Dogs kicking after...

Just a question I've often wondered about (maybe I need a real life...) Why do dogs kick the grass about after doing their business?? Sometimes my girls kick so much I think going is just an excuse for the kicking! ;) Other times I figure maybe they're just trying to make sure they didn't get any on their feet so they're wiping them off (okay I know that's not really it but makes me laugh). Halo will go on one side of the sidewalk then run to the other side of the sidewalk to kick (duh..) so I can't figure that one out at all - doesn't appear she's covering it. What's your best guess on this??? Just for fun really - with my girls it's all about the kicking.

I guess I own a freak, lol.

Mine has kicked once in the 6 months I've had her. Until you mentioned it, I forgot that dogs did that..

Hi MafiaPrincess, I know some dogs don't do it, and I'm guessing it's some sort of feral kind of thing going on as it doesn't seem to serve a real purpose otherwise. One day I was sitting at a red light and something smacked my windshield and my carpool buddy and I both jumped - we looked out and it was a dog kicking up dirt. Very funny.

I thought it was because they are covering up their scent. odin does it about 20 times a walk. Sometimes he just stops and does it (no peeing/pooping) and other times he does if for a long time.

They do it to cover up their "business" ... thats really it. Not all dogs do it, others do it sometimes, while others do it all of the time. My poodle used to do it sometimes and my American Pit Bull Terrier, Maximus never did it yet. It's funny to watch though.

Dogs do this to spread their scent around and announce "I was here!". They do it more if many other dogs have used the same spot.

Dogs do this to spread their scent around and announce "I was here!". They do it more if many other dogs have used the same spot.

Exactly. To the point. Bingo.....


(Had to add more, message to short to post, I was satisfied with "exactly".)

Hey guys, thanks for the answers. I didn't figure they were trying to cover their scent as that kinda goes against the marking their territory thing. But I can go with they're trying to spread it around - extend their marked territory. Halo needs a class in this apparently as she's totally off the mark!

I was pretty sure Levi did it to ruin neighbors lawns. :o

Dogs do this to spread their scent around and announce "I was here!". They do it more if many other dogs have used the same spot.

That makes sense but how come I have never seen a dog do it after peeing but only after pooping? I would think pee would spread around their scent before poop... no? My vet said they "cover" their stool with the dirt... but he has been wrong before... obviously.

Levimh - that may be the best reason yet and Halo would heartily agree!

Angeleyes - both my girls Shadow and Halo kick after pee or poop, but as it shows here all of the dogs seem to have different ideas on this one - as do we. It was just a fun question really and it's given me a few good laughs to read the replies. Tks to all!!

My MinPins do this more so after a pee but sometimes after a poop....

:crazy:

I read in a behaviour book that it is to spread their sent around, Tucker does it almost every time he goes #1 or #2 and yes he hasn't hit it yet thank god (flying crap). My last dog Travis never did it.

Maybe I'm nuts, but I've noticed submissive dogs cover their dumps, and dominant dogs spread their pee... Submissive dogs don't want others to be "offended" by their smells, while dominant dogs want to spread their testosteroney/hormoney smells around, and those are only in the pee... Am I nuts?

Hi Prin, My Shadow is a very dominant female and she kicks after both jobs. So I do believe she is spreading her scent, Halo kicks after both also, but I think she just likes to kick. Haven't made the submissive connection that you did, but nothing with the dogs would surprise me.

Maybe I'm nuts, but I've noticed submissive dogs cover their dumps, and dominant dogs spread their pee... Submissive dogs don't want others to be "offended" by their smells, while dominant dogs want to spread their testosteroney/hormoney smells around, and those are only in the pee... Am I nuts?

Prin, I'm thinking the same thing!

I always assumed that it was the more dominant dogs that did this! But Dodger had me confused for a while because he has done it from day one. I knew he wasn't dominant (how could he be at 6 weeks of age!?), he never does it at the dog park (when other dogs are all around and visible), he doesn't even lift his leg consistently or have specific places to mark. They key is that he only kicks after a poopy...so NO, I don't think your nuts! There seems to be a hole unwritten agenda/criteria for dogs that we 2-legged know nothing about!!! :D

Maybe it depends on where they kick- like if you kick beside, you might be trying to cover it up. If you kick through it, you might be trying to spread it around? I have noticed some VERY submissive dogs at the park kicking after their number 2, and that's why I wondered. Maybe dominant dogs spread both, but submissives cover one? Would make sence because sumbissive dogs try not to spread their pee already as they are peeing. They pee low down and don't walk around while they do it, like really dominant dogs do.

This is definitely a funny post... us trying to figure out why they do "the kick" lol. I totally agree with all of you... it could be a number of things. My poodle was submissive with people- and in the middle with dogs. She wasn't scared but she would never start or even answer a fight... she'd become submissive with a threat. She used to do it sometimes. I've never seen Maxmius do it yet- but he is only 10 months old as of now. Regardless it's very cute to watch.

When I was a kid I would laugh when my poodle dragged her butt along the rug- my father would tell her "no"... i never put it together that she was basically wiping her A** on the rug!!! LOL!!

Well my purpose was served I guess, it has been fun and few good laughs reading these postings. :crazy: I figure it's some sort of dominance thing to spread the scent around, but like I said my girls rarely kick the right spot - I think it's just an ingraned habit that some have dating back to when they really had to mark territory. But it is funny to watch - sometimes I have to tell the girls to stop that they're torn up enough grass. You definitely could hire my girls to aerate your lawn!