Making the dirt fly!

[Pam]

As I was watching my silly little Ripley this morning I thought of a question I wanted to ask everyone. He was going potty in the yard and afterwards, as he always does, he ran about 12' away and then started digging up the dirt with his back legs to cover his poopie. I always have to laugh because he is nowhere near it when he decides to furiously scratch up the dirt to cover it. Bella never tries to cover it at all. Is it a male thing? If your dog does it does he at least start the scratching near it where it makes sense? Silly Ripley!

[Rachel]

Pam, Tucker does the same thing, just like Ripley. I noticed the other day just how far away he was from the original location. I know I've seen Hannah take a swipe or two at the grass, but she certainly doesn't make the big production out of it, like Tucker does and I doubt that she does it every time. Don't think it is strictly a male or alpha female thing as I remember my other two females doing cover up action too.

[binka_nugget]

Kai does that too! That's how I know when he's done pooping...cuz he usually moves around so it's hard to know.. I watched my cousin's dog for a few weeks once and SHE did that all the time.

[KYS]

That is so funny. Ripley sounds like a character.

Rocky and Sheba sort of do that, but they
aim a lot closer. lol

[JGuitaristR]

My yorkie does that. But first he decides to walk 20 ft. in the other direction.
Molli also does that, on occasion, she's a lot closer to it, though.

[wolfsoul]

Dogs have scent glands on their paws It helps them mark their territory

Leather does this all the time! She's my territorial girl, but Timber couldn't care less I wish that she would do that though, I always find it funny to watch (until all the mud gets on you )

[lovemyshiba]

I asked about this a while back, and the response I got was similar to what wolfsoul said--marking their territory. Kito does it almost all the time--pee and poop, and now that we walk in the woods, leaves go everywhere--yesterday I could have sworn he was trying to bury me!!!! Riley just started doing it too--it is soooo funny--he has long skinny legs, and I don't think he has a clue why he is doing it, but it makes me laugh!!
And they are both always soooo far off from where the stuff is--who knows

[Kona & Oreo's mom]

Oreo does that sometimes, too. But only in public places before I can clean it up, not in her own yard, so the territory-marking explanation makes sense. And I thought that she learned it from watching Kona!

[4 Dog Mother]

I have read it is a marking thing, territorial thing too. It is funny to watch the dogs at the dog park. Oreo, the 13 year old is the worst. She walks around scratching everywhere with those back paws. At home, we get mad because with the five dogs in the fenced area, we don't need her (or any of the others) scratching off the grass that is there. Crazy dogs!

[chloe's mom]

We have 2 dogs. My sister's dog is smaller and male with a definite case of "little man" syndrome. He can also be agressive with un-neutered males. He does the scratching-flying grass thing often, but I have noticed that if there is, or has been, another male dog around, he will pee and scratch in front of the other dog. It looks like he's trying to get across the point that he is a real tough guy. My larger female, on the other hand, is really laid-back and submissive and rarely does this. When she does, it's obvious that she's copying her cousin. (She'll also lift her leg to mark the same spots he does). I think she's trying to say that she's got his back So I think that a lot of it does have to do with posturing and defining their territory. Mine certainly aren't actually covering anything up.

[Tonya]

We call it Teddy's macho thing. He doesn't only do that when he goes to the bathroom. If the cats slap him real hard, he'll come back and swipe his back legs like that. Also, if he wants me or the big dogs to chase him, he'll do that.

[Zero]

Hehe Silly dog, My dog does it too, Its just him being a dog? Oh my gosh KYS You have the CUTEST LITTLE PUPPIES!

[KYS]

Thank you Zero,
They are all grown now.
Their still cute though. lol

[lizbud]

Smokey doesn't do the scratching motion.Never has. He does
his business and then moves on. Buddy, on the other
hand, would send turf divots flying 15 ft behind him.

[Cisco's Mom]

I believe like the others that it is a marking thing. I to have heard that they have scent glads in thier feet that allow them to mark an area. Cisco does this and we refer to it as the "shuffle"! It is the cutest thign to watch. He really gets into it. I mean sometimes I think he is going to propell himself right off the lawn! He doesn't do it all the time and does mostly on walks were other dogs have been.