Why Do Dogs Roll In Stinky Things?

“The good news,” I told my parents over the phone, “was that it was dead.” ”The bad news,” I went on before they had a chance to ask, “was that even dead, it still smelled like a skunk.”  The upshot of this conversation meant that I had brought my parents’ three year old Coton, Shana, back from her walk smelling of eau deskunk.  My dog, Jade, had escaped this fate because Jade favors eating dead things over rolling in them (fortunately Jade does not seem to have developeda taste for dead skunk). Jade in fact is one of the only dogs I have ever met who does not clonazepam taken with paxil  roll in ever cow pie and patch of coyote urine (I walk a lot in a nearby national park) he encounters. 

Shana on the other hand is completely ecstatic when she encounters a large, preferably fresh, wet and slimy, cow pie.  She also likes coyote urine.  And if nothing else can be found, she will settle for a particularly foul smelling puddle - which is usually only about 1/3 water.  I’ll leave it to your imagine as to what the rest of the puddle is composed of - just keep in mind that I walk in an area frequented by horses, cows, and a variety of wild animals.  In theory, Shana knows the command “leave it” - which means “walk away from the dead, smelly, pile of whatever and come racing over to me for praise and a delicious treat.” Astonishingly however, Shana, who will respond instantly to “leave it” when it comes to toys, bones, or a new pair of shoes, becomes completely deaf when the command “leave it” implies that she must stop rolling in the newest smelly discovery.

My friend’s dog is equally partial to yellow slime puddles.  One more than one occasion I seriously contemplated tying Galeet to the roof of the car and driving her home that way rather than allowing her to sit in my back seat.  Dog product inventors take heed - those of us who walk in the great outdoors are in dire need of a small, portable, dog washing system!

So why do dogs like to roll so much in foul smelling things?  The truth is that no one knows for certain.  However, Petplace.com has some pretty convincing theories!

One theory is that dogs are attempting to mask their own scent. This would be a holdover from their origins as wolves. Masking their scent may help wolves sneak up on prey without alerting them by way of smell.  To me, this theory does make sense on one level.  However, wouldn’t rolling in a dead animal make the dog more attractive to predators?

A second theory is that rolling in feces or a dead animal’s remains is a way for a dog to communicate that he’s found something interesting. The dog (or wolf) then transports that smell back to his family (his pack) in order to advertise his discovery.  To be honest, I don’t think much of this theory - unless the communication was meant to be “hey, I found something delicious to eat.”  It seems to me that if this theory was correct, dogs would also roll on toys, favorite treats, and their food.

A third theory is set forth in the book The Truth About Dogs , by Stephen Budiansky. It is possible, Budiansky writes, that we’ve gotten it backwards. The dog may not be trying to absorb the scent; instead he may be trying to impart his own scent onto the object of his interest, for the same reason that a dog may urinate on a tree. The purpose may be no more than to leave a calling card – to overmark a another scent.  This theory is one I had never considered before.  I suppose this might tie into the second theory and the dog is trying to leave his scent as a way of claiming a kill as his own.  This doesn’t explain however why a dog would roll around in coyote urine - it seems that overmarking that scent would only alert predators that he is around!

Do you have a theory about why dogs roll in stinky stuff?  Share it with me and I’ll publish it on my blog!

Pet Safe Ice Melt

Although it may be cold and icy outside, your furry family will still spend portions of the day outside. De-icing of sidewalks and driveways may prevent deadly falls, but the ice melt products themselves can be deadly.

60 percent of American households use salt-based viagra low cos

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ice melt products in the winter. Children, pets, surfaces and the environment can be adversely affected by the use of these products.  For dogs, in particular, exposure to salt-based ice melt products can mean an unhealthy winter with multiple trips to the vet.

Salt-based ice melters sit on ice and snow for a long period prior to penetrating into the ice. When let outside, dogs frequently eat the snow and ice thereby ingesting these pellets. The pellets also get frozen to their paws. Once back inside, the ice melts and dogs begin to lick their paws.  The salt can heat up as high as 175 degrees and not only burn their skin but their mouth and digestive system.

 Salt and salt residue left over from these products also causes permanent damage to asphalt, concrete, wood decks, floors and rugs and can harm the environment, including burn and kill lawns and plants and contaminate well and drinking water supplies.

The good news is that there are alternatives to harmful salt-based ice melts.  This winter season, look for an ice melt that is safe for your family, your pets, and the environment.