Many dogs have this unpleasant behavior. We may think that they are simply a bit dirty, but behind this behavior there are hidden reasons why your dog may need veterinary assistance relatively urgently.
Do you want to know why dogs roll over dead bodies or why they sometimes eat them or eat feces they find on the street? In this article on our site, we'll explain why dogs engage in this behavior and what we can do to prevent it. Find out below why dogs roll over dead animals:
Information for the pack
In wolves, rolling over dead animals or other debris serves to convey information to the rest of the pack When a wolf meets a new smell, he smells it and then rolls over it, thus acquiring the aroma on his body, especially on his face and neck. When he returns to the rest of the pack, they greet him, investigate the new scent he brings, and follow the trail back to its source. Thus obtaining food in the form of carrion Wolves and wild dogs can act as scavengers when the prey population decreases.
Some experts speculate that this is a behavior of some canids and that it has the same function as for wolves. Although this doesn't explain why they roll around in feces, only dead animals.
Marking
Other dog people suggest they do it for the completely opposite reason. Instead of pretending to pick up the scent, they leave their own scent on the carcass or feces. Dog feces are bathed in pheromones that give a lot of information. When a dog rolls, it usually starts with the face, where they have some pheromone-producing glands.
This would answer the question "why does my dog roll in disgusting things" as it would explain why they roll in both dead bodies and feces.
Cover your own smell
Another thoughtful option may be that the ancestors of modern dogs used odors to camouflage their ownThe prey also have a highly developed sense of smell, so they can detect their predator if the wind is against them. Thus it could have happened that the first dogs masked their smell in this way. There is evidence that modern wolves do the same.
On the other hand, when we bathe our dog with perfumed shampoos or apply perfumes, the animal does not feel comfortable, it does not he is himself and needs to acquire a more natural smell. For this same reason, a dog may bring to his bed scraps of rubbish he finds around the house
Wake-up call
Sometimes a dog may engage in this behavior because he likes the attention he getsfrom his human when he does it. It is a conditioned behavior and can be caused by stress, loneliness, boredom or lack of stimulation.
In extreme cases, when this behavior has been reinforced several times (the dog rolls in dead animals and we pay attention to it) they may even like it and thus turn this habit into something positive for them who can't help but perform.
How to prevent dogs from wallowing in dead animals?
First of all, we must understand that this is a natural and he althy behavior in the dog, but if we want to prevent him from doing it, ideally, start by teaching them basic obedience commands, such as "come," "stay," or "sit." If your dog has been properly trained using positive reinforcement (rewards, kind words, and petting), it will be easy for you to stop the dog before it rubs off, using obedience as a control mechanism
Once you have prevented the dog from rubbing on dead animals, it will be essential to remove it from the area and reward it for obeying our instructions. In addition, we can further reinforce the fact of ignoring the corpses through games and subsequent caresses.
Why does a dog eat feces or carcasses instead of wallowing?
If your dog eats excrement, the first thing you should do is visit the vet, because one of the reasons why a dog eats waste of other animals is an enzyme deficiency, due to which they cannot digest certain foods and have nutritional deficiencies. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency can also cause malabsorption, the dog will lose weight, have diarrhea and desperately try to eat anything to get nutrients.
If you have other animals at home, such as cats, rabbits or rodents, it is very common for a dog to eat feces. Rabbit and rodent faeces are rich in vitamins, especially those of group B. If your dog has a vitamin deficiency, it may be that the feed you feed him with does not cover all his needs.
Another reason is that the animal has intestinal parasites, such as roundworms. Intestinal parasites absorb the nutrients that your dog should be getting from his food. The feces act as a natural dewormer. In any case, it is very important to visit the veterinarian and have him perform an analysis to see if your dog absorbs all the nutrients correctly or to check if he has parasites
