Is your pooch still a mystery to you? Find out why she kicks her leg when you scratch her belly!

If you have a dog, you probably know all of his little idiosyncrasies well. More than likely, one of them is kicking his leg when you scratch a certain place on his stomach. It's funny, but have you ever stopped to ponder why it's happening?

Dogs shake or kick their legs when you scratch them because of something known as the scratch reflex. It's a completely involuntary reaction, which explains why your dog may look as puzzled as you do when it starts to happen. Of course, you're the one both providing the “itch” and “scratching” it, so it's a completely pointless act.

The scratch reflex does have one purpose — it's reliable enough that veterinarians sometimes use it to assist in diagnosing nerve damage or neurological problems.  It's just one of those quirks of animal anatomy.

WOW! Your pup's kicking habits all boil down to scratch reflexes! That's why they look just as confused as you do when they're legs move on their own! As long as you keep the scratching coming, they wont mind their kicking at all. LOL!

For more information on your dog's scratch reflexes, visit Animal Planet.