Is Your Dog Practicing Yoga or Pooping? Strange Behavior Seen on the Lawn!

  Posted on July 15, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

Jessie, the well-mannered, classy and sophisticated dog:  Today I am speaking out on something unique and interesting your dog might do when he takes care of business in your yard.

Party Marty, the wild and fun loving cat interjects:  Unique?  Interesting? How about weird and shameful!?! All I have to say is…thank goodness for the litter box for me!

Jessie, shooting an evil eye towards Party Marty:  As I was saying, sometimes dogs do a certain thing whenever they go outside to poop. If you have ever been with your dog when he does his duty, then perhaps you have seen him do “the poopy dance.” You know what I am talking about….he will stretch and kick his hind legs after doing his thing!  Sometimes, grass and debris might fly all over the place as a result.

While this act may do some damage to your lawn, it is a very normal behavior for dogs.  Think about this.  In the wild, canines such as wolves, dingoes and foxes often kick the ground after they eliminate their waste for sanitary reasons. That’s great!  They want to cover up their messes!  All the more power (and gratitude!) to them!

However, this behavior is also a way by which a dog can mark its territory.  All dogs have certain glands in their paws that secret pheromones. When they do a couple of backward scratches into the earth (and on your well-manicured lawn!), those chemicals are released.

So, no worries. This back leg stretching thing is totally normal. However, if you are concerned about Fido messing up your lawn, then consider taking him on a walk around the neighborhood when it is time to take care of business…but also remember to bring a bag to clean up his mess while you are out!

Thanks to vetstreet.com for this insightful information!