It’s a scenario familiar to many dog owners: you’re enjoying a walk with your canine companion, and in a blink, they’ve found something particularly foul-smelling and are enthusiastically rolling in it. Yes, we’re talking about poop. Your dog decided to adorn themselves with excrement just moments before you planned to load them into the car for a journey home. (Confession time: this exact situation happened to me and my dog Burgundy after a backpacking trip.)
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s a common quirk among our furry friends. So, the burning question remains: Why Do Dogs Roll In Poop? And more importantly, what can we do to curb this less-than-pleasant habit?
Is Rolling in Feces Normal Dog Behavior?
Let’s start with reassurance: yes, dogs rolling in poop is completely normal. It might be off-putting to us, but in the canine world, it’s a fairly standard practice. Most dogs seem to have an uncanny knack for finding the smelliest substances at the most inconvenient times – right after a bath, just before guests arrive, or as you’re heading out the door. This behavior isn’t limited to domestic dogs; even wild canids like wolves and foxes have been observed indulging in rolling in the fecal matter of other animals.
Reasons Why Dogs Roll in Poop
While it might seem disgusting to us, there are several theories as to why dogs engage in this smelly behavior. Here are three of the most common explanations:
The Allure of the Smell
This might be the least appealing reason for us humans, but it’s a strong contender: dogs might actually enjoy the smell of poop. Think of it like perfume for humans – some prefer subtle scents, while others are drawn to stronger, more pungent fragrances. Dogs, with their incredibly sensitive noses, seem to operate on a similar principle, but their preferences lean towards odors we find repulsive.
Many dogs, when given the opportunity, will actively search for the most offensive-smelling thing to roll in. For some, it’s poop; for others, like my dog Toupe, the attraction lies in decaying matter. Even something as seemingly insignificant as a dead earthworm on the sidewalk can trigger a rolling frenzy. When it comes to canine olfactory preferences and rolling behavior, taste is subjective, to say the least.
Masking Their Own Scent
Another popular theory is that dogs roll in poop to cover up their own natural scent. The idea is rooted in the predatory instincts of wild dogs. In the wild, a strong canine scent could be a disadvantage when hunting, alerting prey to their presence. By masking their own odor with the scent of other animals, or even just strong, foreign smells, they might gain a tactical advantage when stalking prey.
However, this theory has some holes. Studies on wild animals have shown that they sometimes roll in substances that are completely unfamiliar to their natural environment, such as perfume and motor oil. Covering oneself in these artificial, strong scents doesn’t seem like a particularly effective strategy for blending into the natural surroundings to hunt prey. This suggests scent masking might be more complex than simply camouflaging for hunting.
Scent Communication and “Postcards”
A fascinating third theory proposes that rolling in poop is a form of communication for dogs. Imagine it as bringing back souvenirs from a trip. When a dog returns to its pack after exploring, they carry the scents of the places they’ve been. Rolling in poop, or other strong-smelling substances, could be a way of collecting olfactory “postcards” to share with their pack.
These collected scents can provide valuable information to other pack members, potentially indicating the presence of other animals, food sources, or changes in the environment. In this sense, rolling in feces becomes a form of canine social media update – a smelly status report for the pack to interpret.
How Can You Stop a Dog From Rolling In Poop?
For many dog owners, the why is less important than the how to stop it. While understanding the reasons behind the behavior is interesting, the practical concern is how to prevent your dog from turning themselves into a walking biohazard. Unfortunately, teaching a dog to completely stop rolling in poop can be a challenging endeavor.
If your dog is on-leash, prevention is significantly easier. Simply steer your dog away from any suspicious areas and maintain control. The opportunity to roll never arises. However, if your dog enjoys off-leash freedom, the task becomes more complex.
Many dog behaviorists recommend teaching the “leave it” command. This command trains your dog to ignore and move away from a designated object. Start training indoors with a low-value item, like a sock. Make the sock “off-limits” and reward your dog for ignoring it.
Gradually increase the value of the item, working your way up to treats. The goal is for your dog to understand that “leave it” means they should not approach the object until you give a release cue, such as “OK,” indicating they can now have the treat (or whatever the item is in training).
Once your dog reliably responds to “leave it” indoors, transfer the training to your yard with your dog on-leash. Introduce more tempting objects and practice the command. With time and consistency, you can progress to practicing “leave it” off-leash in controlled environments. I’ve personally found the “leave it” cue invaluable in various situations with my own dogs, including poop-rolling prevention.
The key to using “leave it” to prevent poop-rolling is timing and observation. Most dogs exhibit telltale signs before they fully commit to a roll. By observing your dog closely, you’ll learn to recognize their pre-rolling behaviors. Common indicators include intense sniffing of a particular area, head shaking, and a characteristic twisting of the face to one side just before dropping to roll.
The moment you spot these pre-roll signals, that’s your cue to issue the “leave it” command. Interrupting the behavior before it starts is far more effective than trying to stop a dog mid-roll.
While some dogs are simply determined poop-rollers, and achieving a completely “clean record” might be unrealistic, patience, diligent observation, and consistent training with the “leave it” command can significantly reduce the frequency of unexpected (and unwelcome) baths.
I can certainly attest to the lasting memory of a poop-rolling incident. After my dog Burgundy’s unfortunate encounter on our hike, even a dip in a stream couldn’t fully mitigate the aroma. That car ride home was an experience I won’t soon forget!
