Why are dog wastes called droppings? When's the last time you saw a dog go "Whoa! Something just dropped outta my ass!"?

I usually see dogs going "Humpfff! Strain! Groan! Grunt! Damn! There's something trying to come outta my ass! I think it's the thing from that 'Alien' movie!"

That is not dropping. That's forcibly expelling.

Now, many animals do just nonchalantly drop their loads. Birds, mice, alpacas and God knows how many other critters seem to be able to shit in total oblivion, but dogs and cats put a lot of effort into the process. Almost as much as a cow does when she drops a calf.