Dog Community

Rolling on the grass?

Posted : 5/27/2006 7:27:59 PM

Hi!

I have 3 dogs, a 2.5 year old male JackRussellTerrier, a 2 year old male English Bullterrier, and a 1 year old female JRT.
Everytime we go out the bullterrier sniffs around, finds a spot on the ground and starts rolling on it, scrubbing his back onto that spot. Is he just playing, or is it a ritual to adop the smell of the spot? Maybe the smell of another, dominant dog?
The female JRT does that very rarely, and the male JRT, the most dominant in the group never ever does that.
Can anyone explain?
Also, is there a webpage that lists and explains all these dog rituals?

Thank you!

angelamarie

Posted : 5/27/2006 7:44:35 PM

Every dog I've ever owned has done this. They find stuff in the grass that just smells so wonderful to them, they need to rub it all over, usually diving in ear first. This could range from rabbit pellets to raccoon poop to who knows what. My two toy poodles are especially fond of dead worms. They'll even dive head first onto a dead worm on the pavement. My last dog, while hiking in the woods, could find a pile of animal poop in a heart beat and be rolling in it within seconds. Every hike was followed by a good bath.

I have no idea why dogs do this, but I swear they are smiling when they do.

Prince_Pride

Posted : 5/27/2006 9:43:44 PM

Prince LOOOOOVES to roll around on the grass...I think he just does it to have fun

Xerxes

Posted : 5/27/2006 10:12:50 PM

It's not really a ritual, it's a way to disguise his smell. Any dog knows that if you smell like rabbit poo or a dead animal no prey item will think you're a dog.

addicted2rescue

Posted : 5/28/2006 3:42:17 PM

My mom's lab does that with pledge. Yea, the wood cleaning stuff. Whenever I clean the house and use it, she rolls around on the rag.

loveukaykay

Posted : 5/28/2006 5:39:27 PM

Ive seen some dogs who really enjoy a good roll around after eating. Bailey just likes to do it, so did my Kayla.