Keep in mind that the kicking is sometimes an involuntary response so your dog might still be enjoying the good old scratch. You will be able to tell whether your dog is enjoying or finding the scratch irritating by observing his body movements. What if your dog is kicking while you are scratching a non-sweet spot? Your email address will not be published.
Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. The delay is caused by the time it takes for the nerve to send scratching signals up the spinal cord to the brain, and then for the signal to travel back down to the leg and activate the kicking motion. The Warm-Up : This is the time it takes for the leg to really get going.
The kicking motion usually starts slowly and then builds in intensity as you continue scratching or rubbing the sweet spot. The After Discharge : This refers to how sometimes the kicking motion will continue after you stop scratching or move your hand away. Just as the signal to start kicking takes time to reach the leg, so does the signal that it's OK to stop. Fatigue : Scratching for too long in the same spot can cause the reflex to tire out, which is why sometimes your dog's kicking slows and stops even though you keep tickling the same spot.
It needs time to rest before it can become active again. The dog scratch reflex might be amusing, but it serves a purpose in protecting your dog from pests and provides key insights into their neurological health. Whether your dog is aware of any of this, or whether they just like the sensation of getting their sweet spot scratched, one thing is almost certain — belly rubs are pretty awesome.
Jean Marie Bauhaus is a pet parent, pet blogger and novelist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she usually writes under the supervision of a lapful of furbabies. Select Your Region. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube. As used herein, denotes registered trademark status in the U.
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Greater China - Taiwan. Oakland Veterinary Referral Services takes a look at this funny mystery of why dogs kick when you scratch their belly. Most pet owners will agree that their pets love being scratched. They all have their favorite spots. These kicks, caused by the belly scratch, look like a running or swimming motion. We call this response the scratch reflex. When your pet kicks in response to a scratch, it looks pretty funny to us, right? Is it funny for our pets too?
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