Why do they roll in everything!

[yorketransport]

I was running Pepper (WPG) yesterday just to get her out of the house and to let her burn off some energy. As usual, I had her e-collar on her. Normally she comes back very quickly when she hears the beep on the collar. Yesterday she was up the trail about 100 yards in front of me but around a corner. I beeped her to see where she was at, but she didn't come right away. I whistled and beeped again, and then she came running back. I knew something was up because she looked way too pleased with herself.



She came back with some sort of unidentifiable animal dung just smeared down both sides of her. I could smell her coming when she was about 25 yards away. I wanted to be mad, but I've never seen her so happy! I made her ride in the back of the truck on the way home because I sure wasn't going to let her in the cab! I had to tie her to the bumper and hose her off before I could even bring her into the house to give her a bath. She had that stuff crammed deep in her ears and just mashed into her fur. To make it worse, she mad a break for it as soon as we got inside and she started rolling all over the other dog Roman (my wife's Maltese). I spent the next 2 hours scrubbing those two but they still don't smell right!

I love my dog, but every once in a while I'm reminded why I would never get another one like her.

Andrew

[Mfowl]

I've also wondered what they get out of rolling in rotten/stinking messes. Last year during dove hunting season my lab made it a point to roll on every dead rotten carp on the shores of Potholes Reservoir. I had to bathe him 4 times that weekend. 

[sled]

  Haha.  Love It!

[wafisherman]

My 110lb solid white husky mix rolls in rotting salmon any chance he gets each fall at the river.  One year while camping near mt st helens he rolled in human excrement.   

[lokidog]

Tell me about it... try walking down the beaches with your dog, I can't believe how many dead, rotting, stinking things there are  out there at the high tide line.     And rotting seafood is one of the worst smells.   

[seth30]

Tell me about it... try walking down the beaches with your dog, I can't believe how many dead, rotting, stinking things there are  out there at the high tide line.     And rotting seafood is one of the worst smells.   

my two labs found a dead seal once

[jackson7]

I am told dogs do it to hide their scent. Have to wonder how they bare it when they absolutely stink to us.

[lokidog]

I am told dogs do it to hide their scent. Have to wonder how they bare it when they absolutely stink to us.

What are they hiding their scent from, rotting crabs, or decaying guitarfish...?   

[Cougar Gold]

I saw a show on this. They roll in crap that has some smell of rotting meat in it to attract other dogs. It is a social thing.

[andersonjk4]

My white GSP rolled in a fresh cow pie while at my sisters house a couple Easters ago.  Turned his fur green for a few days.    Luckily cow pie doesn't smell as bad as some of the other things you guys are talking about. 

[wafisherman]

Yeah, hard to beat human s---.   

Luckily a friend happened to have some anti-bacterial dish soap along, so I had the pleasure of hand washing the big dog with thick white fur (now largely brown on one side) using nearly all the soap and just a faucet with cold water at the state park campground. 


on the other end of the spectrum, a collie mix I had as a kid seemed to never stink.  Once she got nailed by a skunk, and I was about 50 feet away, down wind, and nearly blew chunks.  My friend ralphed a few times.  Our clothes held the scent a bit even after washing.  Next morning I cautiously approached my dog, and even sticking my nose up to get fur, I couldn't even smell a hint of skunk... 

[yorketransport]

I actually talked to a dog groomer on my route the other day about this. She said that it doesn't matter what the dog rolls in, tomato juice always works to clean them up. I'll have to give it a try next time I guess.

[richardt]

I'm grateful that my Griffon hasn't done this 'yet', it's something I've heard that they're known for, but at 9 mo/old, there's still plenty of time for him to get in to something stinky...


Sent from my iPhone

[yorketransport]

I'm grateful that my Griffon hasn't done this 'yet', it's something I've heard that they're known for, but at 9 mo/old, there's still plenty of time for him to get in to something stinky...


Sent from my iPhone

The killer is that whatever she rolls in gets into that beautiful, thick twisted mess that they call fur. Cleaning her off was like trying to clean a brilo pad!

[richardt]

I'm grateful that my Griffon hasn't done this 'yet', it's something I've heard that they're known for, but at 9 mo/old, there's still plenty of time for him to get in to something stinky...


Sent from my iPhone

The killer is that whatever she rolls in gets into that beautiful, thick twisted mess that they call fur. Cleaning her off was like trying to clean a brilo pad!

I can only imagine! I know it'll happen someday, I just hope that day is a long way off ......


Sent from my iPhone