Why Do Dogs Roll In Poop?

If there is one thing that’s guaranteed to make you question the existence of any higher being, it’s a dog rolling in poop. Why would an animal that presumably has enough of its own droppings to roll around in do something like that? The reasons for this behavior are actually quite varied and not as disgusting as you might think.

People have been debating why dogs carry out this peculiar habit since the dawn of time. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a conclusive answer – but what we do know is rather intriguing. So without further ado, here are some of the possible reasons why dogs roll in poop.

Why Do Dogs Roll In Poop?

Number 1: “It Smells Good”

The first and probably most obvious theory is that it’s just an expression of their natural curiosity. After all, even your dog – the loyal, loving pet you know and love – can be quite snobby when it comes to what they like to roll in and what they don’t. So while one dog may completely avoid rolling in deer poop (because who would?), another might fall over itself to roll around in some fresh cow pie.

To be fair, dogs enjoy the smell of their own poop just as much as any other type of poop. So it’s quite possible that the smell is what attracts them to this type of behavior and not necessarily the scent of say, a cow.

Number 2: “They Just Can’t Resist”

That’s right – just like you getting yourself one more slice of your grandma’s famous “special” apple pie, sometimes dogs just can’t help themselves and have to get another taste of that sweet, sweet sewage. Not only does it smell good to them, but it feels good too! Dogs actually find rolling in poop quite pleasurable (presumably because they’re snobs too and like what they like).

Number 3: “It’s Their Way of Saying I Love You”

I’m a true believer in this one. Your dog might, in fact, roll in poop for basically the same reasons you do (you do that right?) – because they just can’t resist the smell or the feel of it. But if that’s all it was, it would be pretty mean of them to roll around in all that stuff just for their own personal gain. So maybe there’s a deeper meaning behind this odd behavior – one that they’re really trying to communicate to you, their human friend.

You see, it’s very likely that dogs associate rolling in poop with happiness. Dogs feel happiness when they engage in this behavior. So if your dog ever rolls in poop, you’ll know that even though he or she is covered in your favorite poop shirt, they are truly happy to be with you.

Number 4: “They’re Trying to Maintain Their Natural Body Temperature”

Even though it may seem like a strange thing to do, rolling around in feces is actually quite useful for regulating the temperature of dogs and other animals who have poor body insulation. As the weather gets colder and outside temperatures fall, any animals who don’t have the ability to maintain a normal body temperature will begin to feel cold.

Refrigerators may keep things cool, but they’re not as effective in maintaining body temperatures. So what’s an animal to do? Well, if he or she wants to stay warm, rolling around in their own poop can come in pretty handy. In fact – some scientists have actually proven that this is the case. So if your dog has been rolling around in poop, you can use the fact that it’s actually quite beneficial for them as an excuse to only give them a light scolding.

Number 5: “They’re Just Plain Naughty”

And lastly, dogs just may roll in poop because they like it. Sure, there are other reasons that seem more plausible. But just think about it – when has your dog ever stopped you from doing something simply because it was wrong or bad for you? Dogs like to do what makes them happy – and what makes them happy is rolling in poop (and probably eating stinky stuff too).

In Summary

While the reasons behind this behavior are pretty strange and more than a little ridiculous, it is still quite intriguing and more often than not, absolutely adorable. So as long as you know that it’s not something to be overly concerned about, you can just get on with your day and actually enjoy being around your dog instead of trying to figure out why he or she smells so delightful!