why do dogs spin around before laying down?

[ThePrankMonkey]

i saw my dog do this and thought i'd ask, it makes no sense to me. dogs are weird.

and is it laying down or lying down? i get confused by this.

 

[Sparta]

I don't have a cite or anything, so don't take this as gospel, but I recall reading that the behavior (allegedly) is a carryover from when dogs' and cats' ancestors were wild, and would walk in a circle to knock down a small patch of grass to sleep in. It does kind of make sense when thought about in that context (e.g. lions in tall saharan grasses or wolves on the plains), but like I said, I'm not positive about that (and it may well have been just theoretical anyway).

(And it would be 'lie', btw, AFAIK. As I understand it, 'lie' would be the verb used in the case that the subject is what is lying down, whereas 'lay' would be the verb in the case that the subject is laying some other object down. I think that's the case at least.)

 

[ThePrankMonkey]

sounds plausible, ive seen cats do it too.

lie it is!

 

[Heretic_Cata]

I think Sparta is right - it's like when they want to throw grass/dirt with the hind legs after they poop, even though they are on concrete.

In this case they(cats do it too) just "think" they can find a more confortable position by doing this.

 

[Sidhe]

Why do dogs chase there tails is more interesting. A scientist recently po poohed the notion it was because they could not tell it was not part of their body, in preference of the notion that it's a hell of alot of fun; thank God for science

 

[ThePrankMonkey]

we have a cat that will attempt to bury a plate of cat food when he's done eating. he scratches and scratches trying to bury it, as if he were trying to bury poo. i understand why he does it, to save it for later and hide it from others. that i understand. just never got the spinning thing.

and the cats chase their tails. i figure they appear to be having fun so i never bothered trying to understand that. though they figure it out its their tail once they catch it and bite it.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Yea they are natural instincts - you know like when a ***** (she-dog) tries to dig shelters before giving birth.

 

[Sidhe]

we have a cat that will attempt to bury a plate of cat food when he's done eating. he scratches and scratches trying to bury it, as if he were trying to bury poo. i understand why he does it, to save it for later and hide it from others. that i understand. just never got the spinning thing.

and the cats chase their tails. i figure they appear to be having fun so i never bothered trying to understand that. though they figure it out its their tail once they catch it and bite it.

Yes but back in the days of considering animals as dummards they actually thought because cats can't retain visual stuff very well once they've stopped seeing it that every time the wavey thing appeares out of the corner of there eye they would assume it was a bird or some sort of prey utnill they chased and caught it like some dumb shcmo. Untill recently someone came up with the idea that they aint actually that dumb. Another breakthrough moment for science, that finally caught up with common sense.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Heeey.... they auto-censored me. Neat trick.

 

[FriendlyFire]

i saw my dog do this and thought i'd ask, it makes no sense to me. dogs are weird.

and is it laying down or lying down? i get confused by this.

Built-in genetic instince throw back to the days of re domestication.
This behaviour is seen in wild wolves.

IIRC it is a kind of sercurity precaution to check the area 360 several times before letting its guard down.

 

[Trogg]

Lol reminds me of my cat. Hes big dumb and a whole truckload of laughs.He chased his tail once when my brother sprayed him with catnip on the tail, he licked the scratchign post when my mom put catnip on it to make them use it more, he ran so hard into a coffee table that it woke everyone but me up early and he loves boxes.

*How do I use images off my computer?*

dogs go in circles before they sit because it makes them feel safer and because I can laugh at them.

 

[Steph]

Inherited instinct. It's to clear their resting place of smalls debris, and also to check there is no danger (like a snake, or the odour of an other animal) in the immediate vincinity.

 

[Grisu]

because dogs are cool, they don't need a reason

either that or what sidhe said

most likely both

 

[Steph]

It reminds me of a VERY important studies conducted by French scientists in Antartica. Something that cost a lot, but fortunately can lead to major advance for the good of humanity.

Why do Penguins fall on their but when an helicopter is flying over one of their colonies?

I'm sure nobody can live without an answer to this very important question

 

[Rambuchan]

Actually, you guys are only partly correct.

We have to remember that, in this wonderful world in which intelligent design meets evolution, God is a Civ Modder himself. The phenomenon under discussion right now is directly resulting from some sloppy modding work by God. In his upgrading of his original scenario (ie. life on earth), he has decided to check the 'domestication' box for dogs and cats but in doing so he has carelessly forgotten to uncheck the 'rotate upon nap' box. Like I say, sloppy.

This post was dedicated to Steph.

 

[Steph]

Actually, you guys are only partly correct.

We have to remember that, in this wonderful world in which intelligent design meets evolution, God is a Civ Modder himself. The phenomenon under discussion right now is directly resulting from some sloppy modding work by God. In his upgrading of his original scenario (ie. life on earth), he has decided to check the 'domestication' box for dogs and cats but in doing so he has carelessly forgotten to uncheck the 'rotate upon nap' box. Like I say, sloppy.

This post was dedicated to Steph.

Thanks for the dedication. But it's not God fault. The editor has been poorly designed, and does not include the necessary checking and warnings to be sure no error remains.

 

[Jawz II]

I don't have a cite or anything, so don't take this as gospel, but I recall reading that the behavior (allegedly) is a carryover from when dogs' and cats' ancestors were wild, and would walk in a circle to knock down a small patch of grass to sleep in. It does kind of make sense when thought about in that context (e.g. lions in tall saharan grasses or wolves on the plains), but like I said, I'm not positive about that (and it may well have been just theoretical anyway).

(And it would be 'lie', btw, AFAIK. As I understand it, 'lie' would be the verb used in the case that the subject is what is lying down, whereas 'lay' would be the verb in the case that the subject is laying some other object down. I think that's the case at least.)

that makes sense. and thanks for the lesson on lie and lay, i didnt even they were 2 diffrent words.

 

[Rambuchan]

The editor has been poorly designed, and does not include the necessary checking and warnings to be sure no error remains.

Well said Lucifer.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Why do Penguins fall on their but when an helicopter is flying over one of their colonies?
I'm sure nobody can live without an answer to this very important question

Ooo ooo, why why - did they find out ?
Is it because they think the helicopter is a threat and by staying like this they can easier channel their psychic energy together and can use this energy to push the helicopter away ? (telekinesis)

@Rambuchan - AAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA so THAT'S why there is no limit to the number of units in the editor. And THAT'S why there is a limit to the number of buildings, because God didn't like buildings in His mod, He likes flavour units more.

 

[Steph]

Ooo ooo, why why - did they find out ?
Is it because they think the helicopter is a threat and by staying like this they can easier channel their psychic energy together and can use this energy to push the helicopter away ? (telekinesis)

Imagine you are a penguin. You are standing straight. An helicopter arrives, it comes from somewhere in front of you. Curious, you look at it with your little penguin eyes. The helicopter is flying over you. Still curious, you follow it with your eyes. Of course, to do so, you raise your head... And when the helicopter pass behind you, you continue to raise your head, and bent backward (you are stupid penguin and don't realise you can turn backward).
And then, you lost balance and fall on your but...