Why do dogs love getting smelly?

Winnipeg

I love when someone approaches me and says “I want to see an article on …”

Its tough coming up with new ideas all the time, so please, send me your requests!

This week, a client said, “I want to see a column on why my dog always rolls in the most disgusting things.” So, here we go.

We see this action in our domestic pets all the time. We had a Jack Russel in the store the other day, and I gave him a treat that was pure fish. He took it, dropped it and started rolling on it. Fish, tripe, we use the stronger scented treats for dogs visiting the store because there are so many smells in the store, we need the most attractive treats to get them to take one from us.

The most common theory is that when wolves wanted to cover their scent so that they could approach prey without alerting them, they would mask it with a strong smelling material. That makes a lot of sense, and your dog channeling its inner wolf is kinda cool.

Another idea is that it’s a dog’s social media posting, bringing the scent of where it’s been back to the pack. Sort of a reverse “sniffari.” (A sniffari is when you go for a walk with your dog and don’t focus on the destination, or the duration, but rather the experience, including taking the time to smell the roses, or whatever smells they find interesting.)

It is also suggested that it can be territory marking, putting their scent on top of the other scent. This is an attempt at dominance, much like urine marking.

It could also be an attempt to enhance shedding, if they have a lot of excess fur. Why do they need something stinky to roll in to do that? I guess, because they are dogs?

Or maybe, just maybe, they like smelling poopy. They like strong smelling treats, why not keep that smell around all the time?

Now, if this behaviour is something you want to stop, there are ways to address it. The easiest fix is avoiding problem areas. We tend to avoid the areas around the duck pond when the geese are in town, there seems to be something compelling about goose poop, both as a treat and as a cologne.

Leash training, keeping the dog on a shortened leash while in trouble areas can make keeping them off a scent easier. Commands as well, like “off”, “leave it” or even a simple “come” can distract the dog from the problem activity.

You can bribe the pet away from a bad behavior with praise or a treat. Or another option, if the item is in your yard, you can use a deterrent spray on the item.

If they do manage to get stinky, there are many sprays and wipes that can be used to spot clean, or if the area is too large for that, a bath with a dog specific shampoo may be called for. While some dish soaps are touted to do a good job, they are not good for the dog’s skin or coat. There are also specific shampoos that are made for neutralizing odours.

Dogs are dogs, and do doggy things. And most of them are fun, only some of them are on the gross side. We take the bad with the good.