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Dogs Can Be Gross

Today on A Moment of Science, we discuss why dogs like to roll in... well you know.

Despite what you might think, not all dogs actually do like to roll in disgusting stuff like dead animals and excrement. But no one has actually found out why some dogs like to play in such things.

Since dogs descended from wolves, researchers who have studied wolves think that they roll in strong-smelling stuff to mask their scent. That way, when they hunt, their prey wouldn't be able to smell them coming. Another reason may be that wolves roll in dead animals to advertise what they've found to the rest of the pack.

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