Why do dogs kick up their hind legs after a bowel movement?

Answer 1

It is a sign of dominance. Another way to spread their smell to other dogs who would come in the area.

It has NOTHING to do with getting poo off the bottoms of their feet. HAS YOUR DOG EVER POOPED ON THE BOTTOMS OF IT'S FEET?!?!! That doesn't even make any sense.

Answer 2

They are marking their territory. My dog does it because she's quite dominant. Where as the bowel movement is just in one place, kicking and leaving scent that way covers a larger area. My dog will also occasionally do it when I'm not giving her attention too. It's just a marking thing really.

Answer 3

They must have evolved that way as a means to get poop off their back paws. I guess excess poop on their paws could make them more prone to diseases, so the dogs who would wipe their feet off stood a better chance of surviving. The longer they survived the more they could pass on their genes. And one of those genes was to wipe your feet off after making a bowel movement.

Our dog does this. But she's usually very clean, and never gets anything on her paws. She does it anyway. It must be hard-wired in her brain; that's what I always think.

p.s. after Googling and seeing some of the other answers, a lot of people are saying it's because of the scent glands inbetween their toes. I can say this is a really good answer, because cats have the same thing, and that's why they claw at furniture, to get their smell on it. I'm not certain that dogs have those glands, though. Plus a dog's feces already contain an abundant source of information in the form of odor, so I don't see why a dog would do this only after he/she poops, because the feces smell themselves, why do they need to put more scent down right next to it?

Answer 4

Marking and dispersal of scent is the correct answer!
To the left and the right of the anus are two scent glands. When a dog poops, the oil from the glands is released and the territory is "marked". That is also the reason for the hiney sniffing routine (are you a stranger or have I smelled you around?)
There are also glands on their paw pads called eccrine glands. They are technically sweat glands, but I think it is safe to say that some amount of marking does come from them. Dispersing poop is dispersing scent= more turf.

Answer 5

Dogs actually have sweat/scent glands in their paws. It is the only place they have them (not enough to keep them cool, thus the panting). Dogs scrape their hind feet as a way to scent mark and yes that often happens after a bowel movement. You see more of the behavior in dominate dogs than in less dominate ones.

Answer 6

I always thought my dog did it to clean her paws off just incase she stepped in it or also cover it. My dog looks so funny doing it, she'll go and then walk atleast 3 feet and then do it and since she's small she gets really excited and looks like she's kicking off for a marathon race since she flys in the air at the same time. (she's a toy fox terrier, soo much energy)

Answer 7

Dogs do have scent glands in their feet and they are marking territory. However, they have scent glands elsewhere too. They do not have sweat glands like people and do regulate temperature through panting.

Answer 8

just it dont want to spil urine in its legs. So always pulls up the legs before the bowel movements ;-)

Answer 9

It's marking there territory, it's like putting arrows towards it saying to all the other dogs "Look it's my territory, don't come here!"

Answer 10

i have continuously idea my canines did it so she might want to draw interest to the actual undeniable actuality that she is complete doing her agency and is waiting for me to inform her she is a sturdy lady! Who is conscious why canines do something? :)