though at first it appeared that the dog’s reactions to the two samples of urine were identical. When presented first, high-tailed dog urine received significantly more attention than the other sample. Compared to the second sample from the low-tailed dog, both male and female dogs spent a lot more time sniffing it. However, if it appeared after the first sample, it did not draw more (or less) attention. This demonstrated that dogs are capable of discriminating between the urine of high-tailed and low-tailed males, but that they only appear to do so when the high-tailed urine is encountered first.
Of the 15 males, 7 overmarked directly onto the urine, but only one of those instances occurred when the high-tail urine was presented first. The study also tracked whether dogs overmarked or not, asking if they responded to the urine by urinating themselves either directly on top of it (overmark) or just beside it (adjacent mark). (No females overmarked,but several adjacent marked). Both in this study and earlier studies, there seems to be a propensity to overmark urine from dogs that are positioned with their tails down. Her earlier research from 2011 demonstrated that high-tailed males overmarked more frequently than low-tailed males, which raised the possibility that overmarking might be a competitive signal.
Only one of the seven male participants in the new study overmarked, and he did so with the urine from the low-tailed dog. However, five of the eight males who came into contact with the low-tail urine first overmarked. The trend was only marginally significant, but the sample is still small, and the findings imply that the extra-strong signal of high-tailed urine in males may prevent them from overmarking.
One of her findings is that other males overmarking male urine likely serves a competitive purpose, and that there may be a competitive benefit to having one’s urine found first. If you consider how competitive dogs are for mates and territory, as are all other territorial species, this makes perfect sense. Since it implies that the mark has been successful in maintaining access to that space—no one else has successfully come through and chased them off or overmarked their marks—it could enforce the “honesty” of the signal itself. Even though our domestic dogs don’t require that behavior as frequently, it hasn’t been completely dropped from their repertoire.
Numerous implications and applications arise from this. For example, it serves as a reminder of the significance of chemical communication between individual dogs for our domesticated canines. After hearing Lisberg’s initial talks about her research, I started allowing reactive dogs to encounter another dog’s urine before they ever saw it. It’s possible that strategically placed urine for wild canids like wolves and African Wild Dogs could entice members of protected species to return to those areas. (For instance, Yellowstone’s protected wolves occasionally stray into areas where they can be killed.) Perhaps using urine, wildlife biologists could entice animals back into protected areas.
Additionally, if having one’s urine encountered first matters, perhaps we could understand why male dogs lift their legs so frequently while out for walks—in some cases, almost compulsively. Most importantly, this study highlights how much more research is needed to fully understand how dogs communicate chemically and how wonderful it is that good science is finally being done on the creatures with which we share our lives.
Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB Emeritus, is an applied animal behaviorist who has spent more than 25 years working with, researching, and writing about dogs. She urges your participation, reasoning that the value of your voice will be greatly increased. When she can, she adds her own comments after reading each one.
Why does my dog always stink?
The skin may become inflamed due to seasonal or food allergies, which causes certain skin glands to secrete excessive amounts of oil, giving off a musty odor. This condition can be exacerbated by a poor diet, which can also lead to other issues like yeast infections, which are also characterized by an unpleasant odor.
Do unneutered male dogs smell more?
Other aggressive dogs are more likely to attack them because of their intact male odor. Unneutered males are often difficult to keep at home. They can detect the fine scent of females in heat from miles away, and they immediately take off. They may get shot for trespassing, fail to watch for traffic, and forget how to get home while traveling.
Lisberg collected urine from intact male dogs in a more recent study. Some of the dogs had approached the urine of other dogs with high tails, while others had their tails held parallel to the ground or lower. The next step involved leading 30 healthy dogs (15 males and 15 females) to two wooden stakes that had been covered in either high- or low-tailed dog urine. So that some dogs encountered the high-tailed urine first and others saw it in the opposite order, order was controlled. This is standard procedure to make sure that the results aren’t tainted by the order itself, which is a crucial consideration in this case as you’ll see in a moment.
Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB Emeritus, is an applied animal behaviorist who has spent more than 25 years working with, researching, and writing about dogs. She urges your participation, reasoning that the value of your voice will be greatly increased. When she can, she adds her own comments after reading each one.
Numerous implications and applications arise from this. For example, it serves as a reminder of the significance of chemical communication between individual dogs for our domesticated canines. After hearing Lisberg’s initial talks about her research, I started allowing reactive dogs to encounter another dog’s urine before they ever saw it. It’s possible that strategically placed urine for wild canids like wolves and African Wild Dogs could entice members of protected species to return to those areas. (For instance, Yellowstone’s protected wolves occasionally stray into areas where they can be killed.) Perhaps using urine, wildlife biologists could entice animals back into protected areas.
When the data were analyzed with presentation order as a factor, there was an intriguing interaction between the type of urine presented and when it was presented, even though at first it appeared that the dog’s reactions to the two samples of urine were identical. When presented first, high-tailed dog urine received significantly more attention than the other sample. Compared to the second sample from the low-tailed dog, both male and female dogs spent a lot more time sniffing it. However, if it appeared after the first sample, it did not draw more (or less) attention. This demonstrated that dogs are capable of discriminating between the urine of high-tailed and low-tailed males, but that they only appear to do so when the high-tailed urine is encountered first.
Only one of the seven male participants in the new study overmarked, and he did so with the urine from the low-tailed dog. However, five of the eight males who came into contact with the low-tail urine first overmarked. The trend was only marginally significant, but the sample is still small, and the findings imply that the extra-strong signal of high-tailed urine in males may prevent them from overmarking.
FAQ
Why does my male dog smell so much?
The small sacs known as anal glands or anal sacs are situated on either side of your dog’s anus. These sacs contain specialized sweat glands that release an offensive secretion that serves as your dog’s scent marker.
Does neutering help with smell?
By neutering him, you can get rid of the offensive smell in his feces and lessen his desire to spray. Even after neutering, some cats will still spray, but this is more common in older or particularly “bossy” cats.
Does neutering a dog help with urine smell?
Despite the fact that he has a well-established habit of scent marking, neutering may have some effect on his need to do so. Typically, dogs who are neutered before they are 6 months old do not exhibit this behavior.