# that running in place/digging-type thing they do after peeing/pooping??



## kitkat (Apr 6, 2007)

My old dog did this too....when he finishes going pee or poo, he kind of runs in place really quickly. My old dog was a husky, so I figured it was some kind of digging thing, or like ripping up dirt or something?

Someone recently told me it's a sign of aggression, but my old dog was as sweet as anything and wouldn't hurt a fly. My new dog however, is very difficult and is aggressive at times (I'm working on it- he is only a year old and newly acquired from a less than good home). Anyone know anything about this behaviour?


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

I have heard two different reasons for the feet kicking thing, one is that it is to cover up their scent, the other is to spread it around. Either way it is pretty much an instinctual thing to do, many, many dogs do it and it is not a sign of aggression.


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

I have noticed this too but it's odd, Sadie only does it very occasionally. I figured maybe she got a little pee on her foot and was kicking it off lol.


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## Crazie.Eddie (Mar 15, 2008)

jesirose said:


> I have noticed this too but it's odd, Sadie only does it very occasionally. I figured maybe she got a little pee on her foot and was kicking it off lol.


LOL. My previous (RIP) dog Brownie, did that. I thought the same thing. Thought he was a germaphobe. LOL


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## MollyDoggie (May 6, 2008)

At the dog park it's usually aimed directly at me.


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## mom2kdg (Jan 12, 2007)

Good ? my dog does this to but only on walks, hum he hates pooping in our yard so usually will hold it for a walk (yes, I do pick it up, lol) and then scratches the ground much like a cat in a litter box. My guess from the other responses is maybe trying to spread it around. 

I would love to know why they do it do.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I have long suspected it is a remnant of wild behavior that has to do with territorial marking. 

Dogs like all sorts of poop and pee. They can make a life time of work checking it out and sometimes a life time figuring out the "best place" to go (be it a male marking a tree or either sex finding a place to poop). 

This is why I suspect the behavior is from the wild days of marking boundaries for territory.


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## Crazie.Eddie (Mar 15, 2008)

I just saw a special on cable tv regarding dogs. Unfortunately, I accidently deleted it from our PVR so I can't remember the title. Anyways, there are scent glands in their paw pads and do this digging/running in place type thing after they go to mark their territory.

I happened to find an article online with a similar explanation here...



> *Why do dogs “peel out” and scrape their back legs after urinating or defecating?*
> 
> Dogs have scent glands in their paw pads, and often scrape their back legs to mark their territory after they urinate or defecate. My dog, JP, a pit bull that I rescued from the ghetto streets of Philly, loves to scrape his back legs after he poops, it’s his manly (albeit neutered) way of telling other dogs that “JP was here, and he keeps it real.” While “peeling out” is a predominant trait among “intact” males (read: the testicled ones), neutered males and even females have been known to do this as well. They’re basically trying to tell the next dog that they were here and that this was “their spot.” Remember lunchtime in the high school cafeteria? Sort of like that, but with the added bonus of public defecation.
> 
> Incidentally, male deer will also do this (it’s called “scraping”), and hunters use the scrape mark as identification that a buck is in the area. When I take JP out in the woods during the fall (in fluorescent orange garb, of course), I don’t exactly mind that he fakes out the hunters by scraping the ground. I just wish that PETA were paying him!


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## Sugar Daddy Otis (Jan 9, 2008)

My Brutus did this and he was neutered, and Otis has done it since he was a puppy, and he is not yet neutered and had to do it EVERY time he poos
We call it burning grass instead of burning tire- huge chunks of grass get dug up when those big paws run in place like that...it is not a good landscaping help, that is for sure!

As for being an aggression issue, I dont believe that- I think it is just a natural behavior


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## KintaroLove (May 21, 2008)

my puppy did this after watching another dog. Hes a real copy cat.

He also never lifts his leg to pee, don't know if it's because he's neutered or doesn't know how. he pees standing on all fours, you'd have to watch carefully to really know hes peeing. The other day he saw two big dogs lifting thier legs to pee on a bush and Kintaro decided to try this out last night on a tree and tripped on himself. He lifted his leg so high, he tries to hard.

It gave me a huge chuckle. =D


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## muki89 (May 27, 2008)

I always thought of it as 'polite manners', as if my dogs were washing their paws or covering their scent.

Now I know different


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

what about dogs that do this when they're scared or excited or simply just want something from you? lol my min pin does this all the time. 

"that's scary!" kick kick...

"daddy's home!" kick kick...

"give me my dinner NOW!" kick kick...


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## JustTess (Mar 19, 2008)

When I saw my neighbors lab kick and scratch, she looked like she was covering it up.

My husky looks like he's proud and just did something incredible  He also does the wierdest thing a few times when we first got him and he had a nervous accident in his crate. He would take his toe from one of his hind legs and squish his present into a coner like it was gross. LOL (he doesn't like to be anywhere near anything dirty)


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