So much we don't know! Maybe this is too much information ;)
 Dogs can typically smell and hear far better than their human companions. Now it appears they can sense Earth's magnetic field too, say a team of biologists — and they show it when they poop. These canine compasses prefer to align themselves along a north-south magnetic axis when they relieve themselves, according to a study in the journal Frontiers in Zoology. The findings may help scientists better understand how that strange sense called magnetoreception manifests in mammals. Dogs wouldn't be the only animals thought to use magnetoreception: Birds do it, bees do it — and certain types of mammals do it, according to study coauthor Sabine Begall, a biologist at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. "We discovered (by measuring Google Earth aerial pictures) that cattle align with the magnetic field lines a few years ago," Begall said in an email. "Since then, we studied hunting behavior in (the) red fox and found that they have a preference for N-E during their mousing jumps, and from there it was just a small step to study dogs. First, we looked also at other behaviours but the results were less promising than the 'pooping direction."' Advertisement The scientists studied 70 dogs of 37 different breeds as they defecated (1893 dumps, to be precise) and urinated (a whopping 5582 times) — data collected over two years. The researchers found that dogs prefer to point along the north-south axis when they do their business — as long as the magnetic field is stable. When the magnetic field shifts — say, because of an oncoming solar storm — it becomes more difficult to see the pattern, Begall said. "We were quite frustrated, because we couldn't find a clear preference for a certain direction," Begall said. "Then, we sorted the data according to the prevailing (magnetic-field) conditions at the time of recording, and this analysis revealed a highly significant and predictable effect." Both male and female dogs took this north-south stance when defecating, the study authors said. But male dogs took slightly different positions when urinating — probably a result of their leg-lifting behavior. How that leg-lifting — right or left? — affects a dog's alignment is "currently under study," the authors wrote. The authors caution that more research is needed — in part because 'normal' magnetic conditions occurred only in 30 per cent of the cases studied for this work. If they do indeed sense magnetic fields, why do dogs feel the need to point north-south when they do their business? The authors don't know yet, Begall said. "It could be that the dogs somehow calibrate their compass or read their 'mental map' during the walks," Begall said. "Imagine that you read a compass during a hike. If the compass needle is shaky, you might dismiss reading the compass at all. That could be the reason why the dogs have no preference when the (magnetic field) is unstable." Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/anima ... z2px92pfoF |
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 I will start..........watching. I am not about to take field data. The current solar storm would not be a good time to begin a.....study? Does this mean the wandering sheepdog pooper usually moves NE? There may be some truth to this.......according to my totally unscientific mother: She "read" somewhere that humans with the highest concentration iron in their brain had the best sense of direction. She continues since her iron levels were often low, that's the reason she couldn't find her way out of a box, er, find her car in a parking lot or know what direction she was driving.  I never tried to explain magnetism, etc to her but just nodded my head like a good daughter and said, "Yes Mom." And never relied on her to give good directions. |
| That study has been all over the news here. I've yet to check out their theory at my own house. |
This is funny! Gracie always does a little twist when she finds a spot to poop, anywhere from 90 to 270 degrees. I wonder if this is why?  I have to say this, Gracie is the cutest little pooper on the planet, from her little twist to this little tucked in round ball she bunches herself into, to the look she gives like "OMG DADDY I'M POOPING!!!!  ". Ok, ignore the poop itself, the rest of her pooping behaviour and positioning is adorable!  I've been thinking I should video it!  |
| Does Gracie give the kick at the end? Kensie doesn't get into a real tight ball, but she's older and probably arthritic, but when she's finished she takes a step or two and then an energetic back kick with both rear feet. "I'm done, let me cover that up." |
| Nope, none of my girls are kickers. Just as well I think! |
| Amy does what we call a "poop stroll". She doesn't go in one spot, which annoys the pooper scoopers in the family. She assumes the position and strolls around in whatever direction something more exciting is happening. She also balances on her front legs when she urinates. Its the weirdest thing I've ever seen when it comes to a dog going potty. |
| Yeah, each of my sheepdogs have had unique bathroom habits. The wandering pooper shows up most frequently. Also most frequent bizarre actions was the bitch who cocked her leg like a dog and a dog who squatted like a bitch, a dog who peed stretched out like a horse. The Pyrs would have designated poop areas for themselves. The sheepdogs were more into "as it happens, it happens." |
| Monty does the poop stroll, he's almost up right when he does it. Buster does a sit down poop, you'd think he was just sitting. |
| Tiggy is a wandering pooper as well. She kind of waddles along while sort of scrunched up with her back feet turned out. As a consequence I have knick named her Charlie Craplin.  More research needs to be conducted but from memory apart from the fact that she does wander in a bit of curve I think she probably does mostly align with a north/south axis. Rastus is a kicker. Very dangerous for the pooper scooper. We've learnt to stay off to the side until the coast is clear so to speak. This topic has got me thinking about Feng Shui and wondering if my bathroom it correctly aligned. If Gracie's privacy is not too infringed a video would be great David.  |
It's been on all our news too.  I'll have to watch. Chewie doesn't hunch too tight, and leaves a little wander trail. Bond does a spin, so he would be impossible to gauge in a direction. I know Harley goes east /west. The human toilet...hmmm, mine is east/west! |
Quote: The human toilet...hmmm, mine is east/west!] Do you do a fancy kick afterwards? |
SheepieBoss wrote: Quote: The human toilet...hmmm, mine is east/west!] Do you do a fancy kick afterwards? LOL, no! In fact I pulled a gluteal muscle running at an agility trial on Friday, so I need a handicapped toilet instead. I used the handicap stall at the trial, and when we went out to dinner that night - it saved me. I needed the bar! It's getting much better by this afternoon, but I'm moving slow at work this weekend. No foot kicks! |
| OUCH! We have two different heights and some days the taller with the drop down handicap bar is mandatory. |
| Yeouch!! Gluteal strain, not nice and quite disabling  I wanted a crane to get me up and down from a sitting position after hip surgery so I know the feeling. Hope you mend soon.  |
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