Playing in the mud is a pastime enjoyed by a great many dogs, and a lot of people wonder why they love it so much. I happen to be far more interested in the question of why some dogs don’t like to play in the mud than the question of why so many dogs do like to play in the mud.
For any dog who likes the water, mud is an obvious draw. It probably feels good to be covered in the slippery, gooey mud, and it may offer a chance to cool off in hot weather. Interestingly, there are some dogs who love water but do not like mud.
Given the appeal of mud, I’m intrigued by the dogs who find the mud distasteful, and I’m eager to learn more about them. Breed may play a role in objections to mud. Some breeds are known for disliking water, and many of these same dogs also avoid mud. (As is true for any aspect of behavior, there are plenty of exceptions to these breed generalizations, but that doesn’t mean that an overall pattern doesn’t exist.)
via Whisker Therapy