Why do dogs spin before they poo?

Not all dogs decide to spin before relieving themselves, although it is common. When a dog spin or circles round and round before he poops, he is doing several things which are;

1. PREPARING THE GROUND.

He is ensuring his safety, preparing his spot, tamping down the grass and chasing away any bugs or other creatures to give it a nice clean place to do its business. The circles allow your dog to get a good, clear view of the surrounding area to make sure there are no threats or predators near by when they are in such a vulnerable position.

2. CHECKING FOR NEAT SPOT.

Sometimes your dog spinning means he is looking for scents from other dogs or creatures to see who else has been in the area. Dogs just like we humans want a nice clean and hygienic place to do their business.

3. ALIGN THEMSELVES TO MAGNETIC POLES.

This may sound crazy but it possibly could be true as researchers at a university in Prague says dogs like to align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic poles, particularly the North-South axis. Czech and German researchers studied 70 dogs’ bathroom behaviors and learned that dogs align their bodies with the magnetic field before they poop. However, the researchers couldn’t determine if this behavior was conscious or unconscious behavior. It’s unknown if they feel better when aligned on the North-South axis or if it’s a physical reaction.

Keep in mind that not all dogs do the spin before they poo and dogs aren’t the only animals to align themselves to the magnetic poles when pooping.