What are the "cow pies" that are on the ground?

[Janna]

Ever since I installed pets I have seen these brown patches, they make me think of cow pies (guess it shows I am a country girl).  At first I thought it was a seed planted and was growing but the ground was dry, needed to be watered; but then I found what I think is one in a old building and it sparkled in the dark. 
Not sure if it was even the same type, it was dark in the building and dark outside also.  This was in China and where there is an old run down buiding, dead trees, pond with fish, and seeds lying on the ground if that helps in knowing where I was at.   

Anyhow, does anyone know what they are, are they important or just some random nothing that has shown up? It has been frustrating when I am looking for excuvation sites and mistake them for one.  Am learning to tell the difference, but still wondering what they are.
So far I have seen them in China, France, Riverview and Appaloosa Plains; can't remember if in Sunset and Egypt. 

[Ricalynn]

They are spots for dogs to dig up and find gems/metals/rocks/special pieces.   I don't know why they are in the foreign countries considering pets can't go but they spawn wherever you would normally find one of these types of items.

[Korva]

And I thought it was just a spot where someone had already been digging recently. Goes to show I haven't really played with dogs yet. :p Thanks for clearing that up.

[Priyansh]

Can pets be adopted for vacation homes? Because if they cannot be taken away, there are answers only:

1. The people of Shang Simla, Al Simhara and the French one can have dogs with them.
2. You can adopt a pet from the same tourist locations for purpose of keeping them in vacation homes.

[Pam]

Can pets be adopted for vacation homes? Because if they cannot be taken away, there are answers only:

1. The people of Shang Simla, Al Simhara and the French one can have dogs with them.
2. You can adopt a pet from the same tourist locations for purpose of keeping them in vacation homes.

I haven't owned a vacation home since Pets came out, but there are never any pets in any of the three locations.  I think it's just a glitch that the spots for digging show up in the foreign locations.

[Coocoo girl]

I think that if you go to the buydebug category you can place one and it is called the "Dog dig spot".  I think the description is something like "Dogs like to dig here".  But I've also noticed that sometimes gems, seeds, and other things seem to spawn around them too.