Re: Queensland Heeler/Dingo types

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/11/99 8:21:18 AM Pacific Standard Time,
BMcCrary27@aol.com writes:

<<  My guess is that they are trying to
 disguise themselves with the odor of their quarry ... whether it be cows or
 coyotes.  In other words, they try to smell like anything but a human-
 associated dog.  This is my opinion or observation; anyone else have an idea
 about this? >>

You are right on, Barbara.  Dogs in general especially like to roll in the
manure of prey species (big herbivores like horses, cows, etc. are right up
there in their preference) so that they smell like the prey's normal habitat
and are more difficult to detect by scent.  Just like visual camouflage, in a
sense.  Rolling in the remains of something rotten and dead is a good
olfactory camouflage, too.  It is one of those vestigial behaviors that goes
back to the time when their species had to hunt to eat...  If only they could
figure out that their human pals have cultural taboos about smelling like
that!

Heidi