Strange potty habits
Here's a question for all you multi-dog households, or anyone who regularly walks/exercises your Corgi with other dogs.
Do you have a dog who seems to copy-cat another dog's potty behavior?
I've heard that overmarking is a sign of dominance, but my fairly submissive Corgi Maddie does something that I don't think is marking-related at all. She is clearly the more submissive of my two dogs in all other respects.
When Jack pees, Maddie sticks her head so far under Jack's leg that I think sometimes she gets peed on. She practically pushes him out of the way, then pees right where he does. (I've seen her mark, and this is not how she marks; it's normal elimination).
Ok, that's all well and good, but here's where it gets really weird. Sorry for being so graphic, and if you are snacking on something you might want to wait til later to read on...
but when Jack squats to poop, Maddie (if she has to go, or even sort of thinks maybe she might have to just a teensy bit), will shove her butt right up next to Jack, as he's squatting, and poop at the same time and in the same place he does, with her butt scrunched right up against his. Sometimes, instead, she'll just squat at the same time he does and a few feet away, but she does this "We're pooping now!!!" thing kind of a lot.
Maddie is about the sweetest dog I've ever met, but she is a bit daft. And to us (my husband and I) it almost seems like she's saying "Hey, what are you doing, Jack? Oh, you're POOPING!! I have to poop too! Where shall we poop? Right here? Ok!"
She does this with other stuff too ("What are you rolling in, Jack? Oh, I'll roll too!!" "What are you playing with, Jack? Oh, I want that too!!") but the simultaneous pooping is about the oddest thing I've seen.
Anyone else have a dog with this bizarre habit?
Do you have a dog who seems to copy-cat another dog's potty behavior?
I've heard that overmarking is a sign of dominance, but my fairly submissive Corgi Maddie does something that I don't think is marking-related at all. She is clearly the more submissive of my two dogs in all other respects.
When Jack pees, Maddie sticks her head so far under Jack's leg that I think sometimes she gets peed on. She practically pushes him out of the way, then pees right where he does. (I've seen her mark, and this is not how she marks; it's normal elimination).
Ok, that's all well and good, but here's where it gets really weird. Sorry for being so graphic, and if you are snacking on something you might want to wait til later to read on...
but when Jack squats to poop, Maddie (if she has to go, or even sort of thinks maybe she might have to just a teensy bit), will shove her butt right up next to Jack, as he's squatting, and poop at the same time and in the same place he does, with her butt scrunched right up against his. Sometimes, instead, she'll just squat at the same time he does and a few feet away, but she does this "We're pooping now!!!" thing kind of a lot.
Maddie is about the sweetest dog I've ever met, but she is a bit daft. And to us (my husband and I) it almost seems like she's saying "Hey, what are you doing, Jack? Oh, you're POOPING!! I have to poop too! Where shall we poop? Right here? Ok!"
She does this with other stuff too ("What are you rolling in, Jack? Oh, I'll roll too!!" "What are you playing with, Jack? Oh, I want that too!!") but the simultaneous pooping is about the oddest thing I've seen.
Anyone else have a dog with this bizarre habit?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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Not with the pooping but if Sparty is interested in anything Izzy has to stick her nose right in. Sparty has peed on her nose on many occasions. Also, if Misty or Sparty pee, Izzy has to pee there too. She lifts her leg too.Sparty loves to roll and when he does Izzy will race over to jump on him. Misty will pee while walking so if she pees on the sidewalk so will Izzy. I am sure this has some meaning to her but she really seems pretty submissive especially to Sparty. I would love to see the pooping thing though it sounds funny!
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Permalink Reply by Chris West on
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One of my favorite dog books talks about this kind of stuff. It is called "The Hidden Life of Dogs" by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. It talks about all the weird things she observed her pack of dogs doing. Been to long since I read it, can't remember what she said about this, but I know there was a part about it. Really good read if you ever have time.
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Funny Beth! I have a couple that stick their noses right by the others rears and it looks like they will get pooped on. Almost all my females now instead of squatting do a 1/2 sqaut and lift their 1 leg a little like a male dog but not so high. They will sometimes go in the same place right after another one has...life is a mystery I guess as to why these habits start or maybe monkey see monkey do??????
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Permalink Reply by Judi, Dawn, Soffie & Griffyn on
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LOL.... Soffie does that 1/2 squat too!! It's so cute!!!
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Permalink Reply by Becky S on
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Here I thought Lilly was the only female lifting her leg (I'm sure she is copying Brody). Glad to know she's not the only one.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Yes, Maddie sometimes does the leg-lift too, and then she does a little bunny hop to clear the spot when she's done. We call it her "dismount." :-)
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Both Soffie and G kick after they have finished! So we definitely have learned to wait for that before going in with the poo bag!! LOL!!!
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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on
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Usually Vienna go first, then Mocha second. I think dogs peeing in the same spot is kinda like human dropping business cards in a restaurant glass jar :)
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Corgi see, corgi do!!! LOL!!! Griffyn is my pee and poo on command guy. And, he thinks it's not a complete trip if he hasn't done both! Pretty much every time he goes out he'll pee and then leave even just (what we call) a "token" poo! : ) And, he's very proud of what he does, and will, most times, turn around and check it out!! He never uses his mouth but most always has a sniff!
Soffie is a little more private and reserved with her potty habits. She much prefers it if I send Griffyn back into the house before she will pee. I definitely think that's because if he's out and see's her peeing he can't wait to get right over there and add a little of his own, even before she is done! She is not interested in what he is doing at all!
Another thing I have noticed is that if one goes out alone to take care of business, the other (either or) will go right to the same spot, even if they haven't SEEN where the other has been!
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Farnell on
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A little off topic maybe, but as long as we're on pee and poo I'm curious about how often your dogs poop every day. I had thought that dogs usually only pooped after meals and now that my dog is on 2 meals a day I thought she'd only poop twice. She's 7 months old and has a nice firm poop before breakfast and a soft, puddingish one on her morning walk. Early evening another nice firm poo after dinner and a very soft one while on her evening walk. I'm wondering if this is something they gradually grow out of? Or maybe she has coccidia again from all the dirty things she eats!
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Permalink Reply by Ella and Lily on
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Exercise stimulates the bowels for dogs. You'll see them eliminate more as you take them on walks. Its normal and nothing to worry about.
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