# Why dogs kick up grass?



## shell07 (May 20, 2007)

Keep forgetting to ask ya'll this question!! 

Why is it that male dogs (maybe females too) kick up their back feet (like a bull) after they potty? It has always been a mystery..am thinking maybe it could be a scent marking tool? Not at all sure and wanted your input! Junior doesn't always do it, but when he does (and other males) it is just so funny to watch! Thanks for your info! shell


----------



## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Oh yes, females do it too. To be honest, I don't really know. Elsa recently turned three, and she had never done this behavior until this last year. 

It could be for message delivery, there are glands in their paws. Or it could be they want to cover their tracks. Or it could be they want the disturbed earth to look like a dog has been there (the opposite effect). Or, who knows, it could just be fun, as it is amusing to us.


----------



## poohlp (Jul 10, 2007)

It is the same reason cats scratch posts/trees. It is a way of marking the area, both by leaving their scent and their "mark." Basically they are saying, "this is my plot of land/bush/tree/etc."


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

It is a behavior that goes back before domestication of dogs. The theory is that they are spreding their scent in the area as far as possible. So they eliminate and then spread the scent around. 

Whatever I was reading also said that some breeds still have closer instincts to their pre-domesticated ancestors than others. I've noticed this is true in the sled dog lines (not far from their original ancestors) and some of the hounds.


----------



## Mycathinks hesadog (Mar 4, 2008)

As an interesting aside, Ozzy will do his doody, kick up some grass, then turn and smell to make sure everything came out okay, then finally bust into an all out sprint away from the area!


----------



## Chewman (Mar 13, 2008)

My little Chewie does this too!! He also sniffs his doody (EW!!!!!) Good thing humans don't feel the need to bend over and smell theirs!!


----------



## dleggs15 (Mar 4, 2008)

HAHA my girl does the same thing! but its almost every time she tinkles or poops! it sso funny to see her do it cause she does it ALL the time! and then she will take off sprinting lol...and she does it when she gets excited or is barking at something she will start kicking her legs out when she barks! its like a warning lol..its to cute though!


----------



## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Snoopy just recently started doing it. Its weird that he does it since he is neutered.


----------



## Ella'sMom (Jul 23, 2007)

Ok the funny thing about Ella is....she does this even when she has an accident IN THE HOUSE!! She will kick her hind legs as though she is outside! That's how we ALWAYS know if she's had an accident! She gives it away! Whenever we see/ hear her do that we all go...."oh oh" and look for the accident. She has always done this kicking thing - literally from day one.
I always thought it was instinct to cover the mess.


----------



## Lorina (Jul 1, 2006)

When Beavis does it, I call it the Peking Dance of Joy, celebrating the addition of yet another tree, shrub, or sometimes just a tall blade of grass to his ever-growing empire.


----------



## Rough_Collies2008 (Jan 4, 2008)

Peaches does it. She looks very funny while she is kicking up the grass, her face has a very 'happy' look on it, and her eyes squint a bit. She is very dramatic about the whole thing.


----------



## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Our JRT is the only one of ours who does it regularly.  She's VERY vigorous about it.


----------



## 4dogs3cats (Dec 21, 2007)

have you guys noticed all the little dog owners are replying? Kody does this only at the dog park.

My GUESS is that its a little dog trying to look bigger. Dogs dont try to cover up their scent, they try to make it bigger so when another dog comes by it goes "oh wow this is a big area that smells like this dog I bet it was a big dog."

Like I said its a guess, but it makes sense.


----------



## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

I wouldn't call collie's a small dog. More of a medium sized dog.


----------



## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

Kim does it too. She seems to take great pride in her work, and gets a bit annoyed when I ruin it by picking the mess up w/ my little doggie bags. She seems to think I am ruining a fine piece of art.  She's done it since she was about 7 months old.

EDIT: she's solidly in the middle of the medium-sized category (depending on how you define "medium-sized"), at 45 lbs and 23" tall


----------



## Rough_Collies2008 (Jan 4, 2008)

Durbkat said:


> I wouldn't call collie's a small dog. More of a medium sized dog.


Peaches is a shetland sheepdog, and at around 20 pounds..I consider her small(I know what you are talking about though). Collies are 'considered' large(Aspen is 64 pounds,and Riley will probably finish over 70 pounds...he is 60+ pounds at 7 months now).


----------



## 4dogs3cats (Dec 21, 2007)

Let me rephrase.

It's *usually* small*er* dogs that I have *seen* do this.

You dont see great danes doing it to look bigger. I havent heard of LARGE LARGE dogs doing it. Only dogs who want to look bigger. But then again, I guess a great dane COULD want to look bigger. But his only competition would be a horse...


----------



## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Imagine if a great pyrenees did that.


----------



## Sugar Daddy Otis (Jan 9, 2008)

Okay-here's coming from an extra large breed...
Otis does this every time he poops! It was okay in the snow-snow flew, but now that the ground is wet and soft there are divits EVERYWHERE!! We call it a burnout in this house. Our yard is huge-so they are everywhere- and you can see chunks fly when he does it. I've even tried distracting him to see if I can get him to not do it-nope-does it anyway-big brat. 
Sometimes I wish he were a little 10 pounder and there would be no divits or huge piles...naaaaaah I LOVE HIM no matter what he does!
Someone remind me I said that the next time he does something very naughty...


----------



## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

My old boss's 100-120 lb Akitas would do that whenever I walked them for her too -- males and females alike. Not Otis-big, but definitely well into the large breed category...


----------



## heidiann (Feb 3, 2008)

LOL Our lab mix does it...she's female. I don't know if Topaz does or not, I'll have to watch him next time he goes. He does go back and smell his poop though and then walks away...haha

We call it "Doing the bull" when Onyx does it.


----------



## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

It is a dominance/marking thing. My dogs do this also, not all but most of the them. One female is the worst for she will actually sling her poo sometimes, but even when she doesn't do that she still kicks up way too much. She makes mini trenches in the dirt and flings grass everywhere. Forget having a nice yard. They also (some of them) make a snorting sound (kind of) like their little huffs that they do when they are trying to be bossy also, they sometimes do it at the same time. They do that other times to each other or other animals when they are being pushy and dominant.


----------



## 5 s corral (Dec 31, 2007)

Sheba my white gsd who is 97 pounds loves to do it 
now with the mud its a wonderful mess none of my shelties do it 
jamie


----------



## Mr Pooch (Jan 28, 2008)

Curbside Prophet said:


> Oh yes, females do it too. To be honest, I don't really know. Elsa recently turned three, and she had never done this behavior until this last year.
> 
> It could be for message delivery, there are glands in their paws. Or it could be they want to cover their tracks. Or it could be they want the disturbed earth to look like a dog has been there (the opposite effect). Or, who knows, it could just be fun, as it is amusing to us.


Hmmmmm,im waiting for the Curbside book.

Everything you need to know from A to Z.

Aslan does it but the others no.


----------



## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

Dozer and Puddles does..and yep both have that look about them that says yea...i did it. Iris hasnt yet.


----------



## ILuvCanines (Dec 29, 2007)

Both my dogs do it, but my female does it way more vigorously than my male.

It's so funny to watch them.


----------



## Lorina (Jul 1, 2006)

Beavis even does it on PAVEMENT. 

On the plus side, I've never had to trim his nails.


----------



## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Willow used to do it all the time. But she's old now, and her hips can't take it....I think she'd fall over if she tried. Toby and Moose only do it if the other is watching, or if another dog is in the area. I think they're showing off. Penny has never done it.


----------



## Danegirl2208 (Jul 6, 2006)

Both of my Danes do it...usually when they are in someone elses yard though..but my male will do it now and then in our yard as well.


----------



## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

poohlp said:


> It is the same reason cats scratch posts/trees. It is a way of marking the area, both by leaving their scent and their "mark." Basically they are saying, "this is my plot of land/bush/tree/etc."



What she said.


----------



## Puppy-Luva (Mar 18, 2008)

Hehehehe, my Cane Corso Nikita used to do it. But it wasn't all the time. Just every once in a while she remembers to do it.


----------



## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

my min pin does this when he's scared of something, wanting something, or playing and feeling tough


----------



## jchantelau (Mar 6, 2008)

Rosie likes to poo while trying to do a 360 degree circle while squating, then do her grass kick up then sprint to the house! It's a process for her. Not sure why she can't sit still while pooing?


----------



## MikeTuscani (Mar 15, 2008)

yeap mine do it...but he do not smell his doody...and hi is big 27 ft and 100 pound so a dont think is for looking bigger .....
I alway said that it is for cleaning or something like it jajajaja anyway he looks funny


----------



## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

Why?! Ill tell you why.

You know when a golfer swings a crappy shot, Like me, And a chunk of turf flies through the air, And the people your with is screaming, "PLACE YOUR DIVIT" and you have to get said chunk of Divit and put it in the hole you dug.

Dogs pee and know the burn the grass, plant, shrub...They thinking they are "reseeding" it...I call it "Peevit"


----------



## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

My last dog, a 90lb Dobe/GSD mix used to do it on occasion. Alvin does it nearly every time he poos and, because he is also a Chinese breed, we have taken to using Lorina's name for it. Sometimes his kicks are more enthusiastic than others and sometimes, when the poo is a really satisfying one, he will kick vigorously and then go trotting proudly around the yard with a grin on his doggy face.


----------



## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

I never seen Eddie or Uallis do it...


----------

