Why Dogs Roll In Poop And Other Stinky Things

Hygiene is extremely important if you have a dog in the house. Usually, dogs love to play a lot. Due to this, they do things, which bring a lot of bacteria inside.

One of the most common things is rolling in poop, mud, or other stinky things. The most annoying part is if you have just given a bath to the dog. They just go out and roll in stinky stuff, and waste the whole bath. To avoid this situation, you should either keep him leashed when going outside or clean their poop at the earliest.

Why do they do it? Well, in this blog, we will discuss the same. We will also share some methods, which can stop this habit in the dog. In short, dogs usually roll in the mud, due to numerous reasons like camouflage, instincts, leaving a mark, and many more.

There is no correct reason?

Yes, you read that correctly. In the present scenario, scientists could not really understand the main reason behind this habit. However, there are some theories, which are considered to be extremely close to the main reason. Thus, you will find that the reason all over the internet, will change quite frequently.

In this blog, we will share the most accepted theories and our own research with various dogs. Irrespective of that, you can stop this habit in a dog, as they have been tested on hundreds of dog breed all over the world. Below we have mentioned a few theories, due to which dogs roll in stinky things.

Genetic behavior

This is something that you will even observe among humans. As per our country, we all have different cultures, and habits. For instance, you will find a huge variation of nodding all over the world. People in Asia have a little different nodding posture, as compared to North America. Similarly, rolling in poop is something genetic for dogs.

In ancient times, dogs used to hunt for food. Due to this, they had to hide their scent from the prey. Rolling in stinky things helped them do the same. This habit was done by dogs for thousands of years. Therefore, it is genetic in dogs and can even be seen in the present scenario.

You may wonder that dogs do not have to hunt nowadays. Well, that is partially true. Dogs hunt even today. Hunting is common among stray and domestic dogs. Stray dogs hunt for survival, while domestic ones hunt for fun. You can easily observe your dog trying to catch a squirrel or any living being smaller than it. Therefore, rolling in stinky things help the dog to camouflage and hunt at the same time.

Now it is about territory

Almost every dog is protective of its territory. Due to this, many people prefer to have a dog, as a watchdog. There are various ways through which a dog makes its territory. First of all, they urinate on things. This tells other dogs and animals, that the object has an owner. Secondly, you may find them rolling in poop, to show that this scent belongs to it. Thus, whenever other dog picks the same scent, it gets the idea that the area is occupied by your dog.

It is about liking

Another theory revolves around the preference of dogs in terms of scent. Though we wash the dog with soap and shampoo, dogs do not like the scent of them. Dogs in general like the smell of garbage or natural scent, which matches stinky things. Due to this, they suddenly jump into stinky things just after bathing. Does that mean that you should not wash them with soap or shampoo? Absolutely not. Instead, you need to start training the dog to not roll in stinky things. How? In this upcoming section, we will share the most effective methods to train a dog.

Maybe it is fun?

Many times dogs jump and roll in stinky things just for fun. They may be bored, due to which they may like to do things to gain your attention. Yes, this happens if you are not giving proper attention to the dog. You can try giving more attention and playing with the dog frequently. This can slowly remove the habit. However, the dog must not think that only rolling is the option to play with you or to gain your attention.  

Solution & Tips

Here are the most effective solutions to stop the dog from rolling in stinky things.

• Keep the leash short. Whenever the dog poops, you must keep the leash short and a little tight. Due to this, you can immediately take the dog away from the poop. Thus, the dog will not get a chance to sniff or roll in the poop. This method is effective, but not great for a long period.
• The next step is to treat the dog. You need to teach basic commands like ‘leave it,’ and ‘come here.’ Try to woo the dog with a treat, as this will distract the dog from the poop or stinky things. Moreover, you must continue this procedure, until the dog leaves the habit permanently. How much time will it take? Well, it can take around a month to develop this habit in the dog.
• You can also try removing poop immediately. Have a scoop with you. Whenever the dog poops, you must immediately remove it. Make sure that you do not even let the dog sniff stinky things, as this may encourage the dog to roll in it. You may even cover the poop with sand, as this will hide its scent to the dog.

Wrap up

In conclusion, there is no exact reason for dogs rolling in stinky things. However, we have shared the most accepted theories all over the world. Do make sure that during training, you do not scold or hit the dog.

We have also shared the most effective solutions to remove this habit. Keep in mind that removing this habit will be challenging. Why? Well, it is because this habit is natural, and requires a lot of effort, patience. In general, it may take the dog about a month to remove this habit.