I need help with a really strange problem

[Mariana]

Hi. I hope someone here can help me, as I have been having a problem recently and I don`t know what to do about it. I have seven dogs, and they have started marking each other!
Here`s the story:
I live alone with them, in a big house with a really big garden. They all live inside with me, get plenty of exercise, training, are healthy, etc.
They are 3 females and 4 males. The oldest one is 5 years old, and the youngest one is 1 year old. They are ALL spayed and neutered.
They are all really peacful, have a very stable hierarchy, they respect me, and they respect each other`s place in the hierarchy. They don`t fight, and are really close to each other.
Recently, they`ve been smelling really bad. I didn`t know what was heppening until some days ago, when I saw one of the females (the most dominant one) peeing ON TOP of the smallest male. The male then smelled her pee and decided to pee OVER her. Since then, I have observed that same male pee over the rest of them several times, and another male and a female literally putting themselves under the same dominant female when she is going to pee.
I can only understand this as them marking each other, and them wanting to have each other`s smell on them....does any one have some idea as to why they could be doing this?
I should say they NEVER mark inside the house. ´What do you think about this?
Can you think about something I might do to solve this?

 

[Novel_Weims]

I have 6 dogs of my own, and currently a live in trainee. Of my 6 dogs 5 are females, 3 of them are spayed. My male marks them, especialy after absences from the home to attend a show or competition.

Although I've seen him do it, I can't say that there's any point in stopping him. I just wipe them off with a clean rag when they come in from pottying.

You could let the alpha female out separately.

I also notice an increase in marking after they've all been given baths. Remember, dogs work so much off of their olfactory sense. I would guess that perhaps a puppy/young adult is thinking of making waves in the hierarchy that is currently established and the alpha is trying to nip it in the bud.

I apologize I can not be more helpful.

 

[Mariana]

Thank you very much for answering Novel Weims. You have helped me a lot.
I had never heard of something like this before. And now that you mention it, I think it might be related to their baths...I just bathed them. `
I`ll try to wipe them, and maintain them in a shorter cut. I do think you`re right about the youngest one reaching maturity, so maybe it`s temporary.
Well...thank you again. It`s nice to know other dogs do this too.

 

[Novel_Weims]

I'm glad that you found what I said useful. Best of luck to you with your pups.