Pet Dogs

　　Some dogs like to dig the soil after defecating, getting their paws dirty, and covering themselves in mud, ending up with a dusty face. Some owners think that when dogs kick soil after defecating, they are burying their feces, but this is incorrect. If dogs really wanted to bury something, they would dig a hole and then use their nose to push the soil to cover it.

　　The reason dogs do this actually stems from their innate habits. The purpose is to mark territory using scent, showing their dominance in this way. This is very similar to dogs urinating to mark territory; by urinating around, they can cover the scent left by other dogs. Dog feces serve the same function, proving that the dog has been to this place. When a dog kicks soil after urinating or defecating, it expands the range of the scent it leaves behind. Because dogs have sweat glands in their paw pads, especially after exercise when they sweat and then kick soil, they can leave their sweat scent in the soil. Other dogs can smell this and know that the scent was left by this dog, indicating it is their territory. In other words, the action of kicking soil can strengthen the dog's scent, expand its range, and emphasize the dog's presence.

　　Let’s also talk about other ways dogs spread their scent everywhere. Although these scents are imperceptible to the human nose, you may have seen dogs frequently shaking their bodies. Some think dogs do this because they like to keep clean, shaking off dust from their fur, but in fact, dogs are using the fallen hair and dander to leave their scent behind to show their presence. Some dogs also like to lie on grass or roll around, which is another way of leaving their scent so other dogs can smell it.

　　For us, dogs kicking soil after defecating can be somewhat troublesome because the soil dug up by their front paws can be thrown onto their back paws, and much soil gets trapped between their paw pads, making their paws dirtier. So we can moderately stop them, but honestly, it’s unlikely to fundamentally change this dog behavior.

　　Finally, as a reminder, dog owners should regularly trim the fur between the dog’s paws, so it’s easier for the dog to leave its scent when kicking soil. If the fur in their paws is too long, it’s not only inconvenient for the dog to kick soil but also allows soil to get tangled with the fur, making cleaning harder.