Where Is the Black Stinky Stuff Coming from on My Dog?

My guess is that it is racoon poop. Theirs is very dark in color and has a real distinct odor. My dog especially likes to grind her ears in it and then roll. Someone told me not to use strong smelling shampoo on my dog because they believed the dog was trying to cover up the offensive chemicle shampoo smell with natural smells...that this is instinct. I think its just instinct to roll in stuff anyway and that its not offensive to them at all!...and they probably wonder why we get so freaked out about it! Its a good thing we love our pets.

My dog,a yellow lab, does the same thing and in talking to many other dog owners (most of them lab owners), most of them have said it is some sort of critter... raccoon, deer possum!? They have heard it is a territorial thing and I agree what a pain it is and if you don't catch it in time they will come in the house and continue to rub it on your floor or furniture! Hope that helps!

Hi, J.-

Unfortunately, our Golden Retriever does the same thing from time to time. We have found that it is usually poop from a wild animal that he is rolling in. He gets the exact same markings that you just described and it smells awful! We have to immediately give him a bath as well. Sometimes we even have to wash him twice. Usually, we have found it to be raccoon or fox poop (we think), but rabbitt and squirrel droppings interest him as well, I'm sure. Unfortunately, we really haven't found a great solution for this problem. We live in a wooded area, so we just try to go outside with him so we can watch what he is doing and try to stop him before he does it. Doesn't always work!
Good luck!
-Angie

I laughed out-loud when I read your question. My dog does the exact same thing. My husband and I were determined to figure out what she was rolling around in! The smell is so strong, we usually have to bathe her twice before she's clean. At first, we couldn't find anything in the yard, we thought it might be a stinky weed or something. Then we saw a raccoon and on a different occasion, an outdoor cat that lives down the street in our yard. We concluded it has to be their poop my sweet smelling dog has found. I guess the only advice we can give each other is brands of dog shampoo that gets that horrid smell out!

I've read the other posts and would like to add another animal...coyote. Unfortunately our dog does the same thing. She likes to roll around in the poop or urine!!!! We have to bathe her immediately and try to keep her from that area. Good luck!!!!

YUCK PUKE GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know exactly what you are talking about! It is the most nasty stinkin EWWWWWWWWWW! My 2 dogs always seem to find something in the yard to make them sooooooo happy yet stinky! We have found in our yard a dead bird that they have "bathed" themselves in... that was the worst! Also they will roll around in bird poop, dead worms and frogs (These really stink)and dead anything! We also find them rolling in what appears to be nothing but they will come in with the stink on them anyhow! While one of us is giving the bath the other one is out checking the yard for whatever it could be! We then hose the area down so it is atleast diluted- even if we find nothing! The cutest was my dogs rolling over a dead June Bug like they would pick up the scent instead of my nice smelling Paul Mitchel doggy shampoo! lol

Ahhhhhhhhhh, the joys of having a dog! Gotta love em! Good luck finding a way to completely end this... and if you do please let me know how since I am tired of giving 2 dogs and a baby a bath! lol

Blessings to you!

It is dead animal carcass, whether regurgitated by another animal or just a plain old carcass. When I lived in Washington state outside of the National Park my dogs would do this all the time. I watched my dog rolling in something and I went and looked at what it was and why he smelled so horrid and sure enough, a dead decomposing raccoon. Sometimes it would be fish which is even worse. Thank god they were able to jump in the lake before coming in the house!!! I read somewhere there is a reason why they do this but I don't remember what it is :~0 I know it is so gross.

I think fox poop is smaller and kind of black. I would have to think it's some kind of poop. Next time you let your dog out, try and go out with him and see what it looks like before it gets all smashed up.

Hi J.,
My dad is a veterinarian and was just visiting us. I asked him your question and he told me that it is a mixture of top soil, along with any of the following, racoon , bunny, coyote etc... urination. He said that to rid the smell, wash your dog first, then use 1 cup vinegar to a gallon of water and rinse over your dog. Then re-rinse your dog with plain water. This should elminate the smell. My dog also does this and it is disgusting, I agree with you. Good Luck.
Pam

Dogs love dead animals and will roll on them when found in the yard. They also like rabbit dropping and will eat it or roll on it as well. Yes this is gross and means bath time. Animals with be animals.

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