Why does my 3 months old dog rub his butt on the floor?

Question

My 3 months old dog sometimes rubs his butt on the floor, but he's not dirty or anything like that, He's just like 'walking' on his butt for some seconds and then continues to play.

Answer 1

In my experience there are many possible reasons and possibly some more that don't come to my mind.

1. Your dog probably has intestinal worms. That's a common occurance in most places of the world and can lead to serious health issues if left untreated for a long time. In most places you can get different types of dewormers in pet stores, at vets and sometimes even in pharmacies. It's best to deworm your dogs regularily (usually every 3 - 4 months; please read that pamphlet in the dewormer to know how long its effect lasts).
2. The anal gland might be blocked, as mentioned by blacksmith37. This would be a little unusual for a 3 months old dog, but not impossible. This is also a usual occurance and most vets or dog groomers should be able to show you how to remedy the problem. Be warned that it's somewhat disgusting, but certaily a relieve for your dog.
3. There may be some residue of poop at your dogs behind. Scooting on their butt is a dogs way of wiping back there. Different factors - like anatomy, diarrhea, eaten grass, or fabric fragments from chewed toys or furniture - can lead to this problem.
4. There are some other disturbances "back there" that have nothing to do with poop. Our dog sometimes rubs her skin raw there during excessive play, which of course hurts and itches. The scooting is an instinctual behavior to try and get rid of the itchyness. It might be worth to inspect your dog for any unusual things going on in that area like a flea infestation or any skin condition.

Answer 2

Likely it needs its anal glands expressed ( squeezed). I had to take my dogs to the vet as I could not seem to find the correct spot to squeeze.

Answer 3

Dogs generally do this to "scratch" their backside. It's pretty much a guarantee that something doesn't "feel right" to them and they are trying to resolve it.

Could it be worms? Maybe...

Could he need his anal glands expressed. Not likely for a 3 month old pup.

Could it be something else? Absolutely. Your dog could have ingested some hair while playing with toys (on the floor). We all tend to shed hair and it can be difficult to see. Dogs ingest more hair than you think, but they don't digest it. Then, when they pass solids, the hair is expelled as well. If the hair doesn't come all the way out... it tickles, and the dog either spins around trying to figure out what it is, or they do the "butt scoot".

So, this becomes one of those things that you watch. If it happens a lot, then ask the Vet. If it happens every once in a while, it might just be something else (hair, an ant, or flea, or mosquito) that happened to make your dog react that way.