Why Do Dogs Kick After They Poop?
This perfectly normal behavior is connected with a number of canine instincts. Here, we explain what is going through your dog’s mind when they kick around the area where they have just pooped.
Territory marking is a big deal for dogs! They do it using urine, anal gland secretions, and secretions on their paws. They have scent glands on the bottom of their feet and when they kick at the ground, they leave some of their scent behind. You may think that the odor of the poop would be much stronger than the scent from their feet, but you would be wrong! To a dog, the foot scent is much stronger and gives different information. This scent contains special chemical messengers called pheromones that can be detected by other dogs but is not perceptible to humans.
Territory marking was vital for ancient dogs and is still important to domestic dogs today. When domestic dogs are allowed to live in a free-ranging pack, they exhibit this behavior more often than in normal domestic dogs. It is most likely to occur near to territorial boundaries so it clearly has something to do with marking out the territory that belongs to a particular pack. This is why you may notice that dogs are more likely to kick if they have pooped in their own yard or garden or in the grounds near your apartment block.
The dog is basically saying “This poop and this territory is mine!” to any other dogs in the area. The scent also gives a lot of information about the dog that did the poop. It indicates their age and gender and if they are looking for a mate. It also serves as a warning for competing dogs to back off.
Dogs even kick around other dogs’ poop and this is probably an attempt to cover up the scent with their own.
Research in free-range packs of dogs has also revealed that dogs are more likely to scratch the ground around poop when they come across unfamiliar dogs. Also, the higher ranking and therefore dominant dogs were more likely to do it.
Studies have also shown that many dogs will keep away from a dog that kicks up the ground so it seems to be an effective way of announcing that you are the ‘boss dog’ of the block. As such, it could be described as a method of intimidation.
Kicking up the ground can leave long-lasting scratch marks in the grass – much to the annoyance of many dog owners. Of course, you won’t see these if your dog kicks up the sidewalk. Nevertheless, they are a visual signal to other dogs that your dog is in the area.
Again, the studies on free-range packs of dogs, have shown that dogs are more likely to leave visible scratches after another dog has raised their leg to pee in the area. Other dogs seemed to avoid male dogs that were ground- scratching so it may be a display of dominance.
You probably think the poop-burying is a cat activity and this is why we provide them with litter in litter trays. Did you know that dogs also sometimes bury their poop and some dogs have been successfully trained to use litter trays indoors?
If you see your dog kicking dirt over their poop, they may be attempting to bury it. You will also probably think that they are not doing a great job of it! This is because their plan is different than cats. They are not trying to cover up the poop to hide it. Instead, they are trying to spread the scent around as much as possible by stirring up the ground around the pile of poop. Once again, this is all about announcing their presence to other dogs in the area.
Rarely, a dog will genuinely be trying to cover up their poop and this occurs when they feel threatened. They don’t want other dogs to know that they are in the neighborhood. This is seen more often in wild dogs and is very unusual behavior in pet dogs. Overall Best Grass Puppy Pad
Do all dogs kick back after pooping?
If you’ve ever owned more than one dog, you’ll probably already know the answer to this one – no, they don’t. Only around 10% of dogs do it, and while it’s more common in males, females can do it too.
It’s not limited to any particular breed or size of dog, either. Studies have shown, though, that dogs are more likely to do it when there are other dogs present. One obvious conclusion is that ground scratching can be partly motivated by some kind of territorial marking.
So Ann, I can’t totally answer your question about why dogs do this after they poop — but I can tell you for sure that ground-scratching is a form of canine communication. Coyotes, wolves and wild dogs do it too!
It appears male and female dogs exhibit ground-scratching in equal numbers, but according to one study, older shelter dogs were more likely to do it than young pups. And while the act itself appears to be a performative display, the scratch marks themselves also likely serve as a visual marking after the fact.
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But you also raise a great point. If dogs are trying to bury their poo, why are they doing such a terrible job?
“A lot of times it’s referred to as ‘Frito Feet,’” Mcclanahan says.