Question: my friend’s dog has a habit of kicking up clumps of grass after using the restroom on walks. It became an argument today with a homeowner who confronted her. Friend says it’s normal dog behavior and she can’t stop it. Is this true?

I've noticed this about her dog for years. It is a 100lb or so dog and will displace easily a chunk of soil/grass the size of my palm. We don't exactly live in a Better Homes and Gardens neighborhood (deer infestation, huge mole problem) but some people do try to take care of their lawns. I've always felt that it's inconsiderate to let her dog do this, but when I've brought it up she's insisted it's normal scent marking behavior and can't be controlled and as someone who has never had a dog, what do I know. She does train dogs (is not certified, but kinda fell in to helping with puppy classes, etc via a friend) so if there was a way to train it out of her dog I'd have thought she would have.

I'm basically just looking for opinions here. Is this reasonable to let your dog do? Is it normal behavior? Are there ways to train it out of your dog?

It's an Akita if that makes a difference.