rolling puppy

[leadcore]

My 7 month lab is in this roll in everything phase. It started with his chew bones and now has progressed to fish. Should I be correcting this asap? Should I yell NO and stop him everytime? This may seem stupid but it is my first dog and I'm learning also. Thanks for any advise.

[metrojoe]

I wouldn't worry to much about it. My 5 year old Lab still does it from time to time when he's feeling playful. Mostly with toys and balls.

[Bushwacker]

I would be more worried if he didn't roll in stinky stuff. My all-time favorite was I just got Libby(8mo at the time) back from 6 weeks at a pro-trainer and my dad and father-in-law were over and I was going to put on a show for them. First three marks went perfect, I was smiling from ear to ear and they were impressed with this "wonderdog", the third was a water mark and she was off. She got 3 feet from the water and slammed on her brakes and dirt literally flew, she dropped straight down and rolled in a rotten sucker that had washed up on shore that I didn't see. She stunk so bad that you couldn't even pet her for 5 days after that. So much for the demonstration. Since then she has found dead chipmunks, cow pies, and a couple more suckers. Its just like perfume for her

[LABS4ME]

Any behavior you are not happy with is easier to correct and eliminate when the dog is young vs. down the line when it is firmly implanted. I wouldn't hesitate to correct him if it is evolving into rolling in fish etc. They will always manage to find something here or there to roll in when you aren't looking, but I wouldn't let it become a habit.

Good Luck!

Ken

[rcook72]

My choc male does it all the time when we are on the river, lake beach, hunting, camping. He knows not to do it when I am around but 2 or 3 times a year he walks up to me all excited smelling like butt! I would think that they are trying to mark there territory, I don't know. My brothers female lab doesn't roll on dead smelly stuff though.

[Johnny_Namakan]

Oh great! My dog doesn't roll in anything. I thought that was good, but now I'm starting to think she's not a true lab. lol! She loves the water though! I gave her a bath last week and after she was done, I toweled her off and let her lose. Well, she ran back into the bathroom and launched back into the tub that hadn't fulled drained yet. I thought dogs didn't like baths! I think I might have myself a prissy pup. She doesn't like to roll in smelly stuff and she loves to get shampoo'd and smell good! Oh well, she still loves jumping in swamps and swimming around for a break during a day of hunting so there might be hope for her!

[therancher]

They roll in things to cover their scent. It is a natural instinct.

[96trigger]

Rancher is right, I have a golden that loves to roll in dead stuff. After a bath, she will roll on just about anything that doesn't smell like shampoo. If I'm in the house, and I see her flopping around in the yard, I know that there is either a dead mouse, frog, or bird underneath. One time she rolled in what appeared to be turkey remains on a warm May afternoon. I've never smelt anything so bad in my life. I've corrected my dog of almost all her bad habits, but that one is instinct and really hard to correct.