# Rolling in fox poo



## Greenleys19 (Aug 30, 2011)

What's it's all about?? My older girl just loves to find and roll around in fox poo! Yuck, why do they do it, does anyone know? My other girl doesn't. And it's a real nightmare getting it and the lingering smell out of her coat. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## lola24 (Aug 14, 2011)

Tomato ketchup is ment to get rid of the smell really well. Can't say I've had to try it as my girls don't 'do' fox poo, just stinky swamps!!


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Ah alas I know what you mean. Millie is exactly the same, can't get enough of the stuff 

Sometimes you don't know if they are rolling in the grass because its lovely, or because they've found some unmentionable yuk.

I bath Millie if she rolls in fox poo. A full on wash with shampoo, in my case Johnsons Baby Shampoo, lots of it. If she still has a slight odour about her, which is not always the case, I use my Channel Perfum on her  She then smells delicious


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Tomato ketchup does work. You need to rub it in, leave it in a while then wash and shampoo


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

You could get a dog coat/suit for her Buddy wears an equafleece so when he rolls in it just the dog suit smells !


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## Bodger (Oct 9, 2011)

I don't know if it is true but I read an article that said rolling was a dogs way of disguising their scent when they are hunting or it may be a way of them smelling the way they want to. I guess it's an instinct led behaviour.

Bodger doesn't roll in fox poo, he likes to eat it (sorry if you are eating). I am having quite a time trying to stop him as he can pick up the scent and before you can get there he's at it. I have been tempting him with treats and making some progress, having taught him the command 'sweetie' (for treats) I can now at least get his attention and he is starting to leave it but is inclined to have the treat and run back. I have tried giving him yoghurt but I don't think it's the probiotics as his food contains them. I considered a special collar and even muzzle but I am persisting with the training for now and hoping he may grow out of it. I have to stop myself running towards him because he thinks it's some fab game so on occasion I have had to turn my back and not try to think about it, if I haven't been able to catch his attention. It drives my husband mad. The only consolation is it doesn't make him ill - but it does rather put you off getting licked. I talked to the Vet Nurse and their main advice is to make sure his worming is up-to-date which we always do anyway.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Bodger said:


> I don't know if it is true but I read an article that said rolling was a dogs way of disguising their scent when they are hunting or it may be a way of them smelling the way they want to. I guess it's an instinct led behaviour.
> 
> Bodger doesn't roll in fox poo, he likes to eat it (sorry if you are eating). I am having quite a time trying to stop him as he can pick up the scent and before you can get there he's at it. I have been tempting him with treats and making some progress, having taught him the command 'sweetie' (for treats) I can now at least get his attention and he is starting to leave it but is inclined to have the treat and run back. I have tried giving him yoghurt but I don't think it's the probiotics as his food contains them. I considered a special collar and even muzzle but I am persisting with the training for now and hoping he may grow out of it. I have to stop myself running towards him because he thinks it's some fab game so on occasion I have had to turn my back and not try to think about it, if I haven't been able to catch his attention. It drives my husband mad. The only consolation is it doesn't make him ill - but it does rather put you off getting licked. I talked to the Vet Nurse and their main advice is to make sure his worming is up-to-date which we always do anyway.


Your Bodger sounds like my Millie with dead rabbits. I do very similar to you trying to encourage her away. But if its small enough she'll pick it up and run off. Stop to eat it  and run away again if I get too close.  I have been told they will grow out of it - I do hope so.


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## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

Greenleys19 said:


> What's it's all about?? My older girl just loves to find and roll around in fox poo! Yuck, why do they do it, does anyone know? My other girl doesn't. And it's a real nightmare getting it and the lingering smell out of her coat. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


I have written about this on our website under About Cockapoos bone and section : Why does my cockapoo?............

I wrote:

Many dogs find it hard to resist the temptation of Fox poo or such like. It stems way back to their origins where they used to roll in poo etc… to disguise their scent when hunting. Or as a marker to other dogs that they have found something interesting or that it is theirs. At the end of the day it usually results in us poor owners having the embarrassment of the walk home with a stinky doggy, praying that no-one stops us for a chat or even worse to stroke our dogs.

A good tip however is to wash a poo covered dog in shampoo and then in tomato ketchup as it neutralises the smell. Just remember to rinse it off well though as a Tomato ketchup dog is not going to do your sofas any good!


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

I had two jack russell terriers and before that a cairn the cairn and one of the terriers could find fox poo at 100 meters. There is nothing like it once I had a car on loan where dogs were prohibited took Brian for a walk you guessed it did a fox poo roll had to drive home with him in passenger footwell then loads of febreeze before i returned the car! So far Hattie has not bothered but I am sure she will soon let me down!


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