Why it happens
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Hiding its own smell
One theory says a dog's ancestors rolled in strong-smelling places so their prey would not scent them. The habit may have stayed, even though the dog no longer needs to hunt.
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News for other dogs
Wolves that find something interesting roll in it and carry the smell back to the pack. Perhaps a dog does the same and brings the news home on its coat.
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A smell the dog enjoys
What stinks to a person can be utterly fascinating to a dog. It rolls with obvious pleasure: rubbing its neck and shoulders, twisting on its back.
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A strange smell after a bath
Plenty of dogs rush off to roll as soon as they have been bathed or clipped. Shampoo smells foreign to them, so they hurry to smell like themselves again – ideally of something strong.
What helps
- Spot the signs Before it rolls, a dog sniffs one spot intently, slows down and lowers its neck or shoulder towards the ground. If you catch that moment, call it, praise it when it comes and walk on.
- A reliable recall At home and in quiet places, practise calling your dog and reward it with something especially tasty. The more reliably it comes, the easier it is to call it away from a smelly find.
- A long lead in risky places On the coast, near pastures, in the woods or in meadows where there may be dead fish, manure or wild animals' droppings, walk your dog on a long lead. It still has freedom but cannot get to the stuff in time to roll.
- Wash it off calmly Do not scold your dog: it will not understand why. Bath it with a dog shampoo and rinse it well. The bathing guide shows how to bath a dog so it does not find it frightening.
- Do not bath more than needed A dog bathed every few days ends up with drier skin, and the strange smell of shampoo only encourages it to roll. Wipe off small bits of dirt with a damp towel and bath it only when it really needs it.
Related product categories
The links lead to product categories, not to a particular product or brand. They are not a recommendation.
When it is a question for a vet
Rolling in itself is not a sign of illness. See a vet if your dog keeps rolling and rubbing on the carpet or grass even where there is nothing there, scratches, rubs its face, has reddened skin or sores, smells bad even after a bath, or if after rolling in or eating carrion it starts vomiting, has diarrhoea or becomes lethargic.