So my dog Buster started doing this weird leg thing outta nowhere. Just chilling on his bed then BAM – back legs go kicking like he’s pedaling a bicycle or something. Freaked me out at first, thought he was having a seizure or whatever.
Checked his paws thinking maybe he stepped on something sharp, but nope. Felt all along his legs – no swelling, no cuts, nothing. Tried to catch him in the act with my phone camera, but the little rascal always stopped when I pulled it out. Took me three whole days to finally grab video proof!
Showed the clip to Linda next door who’s had dogs forever. She just laughed and said “Oh that? Mine does that too!” Didn’t really explain why though. Googled it later that night with like ten different wordings – “dog kicks back legs lying down,” “why dog legs shake randomly,” you name it.
Turns out this kicking thing has a name – scratch reflex. It’s like when the vet taps below your kneecap and your leg jumps? Basically the same wiring, just usually happens when they’re really relaxed or if something tickles their belly area.
Then I remembered something – we’d started using this new floor cleaner. Maybe Buster was lying down after mopping? Tested it next cleaning day: mopped the floor, waited for it to dry, and sure enough Buster flops down right where I cleaned. Two minutes later – kick kick kick! Mystery solved – the cleaner’s smell was tickling his tummy fur!
What Actually Works To Stop It:
- Changed floor cleaners – picked one with no scent at all now
- Wipe his belly with a damp cloth after walks (turns out pollen stuck there sets him off too)
- Brushing him daily gets rid of loose hairs that might itch him
- Added extra padding to his favorite sleeping spots – softer surface means less trigger
Buster still does the occasional leg kick when he’s dreaming deep, but no more random daytime pedal parties. Whole thing took me maybe two weeks to fully figure out? The belly wipe trick made the biggest difference honestly.
