Why...

[Kim]

when my dog does his business, he takes a step then scrapes the ground with his paws a few times. Is this a normal male dog thing to do?

[freebieprincess]

I am not sure of your dog but, I know each of my 3 cats does different things. I think animals have little quirks just like people. My one cat has to dip his one paw in the water, then he scrapes the other paw a few times before he can drink. He does this each and every time.

[Jenny]

Kim, are you talking #1 or #2? and he does it, then does the paw thing?

[ski]

My dog buries her head in the sofa/chair after she poops... weirdo.

[zenbooty]

From http://www.kentuckypetgazette.com/features.htm


Dear Labby,

I have two brothers. One is a golden retriever and the other is a yellow Labrador. I'm the only girl, and I'm only 3 months old, so I'm not too wise to the "way of the whiz" yet. Here's the deal: why is it that, when we go outside together to use the yard, my brothers have to pee everywhere I pee? I mean, it's like they wait for me to go, then trot over, sniff, and take aim. And it's not just one of them mind you, it's both of them. Heck fire, they even take turns and see who gets the last ....well, squirt. Even though I'm young, I know men can be hard to explain sometimes, but do you think you could give me some relief (no pun intended) in figuring out this mind-boggling behavior?

No Privacy Pup

Dear Pup,

Well, this is actually a common behavior for both male and female canines, though males do it more often. Because you are new to the family they are showing dominance by covering up your scent and marking their territory. This behavior dates back to our wolf ancestors who did the same thing. You might also notice other dogs scratching the ground after they go, or wiping their feet. This is another way of marking territory because the only sweat glands we have are between our toes. Another reason we mark is to tell other dogs that we have been there or to cover up a scent that doesn't belong in the territory. Hope this brings you the "relief" you were looking for.

Labby

[Butch]

when my dog does his business, he takes a step then scrapes the ground with his paws a few times. Is this a normal male dog thing to do?

Yeah, it's normal . . . lots of dogs do it. Especially when they are in the dirt . . . I guess to cover it up a bit? . . . but some dogs still do it even when on concrete/hard floor . . . habit, I suppose.

[Kim]

hehe Zen, thanks for the explanation and the laugh. I knew he was marking when he pees 65 times on a walk around the block, but I diidn't know that is what he was doing when he scratched.

[oblongmelon]

when my dog does his business, he takes a step then scrapes the ground with his paws a few times. Is this a normal male dog thing to do?
It's similar to humans washing their hands after using the bathroom..Dog Hygiene!~..plus, he might have splashed on his paws. Loads of dogs do it-mine does too.

[Jane83]

my dog likes to eat it

[nickel]

my dog likes to eat it
and.......

there has to be more to this story :P