Monty has a strange habit. On most walks, whether on lead or not, he will suddenly stop and throw himself down on the ground, roll side to side on his back like he's got an awful itch, for 5-8 seconds, then jumps up and carries on. I've started watching and it only happens once per walk, around 15 minutes in. It's always on open grass or fields, never a grass verge. Also never in muddy grass, although sometimes in wet grass. Here's a rather inelegant photo. Am I naive to think he just has an itch? He never smells especially bad afterwards (in winter/spring the smell of ditch water ever-lingers anyway)
W&S both do this, after a good sniff. I think that there's something they can smell that I (thankfully) can't.
Ah, he's normal then. I just wish I understood his absolute intention, at that moment there's not a thing you could say or do to stop him.I'm a little obsessed by the apparent predictably of it at the moment.
LOL, I think dogs who Don't roll around like that are strange. I see he has a harness on, maybe it rubs some hair the wrong way. Maybe it enhances the scratch. Maybe he's starting to shed a bit. Maybe it's just fun. You should try rolling in the grass with him, see what he makes of that. You did when you were a kid I bet. Giggle when you do, they like that.
My boy always does this, thankfully he doesn't roll in anything nasty. We walk him over our local cricket pitch and he always goes in the pitch bit as it's not muddy but good grass and rolls in there.
I remember all the labs I had growing up used to do this, especially if we'd been walking in woods and reached a large open expanse of green. But they'd do it anywhere and my pup does it too. Last night she did it after climbing off the sofa coz she was too hot. She had a good old roll then fell asleep mid roll! I always think of the rolling as them displaying their sheer joy at being alive!
