You may have noticed that your canine friend gets highly excitable when they spot a muddy puddle. Before you can get a handle on what is happening, they are off racing towards the enticing mud to joyously roll in it.
While this messy situation of watching your clean dog cover themselves with the slimy substance is every canine guardian’s worst nightmare, have you ever paused to wonder why they are so fascinated by mud?
In this article, we will explore the reasons behind your dog’s fascination with mud and what you can do about it.
Why Do Dogs Like Mud So Much?
What is the reason behind your dog’s obsession with mud whenever they come across it? Believe it or not, this love for mud is programmed into their DNA. They share this with their family members in the wild.
Despite being domesticated, their fascination with mud is likely to be a type of protective behavior. Dogs in the wild often roll around in mud or dirt to get rid of their scent and stay hidden from enemies in their surroundings.
While your mischievous Fido may not necessarily feel threatened in their current surroundings, they will still let the need to cake themselves in mud take over if given a chance. This behavior just comes naturally to them.
Every dog in the world will happily splash around in any visible mud puddle. Let’s go in depth to understand the reasons why!
To Cool Down On Hot Days
Every animal likes to use mud as a temperature control substance on hot days. Mud is quite effective in providing a layer of protection against the harsh summer heat.
If you are out on a walk during hot hours, any sign of mud is likely to get your dog excited. If they rush off to splash around in the discovered puddle, it is very likely they want to cool down and are instinctively attracted to mud to do so.
To Smell Wild
Dogs do not like being slathered in perfumed bathing products. Their scent preference is their own unique smell. This is their mode of communication in the wild. Unfortunately for them, we cannot stand their natural scent and end up scrubbing it away!
If you notice your dog rush off to roll in a mud pile after a recent bath, then it is likely they are trying to get rid of the unpleasant smell of fragrances and coat themselves in an earthy scent.
If given a choice between a bubble bath and a splash around in the mud, your dog will always pick a good mud bath over a fruity bath. They feel more at home covered in mud than in clean, human scents.
To Enjoy a Snack
Some dogs go beyond jumping around in the mud to snacking on it. If you notice your canine friend slurping up mud like it is a tasty treat, then keep a wary eye on them.
While this can be harmless behavior at the least, it could also point towards something more like an underlying health issue. Some dogs just like how mud tastes but others snack on mud to deal with nutritional deficiencies, anxiety, nausea, or just out of sheer boredom.
If you catch your dog suddenly guzzling mud or dirt, you should schedule a visit to the vet to strike out any complications. This behavior is not entirely harmless. Mud contains parasites and bacteria that are harmful to your little pet’s health. You should discourage this behavior since it is not safe for them.
Also Read: Why Do Dogs Dig Holes?
To Hide Away
As we covered at the start of the section, dogs in the wild like to hide away their scent from potential predators in the area. Mud acts as a great tool to reduce the dog’s scent. This camouflage technique also hides them away when they are out on a hunt, allowing them to sneak up on their prey.
To Simply Have Fun
Some dogs rush to muddy puddles because they associate it with playtime. That is right! The reason why your dog is covering itself in the yucky mud is simply to have fun!
This can also be a learned behavior. If you get excited every time they jump into the mud, they will begin to associate this behavior with grabbing your attention. So each time your dog wants you to focus on them, they will dunk themselves in the puddle to get you squealing and focused on them.
Muddy puddles could also remind them of water. If your dog loves playing around in the water, spotting a mud puddle can be very tempting for them since it has the outward appearance of a body of water.
Also Read: Why Do Dogs Like Drinking Rainwater?
How to Keep Your Dog Away from Mud
The bottom line is that dogs love splashing around in the mud, and it is not likely to change. However, there are certain steps you can take to reduce this behavior and keep them clean and away from the mud.
Brief Confinement
This is a rather obvious point. Do not let out your dog immediately after a bathing session. If there are any muddy puddles in your vicinity, they will head straight for it if you let them out.
Keep them under house arrest for a brief period of time until the mud dries out. Avoid rainy day walks too. If you must walk your canine buddy during rains, then plan out a route where they will not come across any tempting muddy puddles. Stick to puddle-free sidewalks.
Distractions
If muddy puddles equal playtime for your dog, then you should veer away from such playtimes since they are extremely dirty and messy.
Instead, distract them with other things to steer them away from temptation. Keep certain toys at hand as distractions. This will keep them occupied and out of the mud as much as possible.
Devise games to distract them and fill up their quota of playtime so that they are too tired to even think about going over the mud puddle.
Positive Reinforcement
Any bad habit can be broken using positive reinforcement. Rolling around in mud should be taken as a bad habit if done excessively and without restraint.
Whenever your dog’s eyes light up at the sight of mud, get firm with them. A strong ‘no’ in a gentle tone should inform your canine friend that the behavior is not acceptable.
Whenever your dog pays attention to your command or resists the temptation to splash around in the mud, reward the behavior with positivity and treats.
However, be careful that you are not encouraging the opposite behavior. If you get excited every time your dog jumps into a muddy mess, they will take it as encouragement and continue the behavior.
Grooming
If your dog does end up in a muddy puddle, you do not want to track mud all over your house. One way to control this mess is to groom your dog regularly. Trim their fur short, so you will not have to spend hours getting the mud out of their long hairs.
In addition to making it easier to clean them, trimming the fur short will also keep your dog cool, reducing their urge to head over to muddy puddles for a cool-down session.
Balanced Diet
If your dog is snacking on the mud, get them checked out. They could be doing so to make up for nutritional deficiencies. Just as humans with anemia crave pica, dogs also have similar cravings.
Ensure that your dog is getting a well-balanced diet packed with the required nutrients and minerals.
Also Read: Do Dogs Get Bored of the Same Walking Route?
The Takeaway
Dogs love mud for a variety of reasons. As a dog owner, it can be very frustrating to keep your dog clean and away from muddy messes.
While you cannot take away the mud obsession, you can try certain tricks to reduce the mostly harmless behavior.