# Two dog-pack-related questions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-dog-pack-related-questions/467728>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 13, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-dog-pack-related-questions/467728 "2008-10-13T16:16:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-dog-pack-related-questions/467728/1 "2008-10-13T16:16:17Z")

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I have a Miniature Pinscher that’s just under a year old and I’ve seen her do some funny/strange behavior that I’ve been wondering the root cause of…

Question 1: Whenever she sees my girlfriend or me going to the bathroom, she will often immediately go to her own doggie pad and go to the bathroom herself (#1 or #2 depending on what we’re doing). Do dogs in packs all go to the bathroom at the same time or something?

Question 2: I also own a bearded dragon so crickets that have escaped are a common sight. The dog _loves_ to hunt these, so she’ll often catch them and paw them do death while slowly torturing them. She then likes to rub her muzzle and face all over the dead cricket carcasses (she usually tears and eats the legs off and leaves the body). Obviously she’s spreading the dead cricket’s scent all over her, but why? Do dogs in the wild do this? Is it more of a accomplishment, as in she’s taking pride of her kill? Or is it more of a sign that she killed our next meal and it’s time to eat?

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**Author:** ![simply\_cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@simply\_cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simply_cats)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-dog-pack-related-questions/467728/2 "2008-10-13T16:49:39Z")

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I’ll be watching this, as I have two long-haired Chihuahuas who are masters at finding dead, dried up earthworms, and then rolling on them. It is very strange (but also strangely fascinating- it is always dried earthworms that they roll on).

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**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-dog-pack-related-questions/467728/3 "2008-10-14T03:36:48Z")

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> [@BrandonR](#):
>
> Question 2: I also own a bearded dragon so crickets that have escaped are a common sight. The dog _loves_ to hunt these, so she’ll often catch them and paw them do death while slowly torturing them. She then likes to rub her muzzle and face all over the dead cricket carcasses (she usually tears and eats the legs off and leaves the body). Obviously she’s spreading the dead cricket’s scent all over her, but why? Do dogs in the wild do this? Is it more of a accomplishment, as in she’s taking pride of her kill? Or is it more of a sign that she killed our next meal and it’s time to eat?

It’s because that’s all she can find to roll in. Dogs in the wild will roll in strongly scented material, preferably carrion or dung. Why they do this is unknown but the best theory I’ve heard is that it disguises their own smell from their predators and prey.

Your dog is kept in a sterilised house. There is no carrion or dung lying around to roll in, so it makes do with what it can find. The instinct is still intact, you’ve just restricted the outlet.