Dreamstime

Is your yard a hole-filled mess because your dog does the poopy dance every time she goes? This may be annoying to those of us who cherish the sight of a well-tended lawn, but it's a normal behavior.





In the wild, canines such as wolves, dingoes and foxes may kick the ground after elimination for sanitary reasons. They are simply covering up the mess. But the behavior is also a way to mark territory. All dogs have glands in their feet that secrete pheromones, and a couple of backward scratches into the earth releases those chemicals.

But if you're mad that your dog is destroying your grass, there is a solution. Take her for a walk around the block twice a day instead.





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