Westies and poo

[Moonstone6]

Hi All,

I'm sure this question has probably been asked before but im asking it again :P

Yesterday we took our little 10 month old Westie out for a lovely walk in the sun, and after two minutes of being there he'd found a pile of cow poo and rolled in it covering himself in it. He then found another pile and did the same again, he couldnt get enough. It was vile!!!

Why do Westies do this? When we first got him and took him to the vets for his jabs, there was a lady with an old Westie there and she warned me they do do this. But why??? What is the attraction of smelling like poo?

Thank you

[Clanad]

Most likely, to cover their own scent. In the wild, wolves, coyotes and wild dogs are seen rolling in any foul smelling substance. Here in the western U.S., I've come upon several coyotes that do the same thing.

On the off chance there may be some inherent benefit to your dog, I would ask if they scratch a lot? Some dogs are thought to roll in particular substances, like your Westies, because of skin irritants.

Other than that, it's a behavior that can be controlled with appropriate training. One neighbor with a terrier type dog simply washed the dog off with the cold garden hose... after a few times the intelligence of the dog overcame the inherited behavior...

[madmaggot]

I'm sure it must be lovely and cooling to the skin.

But,

I'm not going to try it to find out!!

[Moonstone6]

hehe madmaggot - me neither!

Thank you for your help Clanad, as a matter of fact he does scratch and nibble his skin a lot. I've taken him to the vets before about it and they think he is allergic to washing powder of all things?? I don't dress my dog or anything silly so i don't really get that??

I did wash him down with cold water when we got him home but i suppose by that pint he didn't know what it was for?

Funny little thing!

[maggie01]

It is not only Westies that do that. A lot of dogs do including mine.
She did it when she was a puppy and then seemed to grow out of it and now she is 10yrs old, she seems to have reverted back.

Difficult if they are off the lead. It is the same as dogs who eat other dogs poo. Not pleasant but try telling that to the dog.