Hello, I wonder if anyone can help with my rather strange problem. My 18 month old black labrador loves eating dead things!  Rabbits, birds, rats - you name it, he eats them.  He also rolls on top of carcasses for some reason.

When we are out for a walk, he remembers where they are from the last time he saw them and this can be up to 2 weeks since the last time we did that walk, as I vary them every day.
He picked up a rabbits' foot the other day which was crawling with maggots and there is nothing I can do to drag him away. 

Apart from this dirty habit, he's great in every way.  Is he just a dirty dog?  Or is he lacking in vitamins or something?

He's being a normal dog! Dogs are scavengers, and are happy to eat all kinds of rubbish.

Sounds like a normal Labrador to me ;)

I'm not sure any dog could resist a smelly carcass ;) My dogs love rolling on dead rats,yuk!!
I think it's just canine scavenger instinct coming out in your dog.

I cant say i blame you for wanting to stop the habit,so you will just have to be 1 step ahead of your dog at all times. When i'm walking mine i am constantly scanning the horizon for things they may wish to eat or roll in,it can be very hectic at times!

It makes me feel sick also my dog ran in with a rat the other day and the other half had to get it off her, uck it makes my stomach curl.

Warm regards susan

Ah, the great doggy dilemma.  "Will I roll in it?  Or eat it?"

The really smart dogs know if they roll first there may still be enough left to eat.  Just after a bath is the preferred time for rolling; its some kind of doggy rule that they learn early in life.

Never be without odour removing shampoo and doggy breath mints.

I am quite lucky with Bali, he just pick the remains up and hides them in his mouth prancing around like a proud lion until you say 'what you got' and he wags his stump and if I say 'leave it' he does :D :D

It's not strange it's a normal gundog thing :d Be warned that you will get dents in your fingers if you try to remove so stated dead remains :d

>The really smart dogs know if they roll first there may still be enough left to eat

My boy must be one such genius, then :rolleyes: :D He likes to achieve maximum levels of disgustingness by rolling in it, then eating the remains...yum. And that goes for cow/horse poo too.... :rolleyes:

Its perfectly normal, but also advisable to teach the dog to either bring you the carcass (if you're not squeamish!!) or spit it out. Dogs are designed to eat carrion, but the modern dog used to a diet of processed food is more than likely to get 'the runs' or more worryingly pick up poison.

Yep, disgusting gundogs - my Yankee is like that. Only thing I can do is keep an eye on him at all times!!

And after you teach them "DROP IT" and " LEAVE IT" it doesn't take very long for them to learn they have to pick it up in the first place to get the reward.  Oh, was that my mistake? - giving a treat reward for successful drops and leaves?  LOL, I swear Jet picks up stuff she has no intention of eating just to see my reaction.

Oow the worst thing my mums rottwieler does is if anyone enters my mums house especially men and they're sweaty she'll rub herself up they're arm pits she's digusting and you can see she loves to do it.

Warm regards Susan