Dog Scooting: Why Dogs Drag Their Bottom

When to see your vet

Arrange an appointment soon if your dog:

• Scoots more than once or twice, or keeps coming back to it over a few days
• Licks or bites at their bottom or the base of their tail
• Has swelling, redness or a lump on either side of the bottom
• Has blood, pus or discharge around the bottom, or a very strong fishy smell that doesn't go away
• Seems painful when sitting, yelps when the tail is touched, or is reluctant to sit at all
• Strains to pass faeces or has changes in their stools
• Has small white segments, like grains of rice, around their bottom or in their stools

A hot, swollen, painful area beside the bottom can be an abscess, which can burst. This should be seen promptly, ideally the same day.

What scooting looks like

A scooting dog sits down and drags their bottom along the ground using their front legs to pull themselves forward. Carpets and grass are favourite surfaces. Some dogs do it once and carry on with their day; others do it repeatedly, turn to look at their back end, or lick the area.

Scooting is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. It tells you something back there feels wrong, and the next step is working out what.

Common causes of scooting

Anal gland problems

Dogs have two small scent glands, called anal sacs or anal glands, just inside the bottom at roughly the four and eight o'clock positions. They hold a strong-smelling fluid that is normally squeezed out in small amounts when a dog passes faeces.

If the glands don't empty properly, they can become full, uncomfortable, impacted or infected. Soft stools, being overweight and some body shapes may make this more likely, and some dogs simply seem prone to it. Signs include scooting, licking, a fishy smell and sometimes swelling.

Your vet can check the glands and empty them if needed, and treat any infection. Repeated anal gland problems are worth discussing with your vet, as there may be an underlying cause such as diet, weight or allergies.

Worms

Tapeworm segments can cause itching around the bottom. They look like small, flat, creamy-white pieces, sometimes moving, and may dry to look like grains of rice stuck in the fur. Dogs can pick up tapeworms by swallowing fleas while grooming, so fleas and tapeworm often go together. Our guide to fleas, ticks and worms explains how to keep on top of both.

Itchy skin and allergies

Allergies don't only affect paws and ears. Many allergic dogs are itchy around their bottom too, and may scoot as well as lick their feet or scratch. If you have noticed both, see our article on paw licking.

Diarrhoea or mess in the fur

Soft stools can irritate the skin and leave matted faeces stuck to the fur around the bottom, especially in long-haired dogs. This is uncomfortable and dogs may scoot to try and get rid of it. If your dog has an upset tummy, read dog diarrhoea: what to do.

Other causes

Less commonly, scooting can be linked to a grass seed or other foreign body, a wound, a growth near the bottom, or pain in the back or tail. Your vet can examine the area and decide whether further checks are needed.

Quick guide to likely causes

What you notice	Possible causes
Fishy smell, scooting after a bout of soft stools	Anal glands
Rice-like segments in fur or faeces	Tapeworm
Itchy feet, ears or tummy as well	Allergies or skin infection
Matted fur or faeces stuck around the bottom	Diarrhoea, poor grooming access
Red, hot, swollen lump beside the bottom	Anal gland abscess
Sudden scooting after a walk in long grass	Grass seed or irritation

These are possibilities only. Your vet will need to examine your dog to find the cause.

What you can do at home

1. Have a gentle look. In good light, lift the tail and check for mess, redness, swelling, lumps or worm segments. Don't push or squeeze anything.
2. Clean away any mess. Use lukewarm water and a soft cloth, then pat dry. Carefully trimming matted fur can help in long-coated dogs, but stop if your dog is sore and let your vet or groomer take over.
3. Check their parasite protection. Make sure flea and worming treatments are up to date and suitable for your dog's weight. If you've seen worm segments, let your vet know.
4. Look at their stools. Firm, well-formed stools help the anal glands empty naturally. Note any changes.
5. Book a vet visit if the scooting continues, rather than waiting for it to resolve on its own.

It is best not to try emptying your dog's anal glands yourself unless your vet has shown you how and advised it. Doing it incorrectly can cause pain, bruising or damage, and it can hide signs of infection that your vet would want to see.

Preventing repeat episodes

• Keep your dog at a healthy weight. Our guide to healthy weight and body condition shows how to check.
• Feed a balanced diet that suits your dog and supports firm stools. Ask your vet before making big changes.
• Stay on top of fleas and worms all year round.
• Keep the fur around the bottom tidy in long-haired breeds.
• Ask about allergies if scooting comes with other itchy signs.

Keep a note of each episode

Scooting can seem random until you write it down. Noting when it happens, what your dog's stools were like that day, any recent diet changes and when parasite treatments were given helps your vet see patterns, such as glands filling up every few weeks or flare-ups after a food switch. Petopedia lets you log food, weight and behaviour alongside notes like these, so a picture builds up over time without you having to remember the details.