Dogs: Do you ever wonder?

[mockturtle]

Do you ever wonder what criteria determine where a dog decides to park his poop?  There is obviously a serious search for just the right place.  

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I used to walk my grandmother's dog for her every day before she passed and he used to drive me nuts, sniffing for a good ten to fifteen minutes before finally doing his business. I think it has to do with territory marking, so probably looking for a spot another animal did their business so they can drop it on top.

 

[Rugster]

Our idiot Shih Tzu will spin and spin for hours before he decides to do his business. He also is the only dog I have ever seen that likes to elevate his rear end over a stick, root, bush or rock to go. Sometimes he has one leg off the ground while he poops.

It's embarrassing

 

[Hippiechk]

Timex does the funniest little 4 legged pirouette...gets all 4 feet together...I have no idea why she doesn't tip over!!

On a more serious side, they do need to 'exercise' their noses as well as their bodies & a 'smell walk' is a very happy part of most dogs days.

 

[cyndi]

Stumpy is a very clean dog. She wants to go where no dog has gone before. She doesn't even want to walk where another dog has *gone*

 

[mockturtle]

Bucky and I walk several miles every day and he sniffs every molecule from every bush and tuft of grass but when it come to his number 2, he does his little serpentine search for the ultimate spot.

 

[jimindenver]

With our dogs it seemed that taking them outside started the process just like sitting on a toilet does for us. It could be a while in both cases unless it has been held for too long and nearly too late.

Our one girl would casually stroll around occasionally sniffing until she was good and ready. The boy would stroll around until ready and then do a pattern of walk, sniff, spin until the planets were aliened. The last one was always the last because she waited for the other two to go in to do her business in private.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Before I go off into woods, ditch, fied or wherever, I have a look around that the coast is clear, stuff paper in pocket discreetly carry shovel, I walk an acceptable distance in, find a spot where no one can see me, check the ground so it is soft enough to dig, once I find a soft spot with no roots, I look over everything one more time, If it checks out, dig, check out again, pull paper from pocket set in a handy place, check again, lower my britches, do my thing, check out my creation, lift trousers, look around making sure no one is looking, bury it, walk out like I was looking for mushrooms. We all have a ritual why should we be surprise when a dog has his or hers.

 

[GotSmart]

My neighbors dogs look for where people will be walking, and drop it directly where you will be steping.  

Cats look for soft ground, and bury it.  

 

[highdesertranger]

Dogs: Do you ever wonder? yes, always. blows my mind sometimes. highdesertranger

 

[Stargazer]

I know.

She's just checking her p-mail.

 

[rvpopeye]

Did you ever notice how guys in inner cities call each other dog?
I wonder if..........................naaaaahhhhhhhhh !

 

[RV-Hopeful]

This is a great thread, I laughed and laughed. My little GG girl does the sniff sniff till she finds the perfect spot, then as if something nudged her ... she moved about a foot over and does her business. Also so funny. Sometimes she'll be sniffing the ground ... then cut a wide berth around a certain area as if on fire.

They are such wonderful treats to have ... I love my dog

rvpopeye ... you are a hoot!

 

[DannyB1954]

It is their version of reading a magazine or newspaper.
We have E-mail, they have Pee-Mail.

 

[TrainChaser]

it is said that dogs have a sense of smell that is 70,000 TIMES as good as ours. It has to be an entire different world to them.

I taught my last girl to pee on command. WOW, was that easier when we were staying in the second floor of a motel and she had to go out a 2 a.m., and also in later days when the vet wanted a urine sample.

 

[rvpopeye]

TC
I did that with my dog too.
We lived on the road full time and whenever I stopped ,,"OK , go poooooop" !

 

[Queen]

We did the same with our pups. They were given plenty of time to wander, sniff, check their pee-mail, then a soft "hurry up girls" and they would spin a few times and take care of business.

 

[IanC]

I always wonder what a dog experiences walking in the woods. He must smell the trails, pees and droppings of a thousand wild critters that inhabit the forest and know they're around, even though we only know they're there when we see them. Their senses must be bombarded .

 

[lisamac]

I always wonder what a dog experiences walking in the woods. He must smell the trails, pees and droppings of a thousand wild critters that inhabit the forest and know they're around, even though we only know they're there when we see them. Their senses must be bombarded .

I've wondered this a thousand times! I take mine for a walk every morning and wonder what she sees (smells). Can you imagine us living with a sense of smell like them? NOT a good thing! 

 

[TrainChaser]

What is amazing is that they can separate and identify different odors at the same time. I was hiking near Government Camp in OR one time, and I could smell someone's meat BBQ. Dixie raised her nose and sniffed, wagging her tail. Half a minute later, she stepped across in front of me and stopped, blocking me, looking into the trees. I bumped her aside and took another step, and she repeated the maneuver. I looked down at her tail, and it was tucked.

OKAY, LET'S GO BACK! We turned around and went back up the trail, with our heads on our shoulders. Never saw it, but I'm sure it was a bear.

When the dog says STOP!, pay attention!