Dear Old Trainer: My Lab, Buddy, and German shepherd, Big Girl, occasionally roll in poop or a dead animal or anything else that smells bad. When they do, they come trotting back as happy as can be. Why do they do it, and what should I do about it?
Interested, Boulder, Colo.
There are several theories on why so many dogs engage in this behavior, Interested. My dogs do it and, like yours, seem to be proud of themselves when they come back smelling so bad. The Old Trainer has had to drive home with the windows open more than once. No one knows for sure why they do it, but some of the theories are:
Communicating with the pack. One thought is that dogs may roll in something as a means of letting the rest of the pack know they have found something interesting. The fact that they seem to be so happy when they come back to their owners with their new smell gives credence to this theory.
Reacting to perfume. Another reason is to remove the perfume smell that groomers inflict on so many dogs. Shampoos that owners use on their dogs also contain this cheap perfume smell. It is an unpleasant smell to dogs -- unpleasant to The Old Trainer, too -- and dogs roll in whatever they can find to mask it. The fact that so many dogs do their rolling immediately after being groomed indicates there is some truth in this theory. (For a way to avoid this, see the next letter.)
Predator's instinct. The main reason, though, in TOT's opinion, is the canine psychology that dogs have inherited from their wolf ancestors. Wolves often roll in feces or carcasses to disguise their scent when they are hunting. Dogs still have the predator instinct even though their owners supply the food. All dogs are more likely to do it when they are on a walk than when they are in their own territory.
In any case, there is no need to worry about it. Rolling is a natural instinct and should be encouraged when they are rolling in the grass or snow or sand. In fact, TOT has tried for years -- without success -- to use "reverse training" to teach a dog to roll on command.
If you see your dog preparing to roll in something you don't recognize, tell him "no," but don't scold him for engaging in natural behavior. If he comes back covered in something, just roll down the windows, take them home, and follow instructions in the next letter.
Dear Old Trainer: Slipstream, my Golden, is so big that it takes the whole family to get him in the tub to give him a bath, and then the bathroom is a mess. Any suggestions? Worn Out, Merced
Slipstream doesn't need to be bathed in the tub, Worn Out, and neither does any other dog. He doesn't need shampoo either unless he has rolled in one of the items above.
Put the leash on Slipstream and lead him over to the garden hose. Spend five or 10 minutes just running the water through his coat. Make sure his entire body gets wet and gets a good rinsing. Then let him shake -- no dog can shake like a Golden -- and roll in the grass if he wants. If you want, you can then towel him down. That's it. He will smell good and he will be clean.
Send questions for The Old Trainer to theoldtrainer711@yahoo.com
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