[ranger rock]

Lost without a compass or a GPS? Try a dog with loose bowels. Dogs align their body axis according to Earth's magnetic field when they squat to poop. http://sploid.gizmodo.com/scientists-dogs-poop-aligned-to-earths-magnetic-field-1493113473 Dogs align their body axis according to Earth's magnetic field when they squat to poophttp://io9.com/dogs-align-their-bodies-along-a-north-south-axis-when-t-1493457072

[Cyclopath]

What's a fast-acting laxative for dogs?

[treeswarper]

So, I guess I need to orient my compass to the dog pooping direction? Is that part of the frantic spin arounds prior to eruption that The Used Dog performs? Now there's something else I gotta watch.

[wolffie]

I never use my compass; I just follow the dog. But are my dogs reliable? They're different. My dogs' poop don't stink. PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) was scooped by The Journal of Irreproducible Results, which ran a spoof paper entitled "Bovinity Rays" decades ago: Bovinity rays (see comment #11) PNAS paper

[treeswarper]

[ranger rock]

To calibrate the compass on my GPS I have to spin it around twice, so maybe that is what dogs are doing when they circle around. But what about when they are going to lay down and they do the circle dance, are the calibrating again or are they just making a nice flat spot? I'll be keeping an eye on Patches to see if she faces north. Normally she faces East because that is the direction I am dragging her on her leash when she has to go.

[gb]

Seems like that habit must be deeply in the genetics of the animals. Do humans have the same innate ability - maybe not at home where we are confined somewhat by our trappings - but maybe in the wild?

[Cyclopath]

Any guess what benefit this could possibly confer on dogs in terms of passing their genes on to the next generation?

[wolffie]

Does a dog's RFID microchip interfere with their magentic sense, making them poop in the wrong direction?

[ranger rock]

[Mike Collins]

Red foxes seem to utilize magnetism in hunting for mice and voles in winter. http://171.66.127.192/content/7/3/355.full

[treeswarper]

[509]

I never realized it but my hunting dogs have been trying to help me out for years. I have had two fairly rare hunting dogs. Both have "walking poops". I always thought this was weird behavior and finally came to the conclusion to there is no FREE WILL. Look if your poop behavior is dictated by your DNA do you really have ANY free will?? Thanks, to this article. I finally realized that the dogs were "walking" merely to "give me LINE". Yes, I can line up the dropped turds and get magnetic north. Do you think I can get my dogs to apply magnitic offset so I don't have to look it up??

[touron]

This means if you are a neighbor, then it is best to have an east-west facing yard--smaller target. As they say, the evidence is all around. Don't step in it.

[mgd]

touron, for once I agree with you.