She isn’t the only person with this theory either as Dr Stanley Coren whom I referenced earlier also shares this sentiment with the following quote: “For human beings our dominant sense is vision… for dogs it is their sense of smell. They will rolls and rub themselves in a wide variety of stinky mess, not just fox poo. You may find that your dog likes to find the smelliest thing to roll around in right after you’ve bathed him. It is also possible that some dogs roll as it results in a response from their owners. One of the best ways is to develop a really good recall, be vigilant, and call him back whenever he has been sniffing in the same spot for too long. You see this when they play and chase. A useful tool is a Pet Corrector spray which you can purchase from your local pet shop or via the internet. Safe & Hound has been set up to provide a local, friendly and reliable service for all your pets needs for when you cant be there. One theory is that it’s a hunting behaviour that evolved as a way to mask the dog’s own scent to make it easier to stalk prey. Some say our dog’s poop rolling antics are instinctual from their wild ancestry. Rolling to let dogs know they have been there. Aversion therapy is another approach. The theory here is that your dog loves rolling in fox poo because they like the smell. All of the advice and content on this website is written from my own personal perspective of owning and caring for dogs over the last few years. Not all dogs partake, so if you’re one of the lucky ones, please read on and share our pain. You can almost visualize in your mind’s eye how this work. None of this would really be a massive issue if it wasn’t for how bad fox poo smells. One of the most popular theories is that dogs smear themselves in fox poo because it helps them disguise their own scent when they’re hunting. You know what I mean. On the BBC website I found a quote from Muriel Brasseur of the Oxford Animal Behaviour Centre who said: “I suspect they get a great big rush of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in reward and pleasure. While out hunting, dogs would cover themselves in various odours to mask their own scent, making it easier to sneak up on prey. And this is where one of the most likely theories about them rolling in fox feces comes from – it’s an instinctive thing related to hunting. Dogs do weird things that we find repulsive, but they love. Simon Gadbois from Dalhousie University in Canada tested it with his own domestic sniffer dogs and had this to say: “You would think it would interfere with her ability to smell and track other animals, but remarkably it did not affect her performance one bit.”. We like rolling in poo the same as you like looking at art. The desire to roll in fox poo and other strong smelling things is a natural instincts that stems back to your dog’s ancestry. This alone would be fine, but our dog loves rolling in fox poo and the stuff absolutely stinks! They are also scavengers who eat anything they fund, incuding from bins. Cover up other smells . Dogs are territorial by nature, so if the grand prize of fox poo is up for grabs, what better way to mark territory by putting their own smell on it. To mask their smell. There are different theories about why they do this: It  disguises their own scent, and smelling more like their environment they can get closer to their prey before being detected. If dogs really do love the smell of stinky things so much, then the rubbing could be your dog’s way of leaving his own scent behind, so other dogs know he got their first. Please always consult with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog. Oh Fox Poo, I love you…. Why do female dogs roll in fox poo? link to When to Put Down a Dog with Cancer (Bone, Bladder, Prostate, Lung). 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