Behaviour
He stops, sniffs, drops a shoulder and rolls over in bliss. Rolling has a few possible explanations, and the plan starts in the seconds before it happens.
Worth knowing. A dog who rubs his back on the carpet many times a day with no smell involved may have fleas, allergies or back pain. And if he often rolls in fox poo or carcasses, tell your own vet: they may change his worming schedule.
Sunday, out in the fields. Your dog is trotting along happily twenty metres ahead when he stops, sniffs something in the grass, drops a shoulder and goes over onto his back, legs in the air, grinding his neck into the ground with a look of pure bliss. By the time you reach him, the smell hits you from three metres away: fox poo, a dead fish, a hedgehog that has been dead for days. The car is unbearable on the way home. He is not doing it because he is dirty, and he is not doing it to wind you up. Below is why he rolls, what does not work, how to stop him beforehand and what to do afterwards.
Nobody knows for certain. There are a few explanations, all plausible, and each dog probably has his own mix.
Smell as news. Wolves roll in new, strong smells, and when they get back the others in the pack come to sniff their coat. The animal "brings home" the news of what it found. Some dogs do the same: straight after rolling they head for you, looking very pleased with themselves.
Smell as disguise. An old explanation says the dog's ancestors covered their own scent so they could get closer to prey without being noticed. It may be true, but it is hard to prove.
He simply likes it. A dog's nose has a sensitivity we lack, and what is a stench to us may be a fascinating perfume to him. A dog rolling about with his eyes half shut looks like a dog enjoying himself.
Getting rid of the shampoo. Plenty of dogs roll straight after a bath, on the grass, the carpet, their own blanket. The shampoo smell is foreign to them, and they swap it quickly for something familiar.
Itching. If he rubs his back on the carpet ten times a day with no smell involved, he may have fleas, itchy skin or back pain. That is a different story, covered in the medical section.
Carcasses, fox poo and dead fish top the list for almost every dog. Do not count on him growing out of it. Some dogs do it all their lives, with the same delight.
Telling him off afterwards. You reach him two minutes later and tell him off. He links it with coming back to you, or with the smell on him; the roll from two minutes ago is not part of the picture. Next time he has rolled, he will not come when you call.
Chasing him. You run after him shouting, he runs on ahead with his freshly scented coat. As far as he is concerned it is the best game of the day.
Bath time as punishment. Cold water, angry scrubbing, a raised voice. The bath has to happen. Turn it into a nightmare, though, and you have a dog who runs from the bath for the rest of his life, including the days he really needs one.
Perfume over the smell. Human perfume or a strong spray on top of fox poo makes an even worse mixture, irritates his skin and sends him straight back out to roll it off.
Freedom in high-risk places. A dog without a reliable recall, let off on a lake shore with dead fish or a field full of foxes, will roll, however well trained he is otherwise.
Rolling does not come out of nowhere. Almost every dog goes through the same sequence: he stops suddenly from a relaxed walk, sniffs one spot intensely, lowers his head with his cheek towards the ground, drops his shoulder. There are a few seconds between that first sniff and the roll, and that is when you step in.
In fields, on beaches, along woodland edges, by the water, at times of year when you know there are carcasses about: a 5 to 10 metre long line clipped to his harness. He explores, you can stop the roll in time, and your walk stops being a constant worry.
At home and in quiet places, teach him a word that means "leave whatever is there and come to me". Put a treat on the floor, cover it with your hand and wait for him to take his nose away. Then say "leave it", praise him and give him something even better from your other hand. Make it harder bit by bit, take it outdoors, then next to strong smells. For recall we have a separate guide.
When you see the signs, call his name brightly or use your recall word, turn and walk off the other way, sounding like a party. When he comes, throw a celebration right there: sausage, cheese, his ball, his favourite game. You are up against a dead fish, so you have to be more interesting than it is. Hard, but doable.
| Day | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Long line in high-risk places. Watch for his own warning signs before a roll and write them down. |
| 1–7 | "Leave it" at home, 10 times a day, with food on the floor. |
| 3–5 | Recall on the long line, somewhere with no strong smells, with a big celebration every time he comes. |
| 6–7 | First exercises next to a tempting smell (a bone from the butcher that you have put in the grass), still on the long line. |
Rolling with no smell involved. A dog who rubs his back on the carpet, the grass or the sofa many times a day, who scratches, licks or chews at his skin, may have fleas, allergies, a skin infection, an ear infection or back pain. See your vet with a list: how often and where.
What he touched or ate. Carcasses and fox poo do more than smell awful. Foxes carry parasites, among them a tapeworm that is dangerous to people and present in many parts of Europe, and sometimes mange, which passes to dogs through contact. If he ate some of the carcass as well, vomiting and diarrhoea can follow within hours. Tell your vet that he rolls in fox poo or carcasses often, because they may suggest a different worming schedule. If a few days later he is scratching hard, especially at the ears and elbows, take him in for a check.
The instinct stays. Nose work helps with two things, though. A dog who regularly gets work for his nose (search games, sniff walks on a long line, a scent sport) is less desperate to throw himself at every new smell in the field. And in mantrailing, dogs pass carcasses, rubbish and fox trails while following the scent of a person, and over time they learn to stay on the job. At our training sessions we often see dogs on a trail walk past a dead fish without stopping, when on a free walk they would have rolled in it.
A trainer can help you build "leave it" and recall in real situations, with temptations set up sensibly, and show you exactly when to step in with your dog.
What dog owners search for most often on the internet about this problem, with the short answer.
We do not know for sure. The usual explanations: he brings a new smell home as news for the "group"; he covers his own scent, as his ancestors did when hunting (this one is hard to prove); or he simply likes the smell. Many dogs also roll after a bath to get rid of the shampoo. Each dog probably has his own mix of reasons.
Carcasses, dead fish and fox poo have the strongest, most interesting smells there are for a dog's nose. To him it is a major find. The risk is real: carcasses and fox poo can pass on parasites and mange, and if he eats some of the carcass he can get vomiting and diarrhoea.
Keep him on a long line in high-risk places, learn the signs that come before it (he stops suddenly, sniffs one spot, lowers his cheek and shoulder) and step in during those seconds: call him cheerfully, walk off the other way and throw a party when he comes. At home, practise "leave it" and recall so they hold up next to strong smells too.
Lukewarm water and dog shampoo, washed twice, working on the neck, shoulders and ears, where it sticks worst. Wash the collar separately or swap it. Tomato juice does not help. Do not put perfume on top: it irritates his skin and sends him off to roll again. Finish the bath with something good.
The shampoo smell is foreign to him and he wants to replace it quickly with something familiar: grass, carpet, his blanket. A lightly scented shampoo helps, so does a good towel-dry and a short walk on lead after the bath, away from freshly dug soil or grass a fox has just crossed.
A behaviour that appears suddenly or changes for no apparent reason can have a medical cause. For full details, consult your dog's own veterinarian.
They often come together: the same causes, plans that complement each other.
You call him five times in the park and he looks at you like a stranger. Recall is built at home, with plenty of fun, long before you need it.
Bones under benches, napkins, socks, stones. Scavenging comes naturally to a dog and it is dangerous for him; the habit changes with patience and good treats.
A dog who bolts from the bath or grabs the brush can learn to accept both. Small steps, good treats and his right to say stop get you there faster than you think.
Crusted ear edges, bare elbows, nights of scratching. Or round bald patches round the eyes of a puppy who never scratches. One name, two diseases.
An assessment session tells you where you stand and which plan makes sense for your dog. The behaviour programme then works step by step, reward-based only.