5 Fascinating Reasons Your Dog Is Obsessed With Rolling Around on the Floor

Every single time we get home from a walk, or just when she gets excited, my dog starts rubbing herself on anything and everything in her path. The floor, the curtains, the sofa, the stairs, grass, soft furnishings… nothing will get in her way of rubbing all over everything she can find. It turns out that lots of dogs do this, and not just when they’re wet and trying to get dry. In fact, as funny as it looks, it’s actually pretty normal.

Ivan Petersel, a dog trainer and the founder of Dog Virtuoso, says that this is a very familiar behavior, one that he says can resemble “a living room stampede or a cushion collision course.” In other words, they roll to experience the world through their whole body. While it may look silly, this behavior is actually a mixture of massage, scent therapy, and being in the moment. Here are five reasons your pup is doing a stop, drop, and roll on the regular.

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So, what exactly motivates them to do this?

Here, we break down the reasons why rolling around like a goober may be your pup’ preferred way of taking in their environment.

They’re just into it.

“On the simplest level, it’s enjoyable to roll around. They may be releasing stress, and it acts as a way to self-regulate. When dogs roll around and enjoy it, their brains release feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins—just like when we laugh or stretch. It helps them relax, feel happy, and enjoy the moment,” Petersel says.

Lorraine Rhoads, the director of health and safety at Dogtopia, says that she has seen many dogs do this: “My own dog will excitedly turn upside down and wiggle back and forth on our family room carpet!” She adds that “dogs use their bodies to communicate and interact with the world around them. Rubbing is a natural behavior rooted in instinct, sensory exploration, and sometimes simple joy.”

They like to make their mark.

Dogs have scent glands in their skin and paws, so pressing and rolling against surfaces can also leave behind their personal signature. “This can be especially common after a bath — dogs often try to “reclaim” their smell after being washed with soaps that mask or replace it,” Rhoads says. Petersel agrees, adding that they may also be rolling in something that smells interesting to them deliberately. “Dogs can soak up scents as well as leave them behind,” he adds.

It’s self care.

Plus, she says dogs rub themselves on everything in sight as a form of self-soothing. It can feel good to massage their back, neck or sides against soft or textured surfaces. It may also help them to scratch an itch. Sometimes, they might even be inviting you to get involved, depending on their body language.

They’re feeling playful.

“Rubbing behavior may be a playful invitation, especially if it comes with tail wags, goofy body language, or exaggerated flops. It may feel impossible not to rub their exposed belly when you see your pup wiggling on their back!” Rhoads says.

There may be something medical going on.

While rubbing themselves on everything is often a dog’s playful way of exploring the world, there are unusual or worrying reasons why they might do it. Petersel says that it is important to determine that there is no medical cause, because unusual or excessive rubbing might be a sign of something serious. Unfortunately, it could be caused by fleas or mites. Additionally, skin infections and allergies to food, pollen or the environment could be another reason.

Rhoads adds that if your dog is obsessively rubbing one spot or seems irritated, it could signal an underlying issue like allergies, skin irritation or even anal gland discomfort. In these cases, you should check in with your vet. “You’ll also want to intervene if your dog is rubbing in ways that cause damage — like burrowing into cushions, pulling down curtains, or spreading messes from outside,” she adds.

Do you need to stop them?

This behavior isn’t really anything to worry about, and you shouldn’t need to stop it. However, if you feel like you do for whatever reason, Petersel says that you should Interrupt, Redirect, then reward. “Timing is key. The best time to interrupt is when the dog is about to start. It’s that moment when they're fixated and you know what they are about to do,” he says. “Your goal is to interrupt the thought pattern before the behavior occurs. There are many ways to interrupt but do it calmly. If you're feeling frustrated, your dog may feel like you're irritated at them instead of the behavior.”

You should then be creative with your redirection. Redirect with something novel that only comes out when it’s needed. “The point is not to suppress instincts but to channel them into an appropriate outlet,” Petersel adds. You could also try providing more enrichment, as many dogs lack outlets for their intelligence.

Try puzzle feeders, games and going on long walks. Rhoads adds that you can try calmly interrupting your dog with a cue and then offering an appropriate outlet, such as a textured mat or chew toy, but you should avoid scolding.

Generally, though, this behavior isn’t anything to worry about, and you don’t really need to stop it. Rubbing is harmless, joyful, and often the way that your dog chooses to express themselves. “As long as your pup isn’t harming themselves, your home, or others, let them have their silly carpet moment,” Rhoads says.

Bottom line: “Let ’em roll.”

Petersel adds that he sees people discouraging it, but that there is no real need: “How about taking delight in their uncontainable expression of joy? Discouraging it is something that is recommended, though, if they are damaging something or displaying compulsive behavior.”

If it is compulsive, you’ll know by the intensity with which they do it. “So, the next time your dog cannonballs into your couch cushions, wrestles the curtains to the ground, or turns your carpet into their personal slip ’n slide, don’t be too quick to stop them. They’re not trying to redecorate — you’re just witnessing pure, unfiltered joy in motion,” Petersel says. “Pillows can be fluffed. Curtains can be rehung. But a dog living their best, roll-filled life? That’s a masterpiece in motion. Let ’em roll.”