Dog rolls back on dead animals during walks

[Jennifer Carr]

When I take Grace for walks and she comes across a dead animal she rolls her back on it.

I was wondering if anyone knew what instinct this was? Is she trying to get her smell on it to claim the kill as her own?

It makes for one STINKY doggie I have to tell you!

[Monique Shimm]

...or maybe trying to blend in with the environment...

[Amber]

It sounds like she is "marking" to me...I could be wrong though. This should be interesting to find out!

[Michelle Rose-Fuller]

Hi Jennifer-

Occasionally, my dog tries to roll in another dog's poop on our walks. She used to eat the poop of other dogs, but I've managed to get that under control. This seems to happen when she feels insecure, and perhaps these acts allow her to take on the "manna" of a dog that she perceives to be of a higher rank to her(?).

Or, the poop eating is removing evidence of the presence of another dog in her territory......

I have to say, your dog's behavior is really interesting. My dog shies away from road kill.

Does your dog have a strong prey drive?

Warm Regards,

Michelle

[Jennifer Carr]

Hummm....some interesting comments I hadn't thought of.

Yes, she is a "marker" with her urine.....and yes, she does chase squirrels, field mice.....geese.

Marking the prey - you think? I've tried to google an answer but nothing pops out... It's pretty consistent behaviour. Today she rolled on a carcass and something else with more meat on it (sorry to be gross - don't you love what you find in Spring thaw???). I've seen before she roll on a dead rat in a ravine last month.

She doesn't roll on her back any other time, so when I see her do it, I'm thinking "Dear Lord - what now?!"

[Peggy Jensen]

My Mickey does this too, only he starts with his nose and almost does a head-over-heels before he gets to rolling on his back. there doesn't even have to be much left of whatever it was, he has done this with as little as a left over bird wing. Usually if it is very big, I can keep him from getting to it, but the little stuff I don't usually see soon enough. He is a big time marker I wonder how he has enough urine to do this as much as he does sometimes.
Yes, the joys of spring! Not to mention all the weeds and different plants he wants to eat and I don't know if some of them are harmful.

[heathea]

Its normal. The most recent theory I have heard/read is that a dog will roll on an animal to become imersed in the scent so that it will be able to hunt that animal more effectively. My personal opinion, dogs like to roll in stinky stuff. Its like a fine french perfume to them.

My dogs used to go and run into the cow field across the street and, well, come home covered in cow poop. I mean covered.

it was sooo nasty.
Good luck with spring!
Heather

[Renee]

There are two theories about this one...and we are not sure which is valid. One is the perfume theory - dogs are attempting to take on the odor just like we use perfume. The second theory is that the amount of odor is so great that dogs can't cover it up with urine. So dogs will roll on the odor, in order to cover it with the entire surface of their bodies.

[heathea]

I have always thought of a dog's sense of smell is as rich as our sight (I know it isn't a scientifically valid comparison). So, as we would like to remember a beautiful mountain against a sunset by taking a picture, I always thought they wanted to remember an amazing scent (you cannot say that some of those scents aren't stunning) by fully embracing it. I am sure I am anthropomorphizing (sp?) dogs, but it seems like a good analogy in my head.
Heather

[Renee]

Heather-

Yes, dogs have an incredible sense of smell. We still don't know which theory is scientifically valid - maybe none, one or both...and I don't think we will ever know.

[Jennifer Carr]

Yea - Renee's here! So glad you're contributing here.

I'd buy either of your thoughts as to why she rolls on dead animals- make sense....I wonder if there is a way I can train her to roll on tulips and roses instead??? :)

[Sherri]

I have heard that dogs will do this to hide their own scent. We use to have a dog that would do this in the dead fish that float out of the lake in the spring.. He only ever did it on the fish and he would come back with an awful smell and yellow streaks on his entire body.

[Sheryl]

I can't beleive we're having this conversation without talking about how to get the smell OFF of them!! :) The two dogs that my ex now has custody of used to loooove to roll in gross stuff. Remember I live in Northern Canada basically in the middle of the bush. Lots of dead things to choose from on walks. Their favorite by far was fish guts. We have a small fish processing plant, and they dump the 'slime' that is left on the tables after cutting up fish, behind the plant. Well one evening after a really hot day the two dogs rolled in it. It was almost midnight when we got home and I bathed them about six times outside on the lawn before they were good enough to be let in the house. (my husband didn't help... said if I wanted to walk the dogs then I could do it myself... no wonder I left, eh?). I didn't have any tomatoe juice (I heard that works on skunk so thought it might work for fish) so used a number of different things I found in the fridge. Ketchup, vinegar, apple cider vinegar, a couple of different shampoos. Too late I heard about a shampoo called Skunk Off. I now have some in my cupboard just in case Harley does the old stop drop and roll.

[Chris Smith]

Renee,

Have you heard of this as a theory - "I have heard that dogs will do this to hide their own scent" (Sherri Hammer's posting).

I have also been told that hunting breeds will roll in the stinky stuff to hide their own scent so they prey doesn't know they're coming.

Just wondering if that is also a current theory...

[Lee Foley]

This is very common natural instinct with dogs. Mine have yet to do it, but my sister's dog used to always roll around in my pile of dirty clothes...he never liked the clean ones too much. I first read of this behaviour in 'The Other End of the Leash' by Patricia McConnel....very good book on canine/human behaviour.

[Luciann]

from my understanding it that fleas and ticks don't live on live animals and the scent is suppose to help keep fleas and ticks off of them, but of course this might be an urban myth...

[Renee]

Chris-

The "hide their own scent" theory might be considered similar to the "perfume" theory. Dr. Patricia McConnell explained it to me that either the dog is taking on the "smelly" scent (for whatever reason) or is trying to cover up the "smelly scent" with his or her scent and we are not sure which is valid. I have also read about these two theories in Bonnie Beaver's book Canine Behavior: a guide for Vets.

Patricia McConnell, PhD. is a certified applied animal behaviorist and also is one of my former undergraduate professors at the University of Wisconsin (Her class one of the best ones I've ever taken). http://www.dogsbestfriendtr aining.com/
Bonnie Beaver, DVM is a veterinary behaviorist and heads the American College of Veterinary Behavior. http://www.veterinarybehavi orists.org/

[Chris Smith]

Thanks, Renee.

Unfortunately, Nalu and I had our first "cow pie" experience a week or so ago. He completely covered himself with it and smelled disgusting! Fortunately, he now loves to swim so I took him straight into the river to scrub him. He looked sorta sad though when right afterwards we saw a duck and he no longer had his stinky scent on!!!