After cocking his leg up to scent mark this morning (for the umteenth time) Ollie for the first time ever, kicked the ground up with his back legs. It may be a silly question, but why do dogs do this?

I thought dogs do this to try and cover up their doings. They are trying to scrape the dirt over their mess. Cats do it too. Unfortunately, when my dog does this, the dirt flies everywhere except on the mess, and therefore it serves no further purpose other than making me laugh at his little dance.

It is the opposite, it is to spread their scent around, so that other canines know they have been there. It is usually done by very confident animals, wheras the low ranking ones will avoid going to toilet off their own territory until they have more confidence.

Is it more of a dog than a bitch thing? Lucy does it but not at home only when we're out.

All of my spayed females have done this too :D Just not all of the time or on a predictable basis. It seems like more of a mood thing ---happy & on their walks. Chienne takes positive delight scratching & kicking up the grass/moss. But only after peeing. Never on the #2.
I have no idea about intact bitches. Never had any past the age of one.

Yes, intact females do it too.Well mine do anyway.

So do mine - more particularly the older more confident one though......

My boy is particularly enthusiastic with this and I have to run the gauntlet of flying debris to poop-scoop
LynnT