Pets

Dogs love to roll in bad smells even though their owners don't share the enthusiasm.

No one's really sure why dogs like to roll in the stinky stuff, but it's thought to be related to the natural behavior of the wild relatives of our pets.

If you catch your dog in the act of rolling in stinky matter, interrupt the behavior and then ask him to do something else, such as sitting or coming to you, so you can reward the behavior you prefer. Don't yell at your dog for rolling; remember that negative attention is still attention.

If your dog is off a leash and you see him heading for some foul target and you don't think he'll come to you when called, whoop it up and run in the opposite direction to get him intrigued enough to follow. Once he is running toward you, say, "Come," praise him and pull a treat from your pocket. Then put the leash on him until you're both far away from his intended target.

If he leaves the stench to come to you when called, ignore the recent bad behavior and praise the current good response. Generally, once a dog is already going in for a stinky landing, there is no stopping him. But if you can get his attention during the "thinking about it" phase, you might get him to avoid the stink.

Walking your dog with a head halter will make it easier to interrupt the rolling before it starts. Otherwise, be prepared for the occasional bath after the fact.

Animal behavior experts Susan and Roland Tripp are the authors of "On Good Behavior." For more information, visit their Web site at AnimalBehavior.net.