Why do dogs kick grass after relieving themselves? 

Does your dog fling grass and sand backward after they relieve themself? It may look like they’re wiping their paws after doing their business, but this behavior is actually not about cleanliness at all.

What your dog is in fact doing is spreading their scent. Dogs have scent glands in their paw pads and between their toes. When they kick their legs backward, they leave visual signals through the scratched and scuffed ground as well as scent signals that they were there.

Science is still trying to uncover what exactly the scent says to other dogs. As humans, we rely more on vision for communication, making it hard to interpret the complexities of communication through scent.

Some believe that kicking grass has to do with marking territory. Your dog is telling other dogs that this is their turf. Others think that it may be more like a message board, letting other dogs know that “so-and-so was here.” That way, visiting dogs can get the scoop on who’s around and know they’re visiting a dog-approved space.

Although it may take a toll on your grass, kicking after relieving themselves shouldn’t hurt your dog. Only dogs who do it very vigorously will rarely scrape up their pads or crack their nails. This scent-marking behavior may also become problematic if your dog decides to start doing it around your home, which may damage carpet or upholstery.

If this sounds like your dog, you can try to redirect the behavior by getting them used to performing a different behavior right after the fact. For example, on walks, you can ask them to sit, heel or high five after their outdoor routine so that they’ll be too occupied to kick grass. With the help of some rewards, this will soon become their new favorite routine.

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