Why do dogs wallow after a bath?

There are behaviors that pets perform instinctively and, nevertheless, 'twitch' the patience of their owners. One of them is when dogs wallow in places that just do not stand out for their neatness.

Sometimes, washing our animals can become a difficult task, and that is that It is not just the cats that show the known rejection of water. In fact, many dogs, and even smaller ones, usually experience the bathroom as a traumatic experience.

However, what really frustrates the attitude of the owners, is to see how their dogs wallow after the bath, to detract from the work done.

That dogs tend to roll in less hygienic places may be due to several reasons, but when this happens after the bath the most obvious reason is the attempt to recover your body odor .

Unlike humans, we tend to bet on all kinds of body gels, perfumes and even fabric softeners for washing clothes with intense odors, animals prefer their own smell . Thus, when they are wrapped in an aroma that they do not identify as theirs, they tend to coat themselves on their own mat, rugs or even on the lawn.

The sense of smell stands out as one of the more empowered among dogs , especially in the case of males, who continually make sure to mark territory with their urine. The reasons for this behavior are basically two: mark its dominance with other males and attract the attention of females.

 Sense of smell of dogs

Once they are bathed and do not recognize each other, they feel the instinct to 'get dirty': they run, they wallow and they suck their legs.

It should also be noted that as soon as they finish cleaning and being dried with a towel, the dogs often shake several times, and even give careers interrupted by the mentioned tucks. This active attitude is due to your need to balance your body temperature , since with some exceptions or in the case of a specialized center, domestic showers usually end up with partial drying.

How to mitigate these postducha behaviors?

  • One way to reduce the activity of our dog after bathing is to 'tire' him first . So, if you give it a long walk before washing it, it will tend to run less.
  • Temporarily restrict access to unwanted places (terraces, gardens, carpets) ). In this way, our pet will be less exposed to getting dirty at times when they feel the need to do so.
  • Use special pet gels . Normally, brands specialized in animal hygiene use more neutral aromas, in addition to pH according to their skin.
  • Deep drying . If the animal feels moisture, it will need to run to remove it. For this reason, and especially in the case of small dogs that are more 'manageable', it is advisable to insist on this last step.
  • Reward relaxed attitudes . Since bathing is often the cause of tension between owners and pets, proper behavior during and after bathing should be recognized.
 Common places where dogs wallow

Common places where dogs wallow

In addition to the cited carpets, mats or gardens, dogs feel a special predilection for the dirtiest environments when it comes to scrubbing:

  • Feces of other animals .Therefore, it is necessary that, in addition to avoiding dirty areas, contribute to keep areas of public use clean.
  • Dead animals . Although it is not usual practice unless we are in the field, where the presence of corpses may be greater, it also serves to pass unnoticed before possible prey. All this is related to its hunter origin.