human being do n’t typically have any complex pre - poop rituals . Most just make certain they ’ve incur their phone on them , lock the door , and go for it . Butdogshave a tendency to premise their intestine movements with a bit of rotate , spinning around for a while before getting down to occupation .
What ’s going on ? Is there a complex cause behind it , or is it just thedog poopequivalent ofshaking a feeding bottle of ketchup ?
Various possibility have been bandy about over the year . Some thought it was originally amethod of flatten grassin order to create a more pleasant , less anus - spiking situation to poop . Others hint it was a rubber issue — a quickscan for predatorsbefore get into a vulnerable position .
However , a 2013 paperin the journalFrontiers in Zoologysuggests that something more complex is pop off on — and that a pup ’s pre - poop pirouettes actually have something to do with calibrating themselves in copulation to the Earth ’s magnetic field , or at least endeavor to . Just asbirdsuse the satellite ’s magnetic pole to navigate ( a.k.a.magnetoreception ) during migrations , dogs use theirs to contrive the sodding plop .
Zoologist Hynek Burda and his squad spent two years analyzing dumping hounds , watching 1893poopsget pooped and valuate the dogs ’ alignment . During the 20 percentage or so of day time of day in which theEarth ’s magnetized fieldis stable , dogs will align themselves to be facing either due north or Dixie while urge one out . In times of less magnetic stability , when they ca n’t detect the poles , they ’ll try for a while ( by spinning around ) and then face any direction .
Why?Burda suggeststhat aline themselves might help dogs to think back the spot , which is important data when marking their territory .
Have you catch a Big Question you ’d like us to answer ? If so , rent us know by e-mail us atbigquestions@mentalfloss.com .
