A little girl walking her dog on the grass in a park. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images

When you pick up after your pup, you may get hit by a projectile of flying grass or a clod of dirt as he enthusiastically scratches the ground after he poops. It's annoying, particularly if he's kicking around in your garden or leaving pits in your lawn, however it's natural behavior for him. Scratching the ground after defecating is your dog's way of saying "I was here."

Why All the Fuss?

Your dog isn't too concerned with cleaning up after himself when he poops, nor does he care much about covering his tracks. As a matter of fact, he's all about letting everyone know he's been on the scene. When your dog kicks and scratches the ground after he poops, he's not wiping his feet off; instead, he's putting an exclamation point on his work, marking the spot as his territory.

Scented Paws

There's more than padding on your dog's paw. His paw pads contain scent glands that secrete pheromones. When your dog scratches, paws or kicks the ground, he's leaving a trail. The scratches in the ground serve as a visual statement while the scent of feces and urine provide olfactory clues. As your dog scrapes and scratches, his paw pads release their scent into the ground to further designate the spot as taken. That line of pheromones leads right to your dog's waste.

Everyone Does It

It's not just your dog who kicks up his heels after he's taken care of business. His canine cousins -- wolves, foxes and dingoes -- also scratch the dirt after their work is done. Scratching is not just for the members of the family Canidae; male deer scrape the ground and bear scratch on tree trunks to leave their scents.

Scratch and Circle