Dogs are one of the best animals domesticated by man; they are good companions, excellent security, and playmates. To have a good relationship with your dog, you need to take time to study its instinctive behaviors. Otherwise, you might end up trying to curb behaviors that are helpful and therapeutic to the dog.
Dogs roll in the grass for a couple of reasons, including to get rid of itchy or uncomfortable debris stuck on its back; to leave a scent behind, cover up a smell, or detect a smell; to mark out territories, for leisure or relaxation. You do not have to worry about your dog rolling in the grass.
Many people are unaware that animals do not engage in any activity except it is vital to their well-being. So, except the behavior is destructive and harmful, it is best to leave the dog and minimize it if necessary.
Why Does My Dog Roll In The Grass?
If you have a pet dog, you will notice it will display different behaviors, some are cute, and you would be irritated by others. You need to understand that what is normal for dogs will not always be socially acceptable to humans. So, before you decide to have a pet dog, you need to acquire lots of information about them.
To Mask Their Scent
Dogs are natural hunters; although they may be tame and calm, there are still some instinctive hunting behaviors in them, and they display them occasionally. Rolling in the grass is one of the remnant behaviors in dogs. A dog will roll in the grass to mask up its scent with the scent of the environment.
This behavior can also mean that the dog is trying to cover up its scent by picking up the scent of another animal that has been in that location. If another animal has recently pooped or urinated on the grass and your dog is rolling in that spot, it is trying to pick up the scent of the animal.
This is believed to be an instinct that has helped wolves hunt well; they can pick up the scent of their prey without the prey sensing the presence of the hunter. All the prey senses is its scent, despite it being a wolf lurking nearby to hunt it for dinner.
To Scratch An Itch
If a dog feels uncomfortable because its body feels itchy or there is debris like pine sap, dirt, or bird droppings on it, it will go outside to roll in the grass. The feeling humans get when they lie or walk on grass barefoot is very different from what dogs experience when rolling in the grass.
Grass has a mildly abrasive feel, so the individual blades of the grass act like the bristles of a comb; it loosens up the dirt stuck to the dog’s bag and helps it groom areas it is having difficulty reaching. However, if you notice that your dog is always scratching and rolling in the grass, that is a sign of a skin problem. Please take it to a vet as soon as possible.
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To Communicate And Mark Out Territory
Dogs communicate among themselves in different forms; they have a more varied means of communication than humans. One of the ways they communicate is through scent; a male dog will often leave small urine droppings as they walk along to pass across a message to other animals, exercising their presence.
A dog will also roll in the grass to leave its scent around to let other dogs know it is its territory. When a dog leaves a scent on the grass, another dog may come along and roll in that same spot to add its scent to the mix or pick up the scent left by the previous dog. Either way, it shows acceptance of the territorial boundaries.
A dog will also roll in the grass to let other dogs around know that it is a friend and wants to play. So, if you see your dog rolling in the grass when your neighbor’s dog is in sight, it is telling your neighbor’s dog to come along and play with it. Dogs are known to lie on their back when playing with each other.
To Relax
The animal world is very different from the human world, so many things your pets do will be surprising to you, but you should have no problems with it. Dogs can relax by rolling in the grass. It signifies that they are happy and are having tons of fun.
The same way you feel when sitting in a massage chair depicts dogs’ feelings when they roll in the grass. So, it would help if you did not stop your dog from getting a few relaxations once in a while.
Also Read: Dog Hiccups: Should You Be Concerned About This?
Should I Stop My Dog From Rolling In The Grass?
This is a question many dog owners ask; they are worried about their dogs always rolling in the grass. This question arises because the pet owners do not have adequate knowledge. They do not know why their dog is rolling in the grass, so they assume it has a medical issue.
To answer the question, it depends. It would be best if you were very observant and cautious for you to know when to stop your dog from rolling in the grass. If your dog is having fun, playing, and relaxing by rolling in the grass, you should not try to stop it from doing that. You would be depriving it of fun.
However, if your dog chooses to search for animal urine and poop to roll in, you need to stop it and deal with that. This is very unhygienic for your dog, and clean hygiene is required for it to live a good life. Some dogs also search for dead animals to roll in; you should curb this behavior immediately.
If your dog is always rolling in the grass after eating a certain meal or visiting a particular location in the environment, it could be that the dog is reacting to some allergens. So, the dog rolls in the grass to ease the itch it is experiencing. You need to address the allergies and deal with them immediately.
To know what you are dealing with, you should check for other signs like irritation or redness on the skin, hives, irritated or itchy ears, swelling on the face, and sneezing. It is best to take the dog to a veterinarian for a medical check-up as soon as possible.
More like this: Why Do Dogs Get Eye Boogers?
How to Stop A Dog From Rolling In The Grass
The best way to stop a dog from rolling in the grass is by redirecting its attention. It would help if you had your dog occupied with something else that would distract it from rolling in the grass. It would be best to give your dog treats when it stops rolling in the grass. It will learn that rolling in the grass is not acceptable with time.
Another way is to retrain the dog. Alternatively, you can get a certified dog trainer to retrain the dog if you cannot retrain it yourself. A dog trainer knows efficient and effective ways of correcting wrong behaviors in dogs. Although, this will cost you some money.
Final Thoughts
You should not stop your dog from rolling in the grass if it is not health-related or unhygienic. However, it is best to make sure your dog has tick and flea protection and ensure it does not roll in the grass with pesticides or herbicides. Your dog’s well-being involves many activities, and you must know the essence of these activities.
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Shawn Manaher is a serial entrepreneur but when he isn’t working, he loves dogs. He’s owned different pets over the years, and always gives a part of his heart to each pet.
