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As a dog owner, you can’t help but have noticed that, occasionally, dogs roll in poop and other smelly things. You will most likely have been in this situation; you are having a great walk with your dog when suddenly it starts rolling over and over like a puppy. When you call the dog back the smell hits you like a train! I have had dogs roll in cow pats, dead animal carcasses and even other dog’s poop before now. It can be particularly annoying if you have to take your dog home in the car, because, even with all of the windows open, the smell is terrible! 

So why do dogs roll in poop and other smelly things? Well, nobody really knows for sure but there are a number of theories about the behaviour:

1. Masking Their Scent. This theory suggests that the behaviour is an instinctive one which stretches back to wolves. If the animal is hunting, it wants to disguise its own distinctive smell so as not to alert its prey before getting within striking distance. This kind of makes sense in as much as the type of poop they tend to roll in most frequently is from herbivores The activity is more common in younger dogs and female dogs, however, so that suggests that, although the theory could hold some water, it may not be the only reason.
2. Advertising to the Pack. This suggests that a dog who finds a dead animal will roll in it to advertise to the rest of its pack that it has found food. Whether this is altruistic pack behaviour or something to raise kudos within the pack is not known.
3. Ask the Scent of Shampoo. A more modern theory. This suggests that the dog is trying to get rid of strange smells it has because of being bathed using shampoos or dog grooming products.
4. Attention Seeking. This reasons that the dog is simply attention-seeking by doing this as it knows it will generate a reaction. While this is probably true if a dog habitually rolls in its own faeces, I do not necessarily think it completely explains the behaviour.

What can you do about it when dogs roll in poop or smelly stuff? Well, the important thing is to not get angry and scold your dog. For whatever reason, the dog is doing something that comes natural and will be confused by your admonishment. Also, if a dog is rolling in its own poop to raise your attention, a scolding will be a result (attention seekers simply seek attention, they do not mind if its good or bad). One thing to try, if it is a regular feature of your walks, is to find a dog shampoo without any scent and see if that cures the problem.

If your dog is consistently rolling in or even eating its own faeces, then you need to get to the bottom of this behaviour in order to successfully lead the dog out of it. To do that you would be best to invest in a dog behaviour guide which will cover this and other worrying or annoying dog behaviour problems that your dog could exhibit or develop.

These topics are covered in the comprehensive dog behaviour and training product :  Secrets To Dog Training