Why do dogs take so long to poop? | Top 4 Reasons
Why do dogs take so long to poop or is it just my dog? Have you ever asked yourself that?
If you have been in a situation where you have to wait for your dog while it ventures into the poop business, then you’ll know that sometimes, it is not really a fast business.
You will find your dog tugging, sniffing, circling, as well as squatting repeatedly and that alone can get you pissed off because it’s time-wasting.
The secret here is that there is more to this than meets the eye, some of the things most dogs consider before defecating that you may not be aware of include simple things like smell and social signs to things like magnetic fields. Some answers to the question of ‘why do dogs take so long to poop’ include;
Dog Poop Internal Compass
Of course, you won’t be alone if you are actually wondering what compass has to do with your dog, let alone your dog poop. Well, according to some scientific research, it has been suggested that dogs poop according to the earth’s magnetic fields. Scientists believe that the spinning action of dogs when they are about to poop helps them find the right spot that will align them with their desired magnetic field. It is believed that dogs tend to align themselves, particularly along the north-south axis when they wish to poop and they do this with the help of their internal compass.
Social Cues & Scent Marking
Like their fellow non-domesticated family members (wolves), dogs use their poop and urine to leave clues on the ground, especially through their scent.
Wolves leave scent clues along the walls of their territory to wade off potential intruders – since they belong to the same family as dogs, it won’t be strange to find dogs taking a cue from this.
Popularly referred to as ‘pee mail’, dogs leave clues on the ground and other dogs can read messages such as the heat status of a female dog, the dog’s nature (if it is friendly/welcoming or not), the number of dogs in the area, etc.
Picking the pee-mail dropped by another dog can trigger your own dog to defecate.
Problem and Pain of Mobility
Dogs with some health-related issues like arthritis and/or orthopaedic injuries do have a hard time putting themselves in a squatting position. This can result in them taking longer time than usual to poop. Dogs facing such issues will often walk and squat to reduce pain.
Shyness
You may feel your doggie is very comfortable with you being around. Well, when it comes to using the restroom, some dogs wouldn’t want anyone gawking at them while they are doing their thing. You can prevent this by leading your dog to an isolated environment where it can go poop in a more private place.
Shyness
You may feel your doggie is very comfortable with you being around. Well, when it comes to using the restroom, some dogs wouldn’t want anyone gawking at them while they are doing their thing. You can prevent this by leading your dog to an isolated environment where it can go poop in a more private place.