If your dog has ever come inside smelling like they just rolled in something rotten, you understand how absolutely frustrating this can be. Learning why dogs do some of these things may be more interesting than you might expect.
We have a doggy door at our house. For me, the best part about having a doggy door is that my dog can come and go as she pleases, and I needn’t take pause from my busy life to attend her needs. As long as her door is open, she can chase squirrels, relieve herself, or lay in the sun whenever she pleases.
We also have an electric fence, so she is confined to our yard. However, the wildlife that come through my neighborhood can meander through my yard and leave their stinky deposits within reach. And these wonderful critters just LOVE to turn my backyard into a wild animal porta potty.
Just a few days ago, my husband and I were interrupted while working on a project upstairs, when she came bolting inside and began buzzing through the house. This behavior is always a red flag! Something exciting went down in the backyard and this is her way of telling us. Once she calmed down a bit, we noticed that familiar foul smell and knew our project was on hold until she got a bath.
So why in the world do dogs roll in rotten and stinky stuff?
After doing some research on the subject, it appears there is not one specific answer to the question. Before I share theories from various veterinary behaviorists and scientists, please know the anatomy of a dog’s nose is more complex than one might think, and their sense of smell plays a big part in their desire to roll in nastiness.
Dog nose vs. human nose:
Dogs have around 300 million olfactory receptors, whereas humans only have around 6 million. When we breathe, we smell and breathe through the same airway within our nose. Dogs have a fold of tissue inside their nostril that splits the flow into two paths. One for olfaction (smell) and one for respiration.
Have you ever noticed the rapid rate that dogs can inhale? Their unique olfactory system, creates wind currents in their exhalations that hurry their inhalations. Basically, this allows them to sniff continuously.
We now know that dogs have cool noses…..so why roll in stinky stuff?
Communicating with their pack:
Many veterinary behaviorists and researchers believe this behavior is related to a dog’s ancestry. Wolves will use scent rolling as a way to bring information back to the pack. Rolling in the scent, covering their face and neck with it, they will return to the pack who then uses this information to determine where their prey has been.
For a wolf pack, this can be beneficial for hunting. For our “pack”, this is just gross and does not help us in any way, but I like to think our dogs feel they are contributing to our family. This may explain why they run inside beaming with pride, playfully buzzing through the house full of excitement after a good roll in poop.
Dogs like gross smells and wear them proudly:
Humans tend to prefer smells that are floral, fresh, and remind us of pleasant things: freshly baked cookies, clean laundry, the ocean, etc.
Dogs prefer smells that we humans wish we never had to smell again: poop, dead animals, urine, another dogs nether regions, a humans nether regions, etc.
We burn our ocean scented candles, and wear floral perfumes with pride. Our dogs are no different in their sense of pride after a good roll in fox poop.
My dog smells awful, what can I do to keep them from rolling in poop?
A thousand years of genetic development cannot be influenced easily. The most we can hope for is to curb this behavior when we are present to do so. In our absence, most dogs will succumb to their genetic instincts.
For those of you that are willing to devote a great deal of time training your dog, click here to learn some commands that will help prevent this behavior. For the rest of us, shXX happens….literally.
How can I get rid of these nasty smells on my dog?
When it happens let not your heart be troubled. The following recipe will help strip the nasty smells from your dogs fur.
Mix the following ingredients:
- 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
- ¼ cup of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap
DO NOT get this solution in their eyes. Please know that peroxide can bleach their fur if left on too long. After using the above mixture, rinse thoroughly, then wash your dog with pet shampoo.
There may not be a specific answer as to why dogs roll in poop; however, one thing we do know, is that odors are important to our dogs! Whether it be deep-seated instinctual behavior, or simply a desire to share their poop findings with us, one thing we can be sure of, our dogs always keep us on our toes. Not a day goes by that I don’t question why in the world my dog is behaving in a certain way, and I love her for it!
Hey, in the comments….tell us how your pet keeps you on your toes. Something that annoys you or something that you love. Either way, we love hearing from you!
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