Why do they roll in poop?

MissDaisyDog · 07-05-2009, 12:45 PM

Dear Friends,

We adopted Miss Daisy about 9 months ago. She has been great. No house training problems or anything else.
Yesterday. I took her to Petsmart for a bath and a "furminator" treatment. Both of which she has has twice before with no prolems.
This morning we let her out in the (fenced) back yard as usual. When she came in...wow...it was obvious she had rolled in poop. I had to take her out and hose her down good. Finally got her cleaned up.

The question is WHY DID SHE DO IT? HELP. What sould we do to prevent a recurrance?

Miss Daisy and her driver, Fritz

Mikey T · 07-06-2009, 02:03 AM

Not just poop but anything with a strong odor especial died rotten fish

On school of thought it is instictual behavior, that of a preditor covering up its natural scent to make it easier to sneek up on prey.

As for stopping the behavior um nothing short of keeping them onleash and away from stinky stuff nothing and even then the above advice is bound to fail once an again as well.

Beverly Anne · 07-06-2009, 10:02 AM

My 11 year old, Francis, is completely blind, he can't even distinguish light from dark but if there is anything even remotely dead within a 5 mile radius he will find it and rub his head in it then roll in it. It is the bane of my existence.
Mikey, I think the dead, rotten fish was the absolutely WORST thing he ever rolled in. It took months for the smell to completely disappear.

twobassets · 07-06-2009, 06:40 PM

No idea why, but I can tell you the worse it smells the happier they are.

Our first Basset was partial to dead birds. Sammy loves the little spit bugs that show up on long grass - i don't know their official name. Luther will roll in anything that smells really, really bad. Particularly after bath time. They also don't like it when I clean their bedding and get all the "nice stink" out of it. Mine sniff and then start to roll a shoulder to the ground. I use that as early warning and run like mad to stop them!

On occasion I'm actually succesful.

Terry · 07-12-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

My 11 year old, Francis, is completely blind, he can't even distinguish light from dark but if there is anything even remotely dead within a 5 mile radius he will find it and rub his head in it then roll in it. It is the bane of my existence.
Mikey, I think the dead, rotten fish was the absolutely WORST thing he ever rolled in. It took months for the smell to completely disappear.[/b]

Ditto dead fish being the worst. Moe and three Basset-buddies found a putrid puddle of jellied rotten fish remains on a beach once and they ALL rolled in it. The ride home was a terrible ordeal for my friend and I. We had a hard time not puking but the hounds were all VERY happy! :P Tally's personal rolling favorite is earthworms... after a hard rain they are all over the driveway. The poor things get mashed to bits and Tally ends up covered in worm guts.

Aruuuu · 07-14-2009, 09:09 AM

Right now, there's a spot in our back yard that all three of mine have rolled in. They have nothing on them and I can't smell anything, but obviously they could. Life with bassets presents many mysteries

...

RaeChill · 07-19-2009, 12:14 AM

I've always thought it was a predatory instinct to mask their scent when hunting... I can't remember where I heard that or if I just assumed that's why they did it.

Prey #1~ "No, on second thought, I don't think it's a Basset Hound. I think we're being followed by a dead fish covered in poop."
Prey #2~ "Oh, that's cool then."

Beverly Anne · 07-19-2009, 11:19 AM

Rae Chill, that was great.

MissDaisyDog · 07-19-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

I've always thought it was a predatory instinct to mask their scent when hunting... I can't remember where I heard that or if I just assumed that's why they did it.

Prey #1~ "No, on second thought, I don't think it's a Basset Hound. I think we're being followed by a dead fish covered in poop."
Prey #2~ "Oh, that's cool then."[/b]

I think I was the prey!!
Miss Daisy's driver, Fritz

roostershmoo · 07-21-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

I've always thought it was a predatory instinct to mask their scent when hunting... I can't remember where I heard that or if I just assumed that's why they did it.

Prey #1~ "No, on second thought, I don't think it's a Basset Hound. I think we're being followed by a dead fish covered in poop."
Prey #2~ "Oh, that's cool then."[/b]

I'll have to repeat that, it's a good one!

07-06-2009, 10:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
Beverly Anne Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 737	My 11 year old, Francis, is completely blind, he can't even distinguish light from dark but if there is anything even remotely dead within a 5 mile radius he will find it and rub his head in it then roll in it. It is the bane of my existence. Mikey, I think the dead, rotten fish was the absolutely WORST thing he ever rolled in. It took months for the smell to completely disappear. __________________ Francis's Bevy

07-06-2009, 06:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
twobassets Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bothell, WA Posts: 182	No idea why, but I can tell you the worse it smells the happier they are. Our first Basset was partial to dead birds. Sammy loves the little spit bugs that show up on long grass - i don't know their official name. Luther will roll in anything that smells really, really bad. Particularly after bath time. They also don't like it when I clean their bedding and get all the "nice stink" out of it. Mine sniff and then start to roll a shoulder to the ground. I use that as early warning and run like mad to stop them! On occasion I'm actually succesful. __________________ Suzanne, mom to Prince Luther & Princess Sammy who think they are Royalty and require they be treated as such! Sasha Foo ATB July 16, 2002

07-14-2009, 09:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
Aruuuu Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central MA, USA Posts: 773	Right now, there's a spot in our back yard that all three of mine have rolled in. They have nothing on them and I can't smell anything, but obviously they could. Life with bassets presents many mysteries ... __________________ If stress were exercise, I'd be in great shape!

07-19-2009, 12:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
RaeChill Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tulsa OK Posts: 54	I've always thought it was a predatory instinct to mask their scent when hunting... I can't remember where I heard that or if I just assumed that's why they did it. Prey #1~ "No, on second thought, I don't think it's a Basset Hound. I think we're being followed by a dead fish covered in poop." Prey #2~ "Oh, that's cool then." __________________ ARrrrOOOooOOo x3 http://www.dogster.com/family/52719

07-19-2009, 11:19 AM	#8 (permalink)
Beverly Anne Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 737	Rae Chill, that was great. __________________ Francis's Bevy

07-05-2009, 12:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
MissDaisyDog Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 111	Dear Friends, We adopted Miss Daisy about 9 months ago. She has been great. No house training problems or anything else. Yesterday. I took her to Petsmart for a bath and a "furminator" treatment. Both of which she has has twice before with no prolems. This morning we let her out in the (fenced) back yard as usual. When she came in...wow...it was obvious she had rolled in poop. I had to take her out and hose her down good. Finally got her cleaned up. The question is WHY DID SHE DO IT? HELP. What sould we do to prevent a recurrance? Miss Daisy and her driver, Fritz

07-06-2009, 02:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mikey T Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: West Warrwick, RI Posts: 7,728	Not just poop but anything with a strong odor especial died rotten fish On school of thought it is instictual behavior, that of a preditor covering up its natural scent to make it easier to sneek up on prey. As for stopping the behavior um nothing short of keeping them onleash and away from stinky stuff nothing and even then the above advice is bound to fail once an again as well.

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