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Strange habit after peeing

Helene4
October 3rd, 2007, 10:03 AM
My 3.5 year old female dog, Arielle, scratches the ground with her 2 hind paws after peeing. She usually does this only when we take her for a walk. She rarely does it after peeing in our yard. Just out of curiosity, what does it mean? Is it a way to cover her smell?
My 11 year old male dog, Mickey, does this sometimes but it looks more like he's stretching his hind legs.

clm
October 3rd, 2007, 10:08 AM
I think it's the opposite, I think they're trying to spread their smell around a little better when they do that. All of my dogs have done that when out for their walks.

Cindy

kigndano
October 3rd, 2007, 10:18 AM
the dogs paw pads have scent in them that the dogs can use to ID their spots

thats why they do it after they pee/poop. its marking territory

Winston
October 3rd, 2007, 10:41 AM
My boy does this too! I was told that he is trying to get his scent up higher! than any previous dog.

Cindy

bendyfoot
October 3rd, 2007, 10:43 AM
Gracie does this, and she gets all puffed up and important-looking when she does it! I think it's to spread the scent around to further mark her territory...Grace is a very dominant dog....

rainbow
October 3rd, 2007, 03:15 PM
I agree with everyone....it's to mark the territory as "theirs". My husky does it as well but only when we are out walking. :pawprint:

Ford Girl
October 3rd, 2007, 03:27 PM
Dazy too...not in our yard, but other places, and usually after a poo, not a pee. In the wild animal kingdom it's marking one's territory and claiming things...I would assume it's the same for our domestic beasties....

chico2
October 3rd, 2007, 04:02 PM
Bailey(our walking-buddy) does it after pooping,but usually about 10feet away.
Having only cats,we laugh,because if she was trying to cover her poop up(like my cats)she is certainly missing it from 10 feet away.:laughing:
But now I know what she's doing:dog: