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Is this caused by natural selection, or are they smart enough to do this intentionally?
They're just copying their masters.
"My hyper-sensitive nose tells me the place to pee is way up there. How can I get my urine way up there?"

Don't attribute to evolutionary pressure something that even a pit bull could figure out.

Once, at a dog park, I witnessed a chihuahua-sized dog do a handstand in order to pee higher on a tree.
My Australian Cattle Dog is a total hoss, very confident and often scares other dogs just by casting a serious look in their direction. Even though he's a medium sized dog at best, he never cocks his leg when he pees. Given his confidence maybe he just doesn't see the need to lie.
My greyhound rarely cocks his leg, and I would imagine that on the occasions he does that he's simply trying to mask a scent from a taller animal. He usually marks somewhat like a female, pressing his hips forward and just going on the ground.
Can greyhounds actually cock their legs though? Mine doesn't, and I admittedly have never seen one do it. I was just under the impression that it's like how they often struggle to sit like other dogs, etc.
I had a dog that never cocked his leg, until I got a dog that always did. After a week together my original dog followed suit and started.