[Dr. Smith]

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Who knew?
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(Ol' Furface sure doesn't!)

Doc

[Lara]

How weird is that?! I find it sort of difficult to believe really.
I read the actual study which is in that google list.

They're obviously not mammals like that article, but I have seen the magnetic termite mounds in a couple of areas in my own country and that was really amazing to learn about. They looked like gravestones all perfectly aligned.

[Sparky10]

Rosie poops East/West. Otherwise she's be in the middle of the road. And when in the yard, she goes along the East/West fence line.

She must get the non-conforming gene from the side that's not Lab.

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by Sparky10
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Rosie poops East/West.

I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but reading the articles carefully...

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.”

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A quick check of the
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indicates such a solar storm is going on now. Solar phenomenon are not that uncommon, and there are many other factors that can affect/influence magnetic fields locally: electrical equipment, metal fences/structures, weather, geological features—just to name a few.

The authors caution that more research is needed — in part because ‘normal’ magnetic conditions occurred only in 30% of the cases studied for this work.
Ibid.

This might suggest that there is a 70% chance that any given dog may not fit the pattern at any given time/place—or that the theory/study is full of what the dogs are doing.
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Ol' Furface tends to get his nose into the wind (prevailing WSW-ENE) which also seems logical, but most of all we should remember... WE'RE not dogs!
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Doc

[fbodgrl]

My dog does the walking in circles before he poops. He is the only dog I've ever had or seen do it. I always found it odd.

Im not sure how much I believe in what the article says, but it is interesting.

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by fbodgrl
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My dog does the walking in circles before he poops. He is the only dog I've ever had or seen do it. I always found it odd.

I was going to say you're right—that's odd, because I hadn't heard or seen that before—only that they turn in circles before lying down. As it turns out, you can google either phrase and find myriad speculations as to why, from magnetic orientation to getting their nose into the wind (for defensive advantage) to hardwired holdovers from prehistoric times, to stomping down grass/snow, etc.


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From observing dogs all my life, I tend to agree with the defensive position/fight or flight response theory. In both situations (pooping and lying down) dogs are at a defensive disadvantage—vulnerable to attack by predators/competitors. Dogs who can sense (smell) danger/trouble coming have just that slightest edge in defending themselves and/or staying alive in order to perpetuate the species.

Doc