Why Dogs Love Stinky Things
Dogs have a keen sense of smell that can detect scents that humans cannot. This is why they are often drawn to stinky things like garbage, faeces, and even dirty laundry. The pungent odour of these items can be stimulating and exciting to a dog’s nose, making them more interested in exploring and playing with the source of the smell.
However, it’s important to remember that some stinky things can be harmful to dogs and may contain toxic substances, so it’s best to keep them away from your furry friend if they appear dangerous in any way.
Stink Equals Stealth
Many experts suggest that dogs roll in stinky things to cover up their smell. This behaviour is rooted in that of wolves, who like to roll in dead carcasses or faeces to camouflage their scent to other predators. This may also have the effect of allowing them to sneak up on their prey without being detected.
This theory is supported by Dr. Stanley Coren, columnist for Psychology Today. He explains that prey animals are used to their own scents, including the scent of dead carcasses belonging to their own species. While they would likely bolt at the smell of a wild dog, they are less likely to be suspicious or frightened by the smell of their own kind.
Other dog behaviourists disagree with this theory. The reason is that prey animals operate more on vision than on smell as they are likely to spot a predator, even if it smells like themselves. Other experts note that while wolves do occasionally ambush their prey, most of the time they chase them down as a pack, which lessens the need for them to obtain stealth.
Displaying Superiority
Rolling around in faeces or dead carcasses may be a way your dog shares information with other dogs. Wolves often follow smells to their source once they smell it on their pack mate. It’s possible that returning to the pack with the smell of dead animals all over you tells other members that you’ve found a source of food. At the very least, it announces that you have access to resources, which makes you more valuable than other pack members.
Marking
While it’s not very well supported, there is a hypothesis that suggests that dogs roll to transfer their scent to the stinky item rather than getting the stinky smell onto themselves. This would be considered a form of marking behaviour, as the dog is “claiming” whatever they rolled in. Since dogs roll in faeces more often than dead animals, however, this seems unlikely.
It’s Fun!
It’s obvious that dogs thoroughly enjoy rolling around in stinky things. While the behaviour may have roots in ancestral hunting behaviour, it may remain in our domestic dogs simply because they love to do it!
Any behaviour that brings pleasure to an animal brings with it a rush of chemicals in the brain that reinforce the pleasurable feeling. The more you do the activity, the more fun it is perceived to be. Thus, it persists over time. Rolling in stinky things simply makes dogs feel good.
How Can You Stop Your Dog From Rolling in Stinky Things?
As with most dog behaviours, it’s easier to prevent it than to cure it. If you don’t want your dog to run off and roll in stinky things on your walks, keep your dog on a leash. If your dog is off-leash, pay attention to what they are doing and engage with them.
Here are some tips to help:
Practice Calling Your Dog’s Name
Teach your dog to look at you immediately when you call their name. Start training this at home without distractions, then gradually increase the distractions. The idea is that as soon as you say your dog’s name, they immediately stop what they are doing and look at you. Then you can call them to you, throw a ball, or run in the other direction.
Train a Solid Recall
It’s really important that your dog comes when called and that this recall is reliable, especially if you have your dog off-leash. A solid recall will set you up for success. As soon as you notice your dog heading for something stinky, call them back.
Reward Check-Ins
Dogs like to “check-in” with their owners when off-leash. If you have a good connection with your dog, they do this naturally. They run off a bit, then come back and see you. Rewarding this behaviour will make it more likely that your dog will return to you rather than search out things to roll in.
Anticipate Problems
There are some things you may not be able to prevent your dog from rolling in, no matter what you do. If you know what these are, you can stop the action before it starts. If you watch your dog closely, you’ll probably notice that there are a few things that happen before the roll. They may stop suddenly, sniff, circle, etc. When this happens, get your dog out of the situation. Don’t wait for the roll to happen.
Conclusion
It’s likely that the behaviour of rolling in stinky things is an instinct with ancestral roots. Your dog may not have to hunt for food, but it’s so much fun to roll in smelly things that the behaviour has persisted through many generations of domestic dogs. You probably can’t deter your dog from rolling entirely, but our tips will help you prevent it from happening.
