I have a 7 yr old min. schnauzer that has always walked, or tip-toed, backwards when walking on tile, hardwood floors, and smooth cement.  We have area rugs placed throughout the house to allow him to go from room to room.  It seems that over the past year, he is doing this more frequently.  He will stand at the edge of one rug and glare at the area he wants to go.  He will do this for several minutes, act as if he is trying to run to the next rug, but then swings his butt around and slowly walks backwards to the next rug.  He doesn't pee like a male dog, he squats like a female, which has never bothered me.  When he poos in the backyard, he does a little dance with his legs.  This has never bothered me either.  In fact, I find him "unique" and would not trade him for anything.  But this walking backwards business is a daily habit, many many times during day.  Any suggestions?  My dog can't be the only "unique" one!  =) 

Hi khenicke ~

Cesar had an episode about a large dog, I believe it may have been a Great Dane, that refused to walk on shiny floors.  Have you tried walking him on leash in the house?  This might be helpful if you approach it calmly & assertively as his strong pack leader.

Per the squatting to urinate, I have found people that really like males that squat because they don't destroy as many plants, flowers, and schrubs.  Also, if by his "little dance" you mean scratching up the ground, this is because dogs have scent glands in their feet and this is another way of leaving their scent there.  They are all unique but perhaps he's not quite as unique as you think ;-)

 

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Tammy Hartwig
Cesar Millan Ambassador

Cesar has done a couple of episodes about a dog walking on floors.  One was the Dane mentioned.  Another was  a Lab that didn't like the hardwood floors.  They too had area rugs to allow the dog to go from room to room.  Cesar managed to get both dogs walking on the floors normally by walking them on a leash, making them face the fears.  Once the dogs realize that they are still alive, and the floors haven't eaten them yet, they go normally.  If you can remain calm, but assertive, you can get him walking normally, without fear :)

 Regarding the squatting, and dancing after pooping...that's totally normal if you're a dog!  If the dog has been neutered prior to reaching puberty, mos often they do not learn to lift the let, and they just squat.  My intact male will often squat as well, though he will lift the leg on occasion.  (He doesn't have any sexual desires of any sort, and does not react to females in heat, does not mark his territory etc. He's got some health issues, and cannot survive a general anesthetic - hence the not neutering.  This may also be why he does not act like a typical male...likely has low hormone counts).  The dancing after pooping...that's still a ritual, and has been with every dog I've ever owned ;)

Have you had your odg checked by a vet? It sounds as though he has a luxating patella to me. Basically his knee cap is slipping out of place, and it springs to mind as you say he has problems pooing as well. I think you need him x raying before youdo anything else first. Not all behaviour is in the mind, some of it, in fact lots of it is medical. My dog has issues pooing but he is going for x rays as I believe he has been hit by a car befor I got im, he has bunny hop run, which you might want to look for in your dog as well. And does he suddenly at times pull a leg up into his body when walking or suddenly sit down and refuse to move? Needs mediacl intervention before anything, and i;m talking as a vet nurse to you.

if there is unusual behavior, I agree...get a vet check. But doing the dance after pooping is by no means uncommon. All my dogs have done that.  I did have one dog with luxating patellas, and required surgery. Pain was her main symptom.  Started having trouble with stairs, and began to poop less often (painful to sqat). She'd stopped the dance all together. I don't generally run to the vet when my dogs are doing their "normal" behavior.  I raise the red flags when their activity or behavior CHANGES...if there are changes, I run to the vet.  (BTW, X rays alone is not going to dx luxating patellas..you can't see the degree luxation on an x ray. X rays would be of more use if you can see the bones completely worn out.  The vet would check that by feeling the joint and feeling if there is too much "play" in the joint movement).

My dog squats like a female dog too. I have been told by the vet and read in books that it is because he was neutered early. It said if a dog is neutered before he raises his leg, then he does not do it after he is neutered. He was neutered at 6 months old.

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Temporale

Hi temporale ~

I tend to agree with this however, this is not carved in stone.  I have fostered many male dogs, neutered quite young, that have lifted their legs and, I have also fostered several neutered late, or not at all, that were squatters.  So while this generalization fits most, there are exceptions to every rule, so to speak.

 

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Tammy Hartwig
Cesar Millan Ambassador

The walking issue he has done since we got him 6 1/2 years ago, it just seems he is doing it more often now.  What I meant by the little dance he does while pooing is that the uses his leg as a pump while he is pooing.  It is hard to picture, you would just have to see.  There is nothing wrong with his process of pooing, it is just a little nutty thing he does.  He was neutered at an early age, so I believe that is why he doesn't hike his leg. I don't have a problem with either of those.  Just the walking backwards at times.  Thank you for all of yall's advice!  I have found it very informative and helpful.