Dear Daisy Dog
After I get up in the morning, my miniature schnauzer rubs her body on the bed where I slept. What’s she trying to tell me?
Daisy Responds
You’ve asked a question that has puzzled humans for centuries: Why do we dogs roll in smelly stuff and rub our faces in it?
We have many reasons, so I can’t speak for your dog, but I roll on the bed to transfer my human’s lovely fragrance to me, much as a woman might dab perfume behind her ears.
I’ll also admit that I like to carry Mom’s scent with me, to make my wolfhound brother jealous that I was on her bed, an exalted position. That’s just one way I remind the big guy of his place in our family.
Another reason a dog might rub her human’s bed is to mask the bed’s odor, so an intruder won’t recognize it as the master’s sleeping place.
Outdoors, during hikes with Mom, I like to roll on groundhog carcasses and in deer manure to alter my scent, so wild animals won’t detect the approach of a domesticated dog. Unfortunately, I haven’t managed to sneak up on any wildlife, but still I try, rolling in every fetid thing I find.
I suspect your dog’s motivation is to share your scent. If I’m right, she’s paying you a great compliment.
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