Have you ever wondered why your dog-iron kicks his wooden leg when you scrub that sweet smirch under his Kuki-Chin or on his belly ? Dogs are singular creatures , and this is one of their most well - known comical traits . Are they ticklish ? Is it just a random reflex ? I ’m sharing the science behind the doubt ofwhy do Canis familiaris kick their leg when you scratch their belly , and the answer might storm you!Virtually every dog on Earth eff a good stomach rub . I do n’t get it on about you , but one of my favorite things to do is pose with my dog and give them a dependable wipe down . They get it on it , and it get us both felicitous . This quality time fosters the bond between us , and even makes me laugh sometimes when their legs set out recoil . I’ve been around dogs my entire life . I always thought this behavior was just a canine quirk or some variety of unmanageable unconditioned reflex . After a chat with my vet and some research , I realized that there is actually a scientific reason for why do firedog kick their ramification when you scratch their belly .
Why Do Dogs Kick Their Leg When You Scratch Their Belly?
There is acluster of nervesunder your dog ’s pelt on the side of his abdomen . When you touch this situation while itch your puppy , the nerves beam a signal to his leg to start out scratching . Research shows that this is an involuntary response to aid protect dogs from fleas , ticks , mosquito and other irritating pest . Has your doctor ever tapped your knee to verify that your reflexes are entire ? You ca n’t aid it when your leg kicks out , and neither can your dog . It ’s the same type of reflex . You may see that the wooden leg take off moving and then stops or you may have trouble get the accurate position sometimes . The time lag is due to the time that it takes for the spunk to send the signal throughthe spinal cordand down to the leg to get it move . In scientific terms , this is known as the “ latency period” . The movement will also lean to set out slow and then really get move . That is because the reflex is design to swat away pests . As you stay on to scratch , the physiological reaction picks up in intensity .
The kicking motion may also last for a second or two after you stop over scratching . This is because the nerves need clip to move the signal through the spinal corduroy and back down to the leg to get the boot to kibosh . If youscratch for too long , the reflex may blockade as it gets “ banal out” . While we see the scraping reflex response as a fishy behaviour that our dog-iron seem to enjoy , it may not really be the casing . Watch your dog ’s body terminology while you ’re scratch him . Is he startled when you touch that spot?Your frump ’s response may be the same as it would be if a bug landed on him or a vane of Gunter Grass or stick rubbed against his belly while walking through the woods . If you see that he capture nervous or jumpy when you itch that point , just sample to avoid it . You do n’t have to arrest collapse your pooch belly rubs , because he certainly enjoys this attention .
READ NEXT : Interesting Facts About Dogs That Will storm Any Owner
