What Does ‘Splooting’ Mean, and How Does It Cool You Down?

By now, I'm sure that you seen the adorable videos of squirrels 'splooting' all over Texas. 'Splooting' isn't a new thing. In fact, my dog Wesley does it constantly, as you can see here:

My daughter introduced me to the word 'sploot' around the time that we adopted Wesley.

What Does 'Splooting' Mean?

According to topdoghealth.com, splooting is a type of stretch that involves putting one or both legs behind the body. This may look familiar to you if you are also a dog owner, but other animals do it too, as seen in this video from KENS-TV in San Antonio:

Why Animals Sploot

It provides a full-body stretch, extending their legs and hips, it’s relaxing and comfortable (who doesn't like to be comfortable?), and it cools the body's temperature, something we can all use right now in Texas!

When You Should Worry About Splooting

Top Dog Health says that sometimes a sploot can be a sign that your dog has uncomfortable hip and joint issues. Stretching may help to ease the pain. If your dog suddenly starts splooting, things to look out for include:

• Arthritis: inflammation of the joints causing discomfort, stiffness and pain.
• Ataxia: nervous system issue that can result in irregular movement of the torso, head, legs, or all three.
• Hip dysplasia: occurs when the ball and socket of the hip joint rub and grind against each other instead of sliding smoothly.
• Osteoarthritis: common form of arthritis in dogs, osteoarthritis involves the wearing down of the protective cartilage cushioning the ends of the bones.

In the meantime, enjoy the cuteness of the sploot, and try to stay cool. Maybe it's time to limber up and give it a shot ourselves.