why do dogs kick up the ground behind them after they go the bathroom?

Question

i have no idea and im curious!!

Answer 1

People can only speculate. It's instinctual and likely a defense mechanism or territorial. I personally believe it's to make their pile look bigger, and therefore themselves. It wouldn't be to hide their scent as a defense, because they use their urine to mark their territory. They WANT the scent, so maybe it could be to preserve the scent? I also heard dogs have scent glands in their feet and they use those to mark their territory even further.

This is what they say at the source listed below: Dominant adult dogs kick up soil with the hind legs, perhaps to disperse their scent and increase territorial marking. Glands in the footpads mark the soil with scent during digging.

Answer 2

This is a wild instinct. Dogs have scent glands in the bottoms of their feet. Cats have this as well. These furry hunters along with bears, come from one stock. Via evolution they split. All of these creatures still carry glands on the bottom of their paws. Which is why your cat rubs his claws on things, and bears claw trees. This tells other hunter creature that this is my territory. Their scent communicates not only to their genotype but to all of the furry hunters. Dogs generally do this after they do their business or if they are barking or growling at something. They scratch the ground to tell an intruder, that he claims that territory. Even the smallest dog will do this. A dog does not know he is a dog. They are a creature, they don't reason in that way. They think that they are a wolf. It does not matter the size. Humans manipulated their genes, but some wild still exist.

Answer 3

This goes back to a time when dogs were wild creatures. They kick back the ground to cover their scent and so help keep them from detection from any predators. The instinct to do this has never left dogs.

Answer 4

I have heard all those answers before. One that I have heard that is not on there is dogs are basically a clean animal. They try to keep themselves clean. So they are trying to cover it up. Dogs do not want to cover up their territory. They mark their territory by peeing. That is their way of saying this is mine. I believe it is the clean thing trying to cover up their business.

Answer 5

It leave their sent saying they were there. Dog have sent gland in their paws behind their heads on the chest & under their lip they have many ways of talking to each other. Most animals have this.

Answer 6

they do that to leave marks in the turf it makes other dogs who come by later think that the dog that left the marks is larger than it actually is

Answer 7

because they want to to be polite! nah i am just kidding but i think it is because they want to cover it up so no dogs or cats know it is there my dog does that all the time good question! hope i helped!

Answer 8

I always thought it was to mark territory too but my male chihuahua also does it when he's barking at something.

Answer 9

This is to draw the attention of trespassing mutts or potential mates to their scent.

Answer 10

To hide thier territory from other animals.