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What is it about dead fish?

scrile

Well-known member
We have this nice county park with paved trails that meander around the park that Abby and I like to take our walks at. :dogwlk: Part of one of these trails goes nearby a pond. The ice has melted and there are several dead fish (from winter kill) floating on the water next to the shore line. Some of these fish have found their way up near the trail, most likely carried out by a bird or animal of some sort. Today, Abby found two of these fish and after giving them a quick sniff, she went down onto her back on the ground next to the dead fish and began rolling around like she was trying to rub her coat into the grass. Is she trying to absorb the dead fish odor into her coat? I’ve never seen a dog do this before. Anyone ever seen this before? :confused:
 
Dogs seem to enjoy "perfuming" themselves with anything dead or nasty. Bentley does this if he comes across any kind of carcass on our walks so obviously I try to keep a sharp eye out. It does remind me of a woman patting perfume on her neck....on the dog puts in on his back. First time I saw him do this I realized he is, after all, just a dog, not part human as we try to make him. ha.
 
That's kind of what I was guessing, that she wanted to smell like a dead fish......:grnyuk:.....well, guess what? Judy took one whiff of her when she got home from work today and it was "do not pass go"....go straight to the laundry sink!

Abbyallwet_zps30e2d456.jpg
 
That's kind of what I was guessing, that she wanted to smell like a dead fish......:grnyuk:.....well, guess what? Judy took one whiff of her when she got home from work today and it was "do not pass go"....go straight to the laundry sink!

I read somewhere that dogs roll in smelly stuff to camoflauge their own scent, making it easier for them to sneak up on unsuspecting prey. I'm not sure I buy this explanation as my dogs hae no interest in hunting down anything. However, I've found my dogs rolling in poop (ugh!) and once rolling on a dead animal in the park (yuck again!). It doesn't happen often but when it does, its straight to bath, as I gag! Yuck!!

joan
 
Dogs do still do instinctive things although it is ages (centuries!) since they had any practical use. And masking their own scent seems to be one of these actions. Oliver has rolled on dead fish, dead seals, horse manure, sodden grass clippings, fox poo (a general favourite with Cavaliers), etc, etc. I don't have a car to put him in, so we have had some interesting bus journeys home in our time!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Oliver has rolled on dead fish, dead seals, horse manure, sodden grass clippings, fox poo (a general favourite with Cavaliers), etc, etc. I don't have a car to put him in, so we have had some interesting bus journeys home in our time!

I bet you and Oliver had empty seats around you on the bus ride home! LOL!
 
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