Not sure what to call this, but after every poop (and sometimes pee), my corgi mix kicks back her feet (like a dance) in an attempt to cover up her poop (like a cat). I try to discourage this behavior because now that it is spring time and the ground is soft, she is tearing up our lawn and our neighbor's lawns. Is this a corgi characteristic and has anyone been successful in getting their dog to stop doing it?
Thanks!

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I think it's a marking ritual. I've mostly seen it in terriers and the like, though any dog can do it. I'm not sure I would correct for it, as it can be confusing for a dog to be scolded for instinctive behavior! Neither of mine do it, but like I said I've seen it before.
Both of mine do it too -- so if one has just gone and the other is, as they often do, sniffing to check it out, they get a headful of dirt. Cracks me up. I don't discourage it either, because it seems so instinctual for them (as Beth said). Maybe you can just aim to get them to scratch up lawn where you want to plant something -- I keep trying to focus Bertie's hole digging in certain areas, but without success.
Most of mine do this also! I would not discourage! I honestly think many dogs do this.
This is just normal animal behavior. Lots of dogs do it, males especially but many females do it also. Cows will do it, elk will do it, antelope really do it, whitetail deer do it. It is instinctual to mark some territory, and when in a new area, it is to let any others know that I am here. You will never stop it, it is in their genes.
I read that it was not an attempt to cover. It is a way to mark their territory. Very tough!
Yep, and make the area "bigger" so they will appear to be a bigger animal to others who may come into their territory.
Thanks. I hate to discourage it, and it doesn't seem to be working anyway! It's just so darn destructive! She marks often and does it after that too. I try to walk away quickly so my neighbors don't yell at us!
All of our dogs do it. Yes it is destructive. Just take some grass seeds along with you and put some wherever there seems to be a significant amount of damage. I have 5 dogs at my house. My aunt sometimes brings her 2 over for daycare. And one of her dogs is female. She does it too. We have 1 lab, 1 corgi, 3 doxies, 1 chihuahua, and 1 min pin total. I am trying to re-landscape a little to minimize the damage... we will see how it works. I bet they end up digging up the flowers... lol, Oh well, at least I will have tried.
Penni does this all the time! And not just when she poops, when she pees! She seems quite proud as she's doing it, and I never scold her. But we don't live in a town, so we don't have to worry so much about our lawn or the neighbors lawn, either!
I can see your corgi mix is heavier than a typical corgi, so I can imagine how she can tear up the lawn. Put a leash on her and walk her to the appropriate place to go, when she is about to do the "poop dance", put your foot right behind her hind quarters, she'll know something is directly behind her and stop the dance. Sometimes I do that to Mocha because he has a tendency to dance and kick up poop / dirt while I bag his precious.
Yes, she is bigger than a pure-bred corgi. We think she is part lab? She is 45 pounds. Thanks for the suggestion! I will try that!
My corgi mix does it all the time! He seems so happy when he does it that I don't discourage it. If you're concerned about your pup tearing up the lawn you could try giving the leash a tug and just continuing your walk immediately after he/she pees/poops.

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