# Dogs use Earth's magnetic field ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 19, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700 "2014-02-19T12:50:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/1 "2014-02-19T12:50:41Z")
… to poop. A new study shows that dogs [align themselves](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/dogs-poop-in-alignment-with-earths-magnetic-field-study-finds/) along the magnetic poles when they do their thing. I would imagine this would be a potential lifesaver if I am lost in the woods with a dog. Science marches on. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/2 "2014-02-19T12:55:26Z")
Previous thread: > **[Where's North? Watch a dog poop. Comments?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=711993)** > > Hot off the preprints: \*Dogs are sensitive to small variations of the Earth’s magnetic field \* Frontiers in Zoology, 2013, 10:80 Any confirmation or analysis by the TM? ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/3 "2014-02-19T13:02:02Z")
Crap. That is twice I have done this. May as well close it then… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/4 "2014-02-19T14:42:41Z")
> [@DrumBum](#): > > … to poop. > > A new study shows that dogs [align themselves](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/dogs-poop-in-alignment-with-earths-magnetic-field-study-finds/) along the magnetic poles when they do their thing. I would imagine this would be a potential lifesaver if I am lost in the woods with a dog. > > Science marches on. Maybe. I have brick, hardwood floor, and carpeting in my house. If the dog, when she has the occasional accident, could magnetically align her ass over the brick it would be so much better. Instead the megnetic ass-lines seem to be over the damned rugs. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/5 "2014-02-19T14:56:11Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Maybe. > > I have brick, hardwood floor, and carpeting in my house. > > If the dog, when she has the occasional accident, could magnetically align her ass over the brick it would be so much better. Instead the megnetic ass-lines seem to be over the damned rugs. The puke ones may be there too. My dog will leave the tile floor room to walk into the living room to puke on the carpet. I’ve actually tried to catch/stop her and she quite skillfully dodges around me to get to the carpet. SpotBot is our only salvation. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/6 "2014-02-19T14:57:52Z")
My Danes must be trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, because it holds them pressed to the couch all day. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/7 "2014-02-19T17:59:41Z")
Cooper seems to be immune to magnetic fields, as his directions seem random Either that, or he’s picking up interference from sunspots, yeah, that’s it, sunspots… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/8 "2014-02-19T19:21:34Z")
Just seven hours ago, I witnessed two pooping at the same time, facing 45 degrees apart. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-use-earths-magnetic-field/681700/9 "2014-02-19T19:52:29Z")
I had two dogs who went back-to-back alongside a busy street in Atlanta. I should have bookends made to commemorate the event. 🙂