Dog owners may notice this phenomenon: dogs spin around in place before pooping. Is this a habit issue or genetic problem, or are dogs simply looking for a more suitable place to poop and the spinning is just an inspecting behavior? Today the editor will help everyone understand why dogs spin around before pooping? What are the reasons dogs spin before pooping?

Why do dogs spin around before pooping

It is feared that this spinning behavior of dogs is closely related to the Earth’s magnetic field and direction. Biologists from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, Czech University in the Czech Republic, and a wildlife research team published this fascinating study in Frontiers in Zoology.

The study states that most mammals have an ability to align their center with the Earth’s magnetic field. This ability is called “magnetic field reception.”

We mostly have heard that “migratory birds can see magnetic fields,” because migratory birds have a sense to detect the direction of magnetic fields. But, do dogs also have the same ability?!

To verify this claim, the researchers conducted experiments. They spent 2 years thoroughly investigating the excretion behavior of 70 dogs of 37 breeds during walks. The total study collected as many as 5582 urinations and 1893 defecations!

The sampling results proved that when dogs excrete, they tend to position their bodies aligned in a north-south direction. It is as if adjusting their body orientation to align with the Earth's axis allows them to defecate peacefully. In other words, the conclusion of the study is that dogs with magnetic field sensing ability look to confirm north-south direction before pooping, which is why they spin around in place. To “relieve oneself calmly,” indeed requires heightened alertness...

Why do dogs spin around before pooping

On the other hand, according to reports from the Mental Floss website, this behavior is a leftover phenomenon of the wild habits of wild dogs and wolves in domestic dogs.

It is said that wolves and dog ancestors would stomp on the ground before sleeping to avoid pest and snake attacks, stomping grass firmly to make a bed. There is also a view that, having strict hierarchy concepts, they would mark an area by creating a circular space for their territory when sleeping.

Even on UCSB Science Line, the website that answers all online questions, scientists from the University of California, Santa Barbara explained this issue as follows: when dogs are about to poop in a vulnerable posture, they walk around to observe the surroundings to avoid sudden attacks from predators before squatting down.

Why do dogs spin around before pooping

The above introduces why dogs spin around before pooping. There are many explanations for why dogs spin. If dogs begin to spin around during walks, it means they want to poop.