Dogs defecate in accordance with earth's magnetic field, research finds

[WhiskeyWulf]

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/jan/08/dogs-defecate-earths-magnetic-field-research-finds

For years, scientists have known that several species spontaneously align their bodies with the earth’s magnetic field when engaging in certain behaviours.

Now, a team of 12 scientists from universities in Germany and the Czech Republic have come together in a unique study that observed 37 breeds of dog over a two-year period.

Exactly 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations later, the team reach one incredible finding: "dogs preferred to excrete with the body being aligned along the north–south axis".

[sandensea]

1. Bassets, I might add, often whirl their tails like a helicopter while peeing

Go figure.

[WhiskeyWulf]

4. I look after my neighbor's bassets sometimes.

I'll have to watch for this!

[sandensea]

7. Sounds like fun! They're a hoot.

But you almost have to have a yard if you have a Basset.

They pee anywhere and everywhere, and at any time (especially the males).

And they're almost impossible to potty train - or obedience train, for that matter.

But they're some of the most loving - and funniest - dogs you're likely to meet.

[WhiskeyWulf]

8. They are very, very affectionate.

My neighbor has two -- a very large male & a rather small female that he adopted when they were older. They live two doors down from me. The house in between is their grandma's & there's a gate between those two yards, & when they're out, they'll go bark at Grandma's back door until she brings them a treat, & then come to my fence & watch for me . . . I call it trick-or-treating.

[happybird]

10. My Aunt had a bassett named Clancy

we was, by far, the cutest puppy I have ever seen. He was a garden destroying beast, but you couldn't get mad at him- he was too darn cute!

[WhiskeyWulf]

11. Aww :) nt

[sandensea]

13. Ha!

Trick-o-treating!

That's them. Treats are their favorite bribe.

And for such short, frumpy things, they can be amazingly good counter surfers.

"How'd you get up there?"

[mbusby]

2. If you spin them around...

...do they stop aligned along the north-south axis?

[WhiskeyWulf]

3. Will find out for you next time I see the neighbor's dogs out.

[Ohiogal]

5. So that's why

my dog takes a compass outside with her 3 x a day .....

[WhiskeyWulf]

6. LOL! nt

[hlthe2b]

9. A lot of owners know this instinctively--if you want to train your dog to defecate on short walks

when there isn't time to do the usual multi-mile trek, pick your North-South route and always go back to the areas where they have urinated and defecated previously.

I'm always amazed at friend's dogs when I agree to temporarily take them in issuing me the warning that they will not defecate without walking them in circles and circles. They do for me.

[WhiskeyWulf]

12. I honestly hadn't noticed before!

Now I'm going to be watching for it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. You just helped me remember our dog

I can see him in my mind's eye, and he did align himself.

I was gonna say Holy shit, but will settle for...amazing.

[Tipperary]

21. Lol, watched one of mine this evening. She does prefer the same area depending where we're walkint,

Today she was on a definite west/east axis.

[Ron Obvious]

14. Big Deal. So do I. n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Is it a coincidence

that both of the toilets in my house face north? Maybe it's not just dogs.

[jpak]

17. This is why ancient humans domesticated doggies before the invention of the compass

The problem was...

Was the South End of the Pup North?

Or South?

[WhiskeyWulf]

20. Hmm . . . LOL nt

[Kaleva]

18. 9 years of my own research show that neighbor dogs like to shit in my driveway.

[WhiskeyWulf]

19. Ha!! nt