You must have noticed your friendly four-legged canine buddy dragging their butt across the floor or on your carpet. This act of weirdness is called scooting, and it is fairly common in dogs. And when performed by your dog, it can make you burst out laughing, and that is very much understandable. Moreover, this weird yet funny act is not done by your pooch on purpose, and neglecting it can lead to numerous problems in the future. But before we talk about how to treat and overcome this scooting issue, it is imperative to first pour light on why dogs do it in the first place.
Dog Scooting: Why Do They Do It?
There are quite a few reasons behind dog scooting or dragging their butts across the floor. Let us take a look at them.
Reason #1: The most common reason why dogs scoot their butts is that there’s something stuck there. It irritates them to no end, and to get that off them, they drag their butts. In most cases, the substance that is stuck to their butts is poop. (yuck!)
Reason #2: Another possible reason for dogs to scoot is pain and/or itching. If there’s anything that bothers their butts, they drag it across to get temporary relief from the itch or pain. Moreover, infected anal glands are very likely to be the reason behind the itch of pain.
Reason #3: Various parasites, including fleas, can also be the reason behind dog scooting. Normally, this goes away after a while, but it still causes irritations to your pet.
Note: Apart from your dog scooting because of the above-mentioned reasons, you might also notice them persistently licking their backend.
Dog Scooting: How to Treat It?
The remedies and natural ways to treat such a problem have been given below.
#1. Clean It Up: If the reason behind your dog scooting is because of poop being stuck, then cleaning it up is the obvious solution. Use a tissue (lots of it, perhaps) and clean up the mess. It will not only relieve your dog but at the same time, prevent your home from getting messier.
#2. Empty Out the Anal Sacs: The fluid present in the anal sacs can become thick, and when it does, it can lead to blockages. Thus, it is essential to empty them out. To do so, you’ll be needing tissues and gloves. Wear the gloves and then place your fingers in a V-shape above the sacs. Then gently squeeze the pouches simultaneously until the anal sacs are empty. They might leave behind a stench, but that’s alright as long as your Fido is in good health (and clean).
#3. More Fiber, The Better: Food items such as sweet potatoes and carrots are rich in fiber content. Adding them to your pet’s diet will help in keeping the anal glands empty and lower scooting behavior in dogs. Moreover, dietary supplements can also be given to your pet as it has a positive effect on the anal glands.
Dog scooting is not always because of the reasons we have mentioned. It could also be because your dog just wants to clean their butts; that’s it! Hence, before you assume anything for the worse, check his bottom and ensure it is clean. If the scooting still persists, then visit a veterinarian and get your pet checked.
