Why do dogs roll in the dirt and other places we don’t want them to?
Does this happen to anyone else? Plant something new, and you notice suddenly, possibly even too late, that your canines are bonkers for it. Maybe they dig it up or roll it over like luxury bedsheets. Perhaps it's a case of rolling in the dirt after a bath, but you get the point I'm trying to make.
Why do dogs roll on their backs?
Dogs roll on their backs for numerous reasons. One of the most obvious is to scratch an irritation. They don’t have fingers or speak English, so they rely on body language to communicate their feelings. To understand why your dog rolls, you must pay attention to the context surrounding the dog’s behavior. It’s similar to the elementary skill we were all taught about reading for context clues to decipher the meaning of unfamiliar words in passages.
Here are several reasons a dog might roll on their back.
They’re feeling Playful
Feeling overwhelmed or threatened
They might be masking their scent
They may be marking their territory
Pheromones are everywhere
Dogs roll on their Back when they’re feeling playful.
A few days after transplanting a Japanese Maple I’d overwintered in a pot, Maze realized the young tree was in her midst. She may have noticed it while I was gone, and my mother-in-law watched her and the others. When I came home from my trip, the tree was on its side, and Maze was happily rolling in the soil where the sapling was when I left home. A good shimmy and a tail thwap were all I needed to see that she was pleased to steam-roll the area.
Maze bounced up on her big paws. Without a note of fear or displeasure in her eyes, she nudged me with her head in a show of affection for a good back rub.
Miraculously, the tree survived. I don’t know how Maze missed it or why Malibu decided against using it in a good game of tug-of-war. Somebody, amazingly, spared the tree.
Dogs roll on their back when they’re feeling overwhelmed.
Rolling can be an outward show of submission to reduce a threat.
Maze was the center of our world when she was a puppy. She is still the star of her show and an attention hog, whether she intends to be or not. Her disposition is gentle and gigantic.
Malibu entered the picture and shook things up before Maze celebrated her second birthday. Malibu’s here-and-there playdates with Maze, while the owner worked long hours, didn't faze Maze in the least until Malibu’s owner confessed he couldn't take care of her. Malibu moved in and didn't leave her best buddy’s side. Her daily roughhousing drove Maze crazy.
Malibu was a handful in those days. She is still the most hyperactive dog on the planet, leaping at the spray from the water hose, pitching a fit when the other dogs get a bath, and she is forced to wait her turn. She also likes pony rides. She tries to latch on Maze’s back every chance she gets to saddle up her big sister for a pony ride. It sounds comical until you’re dealing with a ticked-off dog.
Maze rolled on her back a couple of times. Malibu continued running and trying to play. While Maze’s behavior could have been a sign of submission to thwart Malibu and stop her from charging, I took action quickly to prevent possible altercations. I separated them right away. From then on, I played with each dog individually and allowed them to play together briefly until their interactions improved.
Fortunately, Malibu is easily distracted. Wave a treat or her favorite toy in her face, and she’s all ears. She’ll gladly run someone over to return to the house for the reward. Maze and Malibu have grown used to each other and sharing the same space, but it’s taken time and a ton of supervision. Knowing when to separate them from my children before anyone gets their feelings hurt has been a daily gig.
Dogs roll in yucky stuff to mask their scent and claim territory
Based on an evolutionary perspective, one theory is that dogs roll in the stinky stuff- cadavers and bodily fluids- to hide their scent from prey, who would run once they got a whiff of trouble on the horizon.
Another theory is that dogs roll around in stinky stuff to bring the scent back to the pack or anyone willing to get within a few feet of them. The odor gives him boasting rights. If your dog does this, he could be wearing the smell as if he owns it, and believe me, he is probably thrilled at the prospect of ownership. The place where he’s rolled, the kill, even if he’s only the suspect, is his territory now, right? Basically, he’s telling the other dogs to bug off, that he’s the new sheriff in town, so they better get lost.
This theory is similar to dogs that “scratch and circle their bed” before relaxing and getting a little shut-eye. Coyotes check out their lodging in the wild for the night. My dog Bourbon is famous for circling and scratching the floor of my walk-in closet at night before settling down to catch any ZZZ. The only animal allowed in his den at night is our cat, Kid.
Dog’s roll over and more for pheromones.
Pheromones are odorless chemical messengers that are species-specific. While you and I don’t notice them, dogs (and other mammals) learn from them.
If you’ve ever felt resistance trying to pry your dog apart from a mailbox on an evening walk, your dog’s probably inhaling a whiff of someone else’s pheromones. While it is sickening to you and me, the evaporated stream of pee your dog finds positively intoxicating is a call for social interaction as much as our cell phones are to us.
Bodily fluids, including breastmilk from lactating animals, contain chemical messengers. Pheromones in mama dogs' breastmilk encourage maternal bonding by calming puppies.
Even the dead, stinky stuff is laden with thrilling chemical messengers, all providing secret intel to your pup that you and I aren’t privy to, and thank goodness!
Synthetic Pheromones are on the rise for a reason.
There’s a reason for a rise in the market of synthetic pheromones. Synthetic appeasement pheromones may soothe your dog during a thunderstorm. I haven’t tried using synthetic hormones on my dogs, but I tried the plugins when I adopted my second cat in hopes that they can at least learn to tolerate each other. I can’t say for sure if that’s what did the trick. Still, it may be worth a shot in easing overall anxiety, whether you’re introducing a new pet into a household with other pets or trying to alleviate your pup who is experiencing separation anxiety when you leave for work.
To read more about pheromones and a dog’s body language, check out my earlier post, Is Your Dog Feeling Stressed?
Why I focus on my responsibility as a good pet parent.
While not every back roll signals stress, I always supervise my four dogs when we go outside. With a yard full of plants and being a pet parent to so many, each with a unique personality, I can’t be too cautious. I watch for signs of stress and make sure no one is getting into what they shouldn’t. Supervision is necessary to keep everyone in line and keep my house from being destroyed.
Though my dogs are loving, they are large breeds who express their excitement differently. Friends and family don’t visit to be licked to death. Though I don't foresee my dogs harming anyone, I still exercise caution and lead them to another room where they feel comfortable spending a little downtime when visitors are over.
I know time is precious, and we live busy lives, so it is better not to have all of the dogs out competing for family and friends' attention. Why not make visits memorable in a positive way and keep the pets happy?
