Q: I have a 1 year old golden retriever with a very odd habit. I live out in the country and like to take her out hiking in the woods. My problem is, whenever she comes across something smelly on the ground like a dead animal or manure, she will roll around in it. Is this normal or is my dog really just a pig in disguise?

A: Believe it or not, rolling around in things like dead animals, manure, or even garbage is actually perfectly normal for a dog. Most behaviorists believe that this is part of a dogs basic instincts. Covering up their own scent so as not to alert their prey while hunting.

If you would like to keep your dog from participating in this activity, try teaching him obedience commands like “leave it”. Always warn him first, try to give the dog a chance to figure out for himself that he’s about to do something that you dislike, should he not respond to your warning now you may give the dog a correction and continue moving. The temptation to roll in something with a strong odor can be very powerful, so until you are proficient with your commands you should keep him on leash.

This article was published on April 12 , 2009 on page 3 of the Sunday Sentiel