Why Do Dogs Roll in the Grass?

ByThePetster Team

Most probably you have seen your dog rolling in the grass. There are good reasons why dogs do it but are sure that it is nothing bad.

Remember that your pet has natural instincts, and as such responds to certain situations through it. This action is safe for him unless it is persistent or has other reasons as a precedent.

If you were wondering why dogs roll in the grass, here we have the answer.

Instinctive Behavior

As we said before, animals have instincts and in this case, dogs come from wolves, so they naturally reproduce some of their behaviors. In the first instance, when they feel a new smell, in this case, that of nature, the most usual thing is that they try to incorporate it for themselves.

For this reason, like wolves, the first thing he usually does is sniff the air, and then he rubs himself against the grass to soak up it. This action is fully consistent with his impulses, so in this case, there is nothing to worry about.

Another related reason for this is that, in the wild, wolves tend to roll on different surfaces to report that they have gone hunting. In the case of dogs, their pack is us, and maybe, we do not fully understand their nature. This is why, the most common thing is to scold them when they roll on dirty surfaces in order to ensure that they do not do it again, however, we are going against their most ancient instincts and it will be very difficult to modify that behavior.

Hide His Scent

The next reason why a dog rolls in the grass must also be looked for in its genetics since, as we said above, wolves are also game animals that must survive in the wild and try to obtain food without being injured. To achieve this, wolves usually smear themselves in feces to camouflage their natural smell and, thus, not be detected by their prey; it is a hunting technique.

In this sense, dogs also act in this way and tend to roll on the grass for the same hunting instinct, even if they no longer use it for food. We can see this instinct in our animal when it chases pigeons, when it goes after cats, or when it follows the balls that we throw at it, no matter how much we have domesticated the dog, it continues to have innate characteristics.

So just as a hunter gets muddy or hides his scent to fool prey, so do wolves and, by default, dogs. So if your dog does, do not yell or hit him because he is only following his natural behavior patterns and you will hardly be able to modify them.

Create His Own Scent

Humans tend to bathe their dogs, which is healthy, but sometimes we perfume them in order to make them smell socially acceptable to us. This is what is usually achieved with shampoos and bath lotions.

But the problem is that this smell may not be to your dog’s preference. In nature, the best fragrance is often the natural, logical dog smell. That is why they roll in the grass in order to “be themselves” again. This does not mean that it will end up smelling bad again, only that it wants to diminish the essence of what his owner has applied to him. A good routine bath will continue to be good practice for his well-being but try to use neutral smell products.

Itchy Skin

Another reason why a dog roll in the grass is because he feels itchy skin. Above all this you will notice because he takes advantage of any surface to alleviate the discomfort and, thus, it will not only roll on the mud but also on the grass, on rough floors, etc.

So if you detect that your dog usually repeats this pattern anywhere, it may be because it feels itchy in the body, and the only way to relieve it is to go to a veterinarian to examine it and indicate what may be happening. There are conditions such as dermatitis or parasites such as ticks that can cause the dog to feel intense itching.

Also, remember that if the dog has long fur, it is advisable to brush it twice a week to remove dead skin cells and prevent them from causing itching.

To Have Fun

We can say that the reasons why your dog rolls on the grass are not always related to genetic or health causes. On many occasions, the only thing that your dog wants is to express his happiness and joy by rolling on the grass, for that reason, he always tends to do it when you take him out for a walk and he will hardly do it when he is at home.

What he wants is to tell you that he is happy, that he wants to have fun and play so get down to work and get ready to have a fun time with your best friend. It can also be a method of stretching or relaxing, as if you have been home all day, before running you will relax your muscles and stretch them so you can begin to play.

Obsessive Behavior

Finally, if when you take your dog for a walk in a park, this is all he does, in this case, he could have obsessive behavior. Canines often resort to this when some of their instincts or mental needs are not fully satisfied.

A coach or specialist can help you channel this into positive energy and a calmer frame of mind. For example, if he is a working dog, whose instincts should be used in some activity in question, he may have to focus on this in some way.

In general, dogs roll on the grass for good reasons, which do not present risks. But, be careful if this is accompanied by any other symptoms or activities.

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