Urine marking by free-ranging dogs (Canis familiaris) in relation to sex, season, place and posture

Carnivores use various scent-marking methods. Observations on the scent marking by urination of 16 free-ranging dogs from two neighbouring groups were recorded in the town of Katwa, West Bengal, India. The frequency of urine marking was higher in males than in females. The seasonal mean (+/-S.D.) number of markings for individual males varied with a minimum of 4.0 (+/-1.5) in summer, and a maximum of 31.5 (+/-9.1) in late monsoon. Similarly, the seasonal mean (+/-S.D.) number of markings for individual females varied with a minimum of 1.1 (+/-0.9) in summer, and a maximum of 5.9 (+/-2.5) in late monsoon. Therefore, the frequency of marking was not the same in every season. The incidence of urine marking was higher in the courting place as well as in the late monsoon. Occasionally, 'possessive urine marking' was observed among the alpha males. Urine marking seemed to be linked with scavenging behaviour. The incidence of urine marking mostly by the males near the territorial boundary during trespassing by neighbouring dog(s) showed the evidence of territorial defense. Perhaps to protect the pups, the females marked with a higher rate at the nest site. The dogs, especially the males, marked on strange objects/vehicles perhaps to familiarise the strange objects. Every male and every female performed High leg raising (HLR) and squat postures, respectively. Raised leg display (RLD) was performed only by the males and was influenced by the presence of other dogs. The males showed the RLD mostly in the courting place and also near the territory, perhaps to indicate their dominance, aggressiveness and to threaten the others. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.