Discussion
I heard it was to flatten down the straw or bedding, but that might be nonsense.
Ours tends to do a couple of rotations before falling sideways, rather than laying down in the traditional sense. He sometimes does it on tiled floors, which makes a loud bang and must hurt, but he seems not to notice. I think he's a bit special.
Ours tends to do a couple of rotations before falling sideways, rather than laying down in the traditional sense. He sometimes does it on tiled floors, which makes a loud bang and must hurt, but he seems not to notice. I think he's a bit special.
Flattening the grass? Surely just falling over and then snoring flattens it more?
Another point against this is that my dog will sometimes "ruck up " the perfectly flat huge bed he has after I have spent a while making it for him.
I know dogs ruck up beds to hide bones, but this is just rucking for the sake of rucking. Or are dogs so daft they make the bed lumpy and then rotate to flatten it?
Another point against this is that my dog will sometimes "ruck up " the perfectly flat huge bed he has after I have spent a while making it for him.
I know dogs ruck up beds to hide bones, but this is just rucking for the sake of rucking. Or are dogs so daft they make the bed lumpy and then rotate to flatten it?
mine does this before laying down and also spins round several times before squatting down for a dump. I assumed it was random then I read somewhere at random that when a dog does this for a dump they invariably end up facing north. I didn't believe it at the time but having watched -guess what ? Yep- they were right! I reckon 90% of the time mine spins round and ends up pretty much facing north. So, next time you get lost while out walking, no need for a compass -just wait for Fido to have a crap!
This struck me as such a load of rubbish, so I looked it up.
It seems that, from an admittedly small study, dogs do tend to poo in line with the world's electromagnetic field, typically aligning with the north/south axis.
Now we need to get a dog to poo on the north pole and see if he spins round throughout.
It seems that, from an admittedly small study, dogs do tend to poo in line with the world's electromagnetic field, typically aligning with the north/south axis.
Now we need to get a dog to poo on the north pole and see if he spins round throughout.
I don't recall any of my three doing this, but then I've not really been looking for it, however Barry occasionally will scratch heavily where he is looking to plonk himself, whihc can be annoying.
Our Pug when going for a dump would start out at the edge of the garden and do a massive figure of 8 and carry on doing so as he gradually got to the centre and then poo'd there, it was hilarious to watch.
Our Pug when going for a dump would start out at the edge of the garden and do a massive figure of 8 and carry on doing so as he gradually got to the centre and then poo'd there, it was hilarious to watch.
Baldchap said:
This struck me as such a load of rubbish, so I looked it up.
It seems that, from an admittedly small study, dogs do tend to poo in line with the world's electromagnetic field, typically aligning with the north/south axis.
Now we need to get a dog to poo on the north pole and see if he spins round throughout.
Standing at a safe distance so as not to suffer any coriolis splashback,It seems that, from an admittedly small study, dogs do tend to poo in line with the world's electromagnetic field, typically aligning with the north/south axis.
Now we need to get a dog to poo on the north pole and see if he spins round throughout.
Gandahar said:
My dog, when about to lie down, rotates on average 2 times. Sometimes once and sometimes up to 4. It is invariably clockwise.
Do your dogs rotate before lying down? Do all dogs go clockwise, perhaps they go anti clockwise in the southern hemisphere?
Why do they do it?
One good turn deserves another ?Do your dogs rotate before lying down? Do all dogs go clockwise, perhaps they go anti clockwise in the southern hemisphere?
Why do they do it?
I never noticed my dogs when south of the equator rotating at all. Possibly because there was nothing but sand ( where we were) to flatten .
Next Q- when standing, most dogs lift one paw or another. Any theories on why ,and does this indicate a "paw" preference ( as in right/left paw)
Gandahar said:
Flattening the grass? Surely just falling over and then snoring flattens it more?
Another point against this is that my dog will sometimes "ruck up " the perfectly flat huge bed he has after I have spent a while making it for him.
Humans plump up pillows, your dogs probably doing similar.Another point against this is that my dog will sometimes "ruck up " the perfectly flat huge bed he has after I have spent a while making it for him.
Beardies and Briards we have had have done a little settling in before lying down in a bed or corner, but not much. Too much circling might help to squeeze out a really smelly fart when it seems they prefer to wait until you have forgotten they are lying there and are in the middle of your meal .................... 
The German WH Pointer I occasionally look after does an (embarassed) rotation a few times before she takes a dump, which is always a good trigger to dig out the poo bags.
She also does the circling thing a lot when we arrive at the door of my g/f's flat (it's her friend's dog she looks after). The dog goes in the common stair and when she gets to the door of the flat as we dig out keys etc she gets very excited, jumping up and down and going around in circles on the door mat.
The German WH Pointer I occasionally look after does an (embarassed) rotation a few times before she takes a dump, which is always a good trigger to dig out the poo bags.
She also does the circling thing a lot when we arrive at the door of my g/f's flat (it's her friend's dog she looks after). The dog goes in the common stair and when she gets to the door of the flat as we dig out keys etc she gets very excited, jumping up and down and going around in circles on the door mat.
My Pug does this a lot, when he's snoozing on the sofa in the evening he'll get up and rotate half a dozen times as if trying to find the perfect position, then just goes back to the exact same place
Even funnier is when he's finding a spot to pee, either out for a walk or in the garden.. He'll sniff, step forward to cock his leg, then step and back sniff again, then forward, repeat so many times before he decides to pee
Even funnier is when he's finding a spot to pee, either out for a walk or in the garden.. He'll sniff, step forward to cock his leg, then step and back sniff again, then forward, repeat so many times before he decides to pee
[quote=smithyithy
Even funnier is when he's finding a spot to pee, either out for a walk or in the garden.. He'll sniff, step forward to cock his leg, then step and back sniff again, then forward, repeat so many times before he decides to pee
[/quote]
I've always wonder about this with a male dog. Then I got a female. A male might just approximate, but a female has to find the exact spot.
Even funnier is when he's finding a spot to pee, either out for a walk or in the garden.. He'll sniff, step forward to cock his leg, then step and back sniff again, then forward, repeat so many times before he decides to pee
[/quote]
I've always wonder about this with a male dog. Then I got a female. A male might just approximate, but a female has to find the exact spot.
One of our hounds, Moose, can spend several minutes nesting before finally settling
https://youtu.be/aBUkMOQ1_5o
https://youtu.be/aBUkMOQ1_5o
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