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zappaman

(20,606 posts)
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 01:55 PM Jan 2014

Dogs poop in line with Earth’s magnetic field, says study(not the Onion)

A study published this week in the journal Frontiers in Zoology suggests that dogs choose to relieve themselves along a north-south axis in line with Earth’s magnetic field. The Motherboard blog reported on the study’s findings, saying that the research was carried out by a team of Czech and German scientists.

“Dogs are sensitive to small variations of the Earth’s magnetic field,” said the research team. “Dogs preferred to excrete with the body being aligned along the North-south axis” rather than the East-west axis.

The study examined the daily habits of 70 dogs during 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations over the course of two years. Consistently, during times of calm electromagnetic “weather,” the dogs chose to eliminate while facing north or south.

Dogs are not the only animals that are sensitive to the Earth’s magnetism. When it comes time for them to mate, salmon use their sense of the Earth’s magnetism to find their way back to the spawning grounds where they were born. Birds, similarly, migrate along magnetic lines. Even ants have been proven to have a sense of the Earth’s alignment and to distinguish between north, south, east and west.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/02/dogs-poop-in-line-with-earths-magnetic-field-says-study/


Not as "mysterious" as crop circles, but still pretty interesting...

45 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Dogs poop in line with Earth’s magnetic field, says study(not the Onion) (Original Post) zappaman Jan 2014 OP
Crap circles. nt Xipe Totec Jan 2014 #1
LMFAO. This explains a lot. n/t Butterbean Jan 2014 #14
lol Bobbie Jo Jan 2014 #17
... LittleBlue Jan 2014 #27
These crap circles were obviously created by the Scientific Materialist Claque (SMC) Berlum Jan 2014 #37
Too funny! zappaman Jan 2014 #38
Dupe. geardaddy Jan 2014 #2
Is that why a dog spins around before he does his thing? Tom_Foolery Jan 2014 #3
That's a good question. zappaman Jan 2014 #8
you want I should kick some spinning canine ass, Tom_Foolery? Skittles Jan 2014 #35
Nah, just let him spin... Tom_Foolery Jan 2014 #36
LOL Skittles Jan 2014 #40
They do the same spin when laying down KurtNYC Jan 2014 #41
I will immediately begin keeping records MineralMan Jan 2014 #4
Not sure what it all means but, I learned something new today.. G_j Jan 2014 #5
I just asked my dog, and he doesn't give a shit Electric Monk Jan 2014 #6
I wonder how much wind plays a factor on the male population? :) adirondacker Jan 2014 #7
Finally I have proof that my dad's dog has some screws loose Tyrs WolfDaemon Jan 2014 #9
No your dog is fine. Glassunion Jan 2014 #12
That's funny, my dog shits wherever his nose tells him to. CANDO Jan 2014 #10
When the dogs hike their legs here seveneyes Jan 2014 #11
Not my dog. My dog is special. n/t pnwmom Jan 2014 #13
Shit or get off the grass get the red out Jan 2014 #15
This message was self-deleted by its author Bobbie Jo Jan 2014 #16
What a shit post. /nt pintobean Jan 2014 #18
No wonder it takes my dog so long murielm99 Jan 2014 #19
The study raised one final question for researchers... pinboy3niner Jan 2014 #20
and so. Watched my dog Mocha (choc lab) twice today #1 and #2 - both north/south oriented. NRaleighLiberal Jan 2014 #21
Follow the beam... SidDithers Jan 2014 #22
Who knew just beyond my porch steps was a lay line of the earth! BlueToTheBone Jan 2014 #23
Well, my three dogs LibertyLover Jan 2014 #24
Goddamn it. I'm gonna be walking the dog with a compass later. nt msanthrope Jan 2014 #25
70 dogs... 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations over the course of two years. RadleyJ Jan 2014 #26
Not to mention the great conversation starter... hughee99 Jan 2014 #28
i guess this is further proof that my dog is just 'not right' ProdigalJunkMail Jan 2014 #29
So, if you're lost in the woods with your dog ... DirkGently Jan 2014 #30
Even dogs are smarter than this guy... progressoid Jan 2014 #31
Magnets...like crop circles..are unexplainable. n/t zappaman Jan 2014 #32
My dog did it too! PasadenaTrudy Jan 2014 #33
is there a change irisblue Jan 2014 #34
Holy shit -- it's true KurtNYC Jan 2014 #39
I guess my dog's GPS is fucked up. cherokeeprogressive Jan 2014 #42
Too much time on their hands? Blue_In_AK Jan 2014 #43
Does the dog's nose or tail point to the magnetic north? democratisphere Jan 2014 #44
They flip a coin. pinboy3niner Jan 2014 #45

Berlum

(7,044 posts)
37. These crap circles were obviously created by the Scientific Materialist Claque (SMC)
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 05:21 PM
Jan 2014

The same notorious claque which callously clings to the Orthodox 'Belief' that Crop Circles are created by the thousands each year OCCULTLY by anonymous beer drinkers dragging boards.

Beware - do not let Scientific Materialists defecate near your brainpan.

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)
41. They do the same spin when laying down
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 06:02 PM
Jan 2014

and I have always heard that is an instinctual remnant from the days when wild dogs lived in tall grasses. This could be something similar as knocking down the grasses would help avoid getting their own poop on themselves (via the vertical grasses) (?)

MineralMan

(146,338 posts)
4. I will immediately begin keeping records
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 02:01 PM
Jan 2014

of my dog's orientation during defecation, and will report my findings in due time.

 

CANDO

(2,068 posts)
10. That's funny, my dog shits wherever his nose tells him to.
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 02:10 PM
Jan 2014

And he faces whichever direction he chooses.

get the red out

(13,468 posts)
15. Shit or get off the grass
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 02:57 PM
Jan 2014

Is what I'm thinking for a few blocks on my walk with our dog every morning. Now I know that she is making careful poo placement calculations based on the Earth's magnetic field. Damn! All that brain-power and she still eats cat turds.

Response to zappaman (Original post)

NRaleighLiberal

(60,026 posts)
21. and so. Watched my dog Mocha (choc lab) twice today #1 and #2 - both north/south oriented.
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 03:59 PM
Jan 2014

Now gotta see how our other chocolate, Buddy, organizes himself!

TMI! TMI!

BlueToTheBone

(3,747 posts)
23. Who knew just beyond my porch steps was a lay line of the earth!
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 04:11 PM
Jan 2014

Here I just thought my dog (now deceased - RIP sweet Lily) was lazy!

LibertyLover

(4,788 posts)
24. Well, my three dogs
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 04:19 PM
Jan 2014

prefer an east-west orientation when defecating. For micturation it's pretty much whatever tree, stone, piece of yard furniture or the side of the shed is available.

hughee99

(16,113 posts)
28. Not to mention the great conversation starter...
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 04:29 PM
Jan 2014

"Cindy, you have to meet Melissa's husband Dave. Dave follows dogs around with a compass and watches them take a shit."

"How did you get that job, Dave?"

"I used to work as a trader at Goldman and spending all that time with assholes and dogshit was a big resume booster."

irisblue

(33,036 posts)
34. is there a change
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 04:54 PM
Jan 2014

between their own yard and walking the neighborhood/park? hmmm, notes will be taken this next week.

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)
39. Holy shit -- it's true
Thu Jan 2, 2014, 05:56 PM
Jan 2014

Both of mine just faced north. I have tried to teach them to face up hill when they pee with moderate success (it keeps their feet dry) and on gravel (which avoids killing grass). But for poop I just do the hand signal and they can circle and pick their alignment -- they choose north.

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