This is a follow-up to the reader question,”Why does my dog scratch the ground after he pees or poops?”
Citizen Canine readers (many are experienced trainers and canine behaviorists) had some great answers:
* dogs are curious and dig when there is an interesting smell (although the dog owner wasn’t asking about digging)
* dogs scratch with their back paws to mark territory
* while most dogs scratch and spread the ground after urinating or defecating to spread the scent, some scratch as a ‘happy dance’
* one reader noted that cats also do this
* scratching the ground to spread scent after urinating/defecating is more common in males, but some females also do this
So, it seems there are different opinions about the function of scratching the ground after the dog urinates/defecates. It’s unlikely the dog is attempting a polite cover-up and most likely the function is to spread scent to 1) mark the dog’s territory and 2) leave information for other animals that come along.
Dogs have scent glands between the pads of their paws. Scratching up the dirt and grass leaves traces of the dog’s scent and spreads the canine news. As I wrote in the book, Citizen Canine, ”humans send email, dogs send pee-mail.”
AKC's Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Director, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
I would agree that the purpose of the scratching is to leave a signature: Looka here–I am so big and important–see how deep and long my marks are! This is MY Turf!
Ha,ha. And have you seen little dogs (males) lift their legs so high to mark a post or tree that they nearly fall over? I wonder if they are trying to leave the message a big dog has been here ?!
My five year old male sheltie (neutered) is unusual. He has NEVER lifted his leg to pee. He does not mark; he pees simply because he needs to. It does make life easier, as I never had to worry that he would “go” at an inapporpriate time, such as when we compete in Rally or Obedience. He is a rather prim little dog…very clean…maybe, because he is a bi-black he thinks he is dressed formally and must display good manners. Of course, he still barks at strangers who come to “his” house or look in “his” car…
Does he bark at any thing he considers out of the ordinary? I just had someone call and ask about a Sheltie who barks and snaps at her when he sneezes.
My little female Border Terrier does the hind leg thing after pee & poop. When we go for walks, she sniffs and pees on everything that has been pre-peed on. She seems to save a little for this very purpose. On leg lifting: my friend has a little female Yorkie who lifts her left leg to pee. She doesn’t pee ON anything, just where she happens to be standing. So cute.