Dog owners will find such a phenomenon: before defecating, dogs circle in place. Is this a habit problem or a genetic problem, or is it that dogs circle in order to find a more suitable place to defecate, just to investigate the local area? Today, Xiaobian takes you to know < strong > why do dogs turn around before defecating? < /strong > What are the reasons why dogs turn around before defecating?
Why do dogs turn around before defecating
I'm afraid the dog's wandering behavior has a lot to do with the earth's magnetic field and direction. Biologists from Duisburg = Essen University in Germany, Czech University in Czech Republic and wildlife research team published this interesting research in Frontiers in Zoology.
According to the research, most mammals have the ability to match their center with the magnetic field of the earth. This ability is called "magnetic field acceptance" ability.
Most of us have heard that "migratory birds can see the magnetic field". This is because migratory birds have a sense of direction to sense the magnetic field. But do dogs have the same ability? !
In order to verify this statement, researchers conducted experiments. Researchers spent two years investigating the excretion of 70 dogs of 37 breeds during walking. The total number of studies is up to 5,582 urination and 1,893 defecation!
The sampling results show that when dogs excrete, they have the characteristics of urinating and defecating with their bodies facing north and south. It's like when you adjust your body's orientation to the same direction as the earth's axis, you will feel at ease when urinating or defecating. That is to say, the conclusion of the study is that dogs with magnetic field sensing ability will first look for the north-south direction when pooping, so they will keep circling in the same place. To be "at ease and convenient", we really need to be vigilant ...
Why do dogs turn around before defecating
On the other hand, it is reported on the website of Mental Floss that this behavior is a residual phenomenon of wild habits of wild dogs and wolves in domestic dogs.
It is said that before going to bed, the ancestors of wolves and dogs would step on the ground to avoid the attack of pests and snakes, and step on the grass on the ground to make a bed. It is also said that they have a strict class concept, and they will demarcate a circular field when they sleep, marking it as their own territory.
Even on the UCSB Science Line website, which answers all online questions, scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara explained this problem: when dogs are going to poop in an unguarded posture, they will walk back and forth before crouching to observe the surrounding situation in order not to meet the strong attack of foreign enemies.
Why do dogs turn around before defecating
There are many theories about why dogs turn around before defecating, and why dogs turn around. If the dogs start walking around in circles, it means that they have to urinate.