Creature Feature – Splendor in the Grass

Your pup princess just got back from the groomers, but UGH — there she goes again, rolling in the grass with unbridled enthusiasm. Why does she do this?

Although it might perplex us, rolling in the grass is a completely normal behavior for dogs, according to canine experts. First off, it just feels good, especially when they’re itchy. Rolling helps gets those hard-to-reach spots satisfyingly scratched. Also, rolling in the grass (or dirt or sand…) simply brings dogs tremendous pleasure. This becomes altogether apparent, watching my dog roll and blissfully stretch out on the lawn — ahhh, splendor in the grass! I swear, she’s grinning ear-to-ear!

According to the experts, some dogs may also roll when they see other dogs rolling, since they often model their behaviors off of their canine companions. In yet another scenario, dogs may roll to leave behind a calling card of sorts, using the scent glands on their bodies to communicate with other dogs that they’ve been there. They might also be trying to cover up the scents of other dogs that passed through beforehand. Finally, when they roll around outside, some dogs might be trying to mask the scent of their own bodies — an ancient survival strategy used by their wolf ancestors to camouflage themselves from predators, rivals, or potential prey.

So forgive your dog those smudges of dirt and grass stains — and just roll with it!

Article & photo by Margie Manthey