Dogs kick their back legs after going to the toilet to spread scent from glands in their paws, not to cover their mess, according to clinical canine behaviourist Will Atherton. The behaviour, which he calls one of the "most misunderstood" things dogs do, is a form of communication that leaves an additional scent deposit on top of the urine or faeces.
Layered Chemical Communication
Atherton, who holds an MSc, explained in a social media video that dogs have scent glands in the pads of their paws. When they scratch and kick the ground after toileting, they are depositing their paw scent around the area. He said: "They're leaving an additional scent deposit right on top of that area. They're taking a message that was already there and broadcasting it even further across the environment."
Urine and faeces already contain a huge amount of information about the dog that left them behind, but the paw scent adds another layer to the message. According to Atherton, this means another dog walking through the area can pick up information about who has been there, how they were feeling and whether they could potentially be a threat. He described it as "layered chemical communication", with dogs being remarkably skilled at interpreting different scents.
A Positive Sign of Confidence
The behaviour essentially spreads the scent over a larger area, making the message more noticeable to other dogs. Atherton compared it to the canine equivalent of "turning the volume all the way up". But there's another surprising detail about the behaviour - and it could actually be a positive sign when your dog does it.
The behaviourist explained he tends to see dogs kicking their legs after toileting more often when they are confident and comfortable. He said: "A dog that feels settled and secure in themselves will often do it with real gusto." In contrast, Atherton said he has worked with many extremely anxious dogs that don't display the behaviour at all. "So if they do, for me it's usually a positive sign," he added.
This means owners don't necessarily need to feel embarrassed when their dog starts enthusiastically scraping the ground after doing their business. Rather than immediately trying to pull them away, Atherton said owners should recognise it as a completely natural and instinctive behaviour. It's something dogs have been doing for hundreds of thousands of years and forms part of the way they communicate with one another.
Owner Reactions
Commenting on his post, one user said: "This is so interesting. I got my girl from a pretty bad situation with my ex last September. Over the last few months, she's started doing this. Really nice to have an understanding why - I truly hope she does feel confident and settled." Another user added: "My eyeless boy was confident? I love that. I used to worry about him." A third user said: "Yeah, I'm happy that my dog is so confident, but it's not so great if you have to go and pick up the poo she flung across the area. Also, she is peeing up the walls and trees like a male, didn't know females do that."
