I've just mentioned on another thread, that one of my dogs loves to roll in pooh? Does anyone know why dogs do this?
I understand that when dogs eat pooh, it is usually because their is something lacking in their diet. Luckily I don't have that problem, but if I knew why my dog likes to roll in it, it may give me a better idea of how to stop it.
Did your dogs roll in their own poop, or other dogs' poop, or other animals' poop?
One simple reason might be they simply like the smell of poo. They might find it so appealing that they just want to roll in it. Yep, they have very different preferences compare to us. You can't blame them for liking something we feel gross.
One of the other theories I have heard is that the dogs ancestors - wolves might have tried to conceal themselves by rolling in other animals' poop. With their own scent covered up by the smelly poo, they can sneak up on other animals without being noticed. They were predators after all.
Humph. I have seen a dog roll in poop. My dog never rolled in poop in her entire life. I presume it's just instinctual and they do it to mask his or her aroma. My fiancee told me her old dog, but it was rare. I'm befuddled.
She only rolls in other dogs pooh, never her own. The smellier the better it would seem. I hadn't thought about it being to mask her own smell, there may be something in that.
My dogs have never rolled in poop. However, my Jack Russell loves to roll in the grass. I don't mean the lawn only. If you have grass on your shoes, she will attempt to rub her head on them. She does the same thing if there is grass on the carpet. I don't really know why, but she can be quite persistent about it.
I did a bit of research for dogs rolling in poop. An article states several reasons for this.
One reason is to mask a scent. Dogs will sometimes roll in poop to mask the scent of shampoo from their bath, for instance
Another theory is that they are communicating to the pack what they have found. Some dogs will roll in the spot where there is a dead animal, for instance. As it is an instinctual action, perhaps our domesticated dogs associate bad smells with this type of communication? Since some dogs eat poop, they might not differentiate between a dead animal and feces. It sounds disgusting, but if you think of wild dogs, being able to inform the pack where there is food, would be beneficial. Since their sense of smell is so strong, they can probably smell that stinky dog for quite some distance.
Here is one article I found. You might find it informative.
http://www.school-for-champions.com/beha...s_roll.htm
Just like what the previous posters have mentioned, they roll over smelly things for either one or two things- masking their own scent for hunting or they're claiming their prey.So don't be surprised if your dog rolls over something dead. Or if he brings something smelly into your home and into his play area.
The poop makes them smell less threatening to the animals they attempt to hunt.
An interesting article. Thanks for posting that. I had to laugh at the bit about the fishy smell in the car. I can really identify with that as we return home by car too.
I use only un perfumed shampoo so it isn't that, but the communication reasons sound quite likely.
The only way to stop her would be to not let her off the lead for a run, but she loves it so much, I would rather just put up with the smell on the way home.
Be aware that dog feces can pose health hazards to your dog. If your dog is rolling in the feces of other dogs, it could pick up bacteria and parasites that may cause health problems. Worms eggs are one of the things you need to be concerned about. Make sure you're protecting your own dog with one of the preventives that are available. Usually, you give them one pill each month. Some vaccines will provide protection against certain parasites, too.
People in my neighborhood are terrible about picking up their dog poop even though it is required by law here. I steer Misha clear as I don't want her to have any health problems and it's no fun cleaning poop off your dog.