Why do some dogs roll in other dog's crap? Is it just a male dog thing?

Answer 1

Naw, females do it just as much, so it isn't gender related,,
It derives from wild dogs rolling in offal to camouflage their own scent, and confuse the prey..However, as dog will roll in any offal, not preferably canine but only when it is what is handy, it has lost its instinctual meaning, but just seems to give them a sense of power..

Answer 2

I think a trainer had explained this to me once, I am not sure I remember correctly, but it had to do with camouflage, like hiding their own smell from other dogs and being able to move around without attracting attention. It is not fear, but a kind of "military" instinct. The trainer also told me that "clever" dogs do it, he meant the ones with high instincts. They also rub themselves against dead animals for the same reason. Actually the trainer had told me that about rubbing against dead animals, i gather they do it for a similar reason with poo.

Answer 3

My dog does that too, she likes to roll in rotting animal corpses too... adorable little thing...
(we have a big old field where she goes out to run in and there is often the left overs from the foxes dinner out there. We're not just wierdos that leave animal corpses in our garden!)

Answer 4

I don't know if it's just male dogs. But I think the question is, why?

Answer 5

I've never had a dog do this. But they've all been addicted to horse manure and fox dung.
Fox dung is black and stinks. Is that what your dogs are rolling in?

Answer 6

Dogs like it when you pat them because you're rubbing your smell on them; it's a social thing.

Poo is a very potent communication medium among dogs; a dog can tell from the smell of it who left it, whether or not it was a dog, its sex, how big it is, how old it is, all sorts of things. I think they just like to smell like their friends.

Answer 7

thinl it's to do will instinct from the wild where the biggest smelliest dog was a force to be reckoned with and they carried the scent of their pack around with them so as to intimiidate other packs of dogs. It's nit so good when they want to bring it back home though!

Answer 8

Female dogs do it as well. Dogs like horrible smells.

Answer 9

All dogs have the drive to roll in muck.

Answer 10

Dogs like poo!!! Dogs like anything stinky--covers their scent--the whole hunting thing. My dogs will roll on a dead posey if they think it'll cover their natural dog smell!!