Dogs do a lot of things that make us smile and laugh - that's probably why we love them so much! Among many things, one of those adorable behaviors is rolling in the grass. Nothing brings a smile to our face quite like watching our dog sprint outside to roll around on a freshly cut lawn. But why do dogs roll in grass and why do they like it so much?
We first asked Fi's Vet Expert, Dr. Jeff Werber:
"Why do dogs roll in the grass? Probably for the same reason you or I would rub our backs against a door post—we have an itch, and need to scratch it!! At least we can hold a “back-scratcher,” our dogs cannot!"
Dr. Jeff also mentioned that "Dogs also are tactile and like to be petted, so if no one’s petting them, they’ll just take care of it themselves! There is something exuberant in the the way some dogs frolick that way."
Another reason why your dog may be rolling in the grass is because they found something particularly....smelly. Most dog owners know the frustration of going for a walk with their dog, or running around the park, only for them to start rolling around in something fowl!
Dr. Stanley Coren states that "this stinky behavior might be an attempt at disguising the dog. The suggestion is that we are looking at a leftover behavior from when our domestic dogs were still wild and had to hunt for a living.
If an antelope smelled the scent of a wild dog, or jackal or wolf nearby, it would be likely to bolt and run for safety...That means that the antelopes or other prey animals are less likely to be frightened or suspicious of a hairy thing that is coated with that smell rather than that same visitor who smells like a wolf. This allows the wild hunting canine to get much closer to its prey."
Dr. Coren also suggests that rolling in the grass might just be a dog's way of expressing themselves! Each dog has their own "quirk" - your dog may show their crazy, goofy side by rolling around in the grass!
"Of course, it’s all conjecture and speculation—science hasn’t weighed in on this one yet" says Dr. Jeff. We might not know the true reason, but we'll never get enough of this adorable behavior.
