I don't know about magnetic alignment, but as a dog owner, there is clearly _some_ kind of search algorithm running in that little brain. My dog will weave a path all over the yard before finding an ideal spot.
If you read the paper [1] I wouldn't say the data is convincing. The author's openly admit to changing the methodology of the data analysis (p-hacking) after the data collection.<p>There are issues with data collection. Some data collectors measured to the nearest 5 degrees and some to the nearest 10 degrees.<p>There are issues with statistics. Rao's circular uniformity test values are presented without any commentary or analysis of there significance.<p>The rate of change of magnetic declination is presented as a percentage whereas it is actually in minutes of arc per minute (of time) which would have SI units of s^-1.<p>It is still unclear how rate of change of magnetic declination relates to how a dog chooses to orient itself. I suspect it has something to do with a correlation between rate of change of magnetic declination and time of day. But why time of day is correlated with orientation seems to be an unknown. Maybe walks at a particular time of day or position of the sun.<p>The authors dismiss the position of the sun as being an influencing factor but present very little data to support this conclusion.<p>[1] <a href="https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1742-9994-10-80.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.11...</a>
Ever since I became aware of this study I was on the lookout for this with my dog. There was no expressed clear preference of NS and an avoidance of EW. On leash / off leash doesn't matter.<p>Obviously I didn't do this methodically so I could be mistaken. However, without any replication and the note about potential p-hacking of another commentor, I'm going with BS for now.
I would like to highlight the Competing Interests claim of the article:
"The authors declare that they have no competing interests."
This is for sure a particularly necessary condition for issuing such high quality research on such delicate topic. It moves me to next level as a dog owner: I'll pet my dogs only when oriented E-W in order to avoid 'accidents' - I've already realigned properly my furniture around in the house.<p>I would note that, as per my last experience with a litter, I realize now that this is result of the forced education from the dam with an (still) unknown evolutionary purpose. Reluctant E-W-oriented puppies would turn in rounds hoping their mother/dam is not watching when selecting the <i>wrong</i> orientation. But each non-N-S-oriented poop position would get punished immediately with a bite. Most dogs remain with sequelaes in adult life, searching in rounds for the spot for minutes, repressing their inner E-W poop identity. I note that we used the dam to teach my young sons geography. Yes, still room to investigate this vein...<p>I'm glad that my country and all world can benefit from such research done <i>abroad</i>.<p>I hope no animal/human gets hurt by above inspiration moment at end of my hard work day. I apologize proactively closing my computer. My two dogs wait for me looking in a particular direction...
It would be interesting to understand if non-domesticated animals do this as well and if this holds up on different continents or environments?<p>As a dog owner I wonder if some of this is because of wind direction. Having a fence I observe our dog not following the north/south facing orientation.
I am guessing this research could end up getting nominated for an Ig Nobel prize [1]<p>1. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ig_Nobel_Prize" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ig_Nobel_Prize</a>
Everyone take your dogs for a walk that crosses paths with an MRI machine.<p>I would expect a very pronounced poo-ing behavior if magnetic fields had anything to do with it.<p>My dog seems much more responsive to wind/ambient conditions, noise, and visibility.
My toilet faces NORTH and I am much more comfortable pooping there than in the other bathroom where the toilet faces EAST.<p>Coincidence?<p>The wifi is also stronger in my bathroom, so... there is that as well.
I don’t have a reference, but I believe I read an article explaining that this theory was based on selective data and that in fact dogs have no direction preference.