Letters from readers:

Puppy fails to lift his leg

Hello,
At what age does a puppy cock his leg to urinate? – John, UK

Hello John,
The age where a puppy's testicles drop, making the cocking of one leg the most comfortable position to urinate, is variable and can take anything up to six months. A dog may also have only one testicle dropped for a while and the second one drop later, but the general consensus is that if the puppy has none or only one by the time it is six months old then it should be neutered, as it can pass on any such faults to its male offspring.

Such dogs can never be used for show or for breeding. After six months a second testicle may seem to drop, but this is usually a non-functional smaller version. And if it does not drop it will give problems later because of infection and will need to be removed for the health of the puppy. If the puppy is six months old and has no testicles or only one, it should be neutered straight away. - Ed