Why does your dog roll around after a bath?
We’ve all been there- your precious fluffy friend found a smelly surprise on a walk and decided the best way to remember this momentous occasion, is to roll in it!
Be it mud, mucky water, or the worst of all, fox poo, it’s happened to us all!
To us, it’s gross, but to a dog, it’s not only fun, but a natural instinct.
In the past, dog’s ancestors would frequently roll around in animal leavings and other naturally smelly substances to disguise their scent from prey. It also helped to hide their own scent from would-be predators. Wild dogs still engage in this behaviour.
Have you ever watched your dog after a bath? How they wriggle, writhe and roll around on carpet, or in the garden afterwards?
The reason for this is simple- what smells good to us, smells bad to them! We may LOVE the smell of a freshly shampooed dog, but to them, it acts as a beacon and alerts predators and prey as to their whereabouts. By rolling around in grass, your dog is trying to smell more natural!
Another reason for the post-bath wriggles is happiness! Your dog may not be a big fan of water, so once their torment of being cleaned is over, what better way to celebrate than with happy wiggles? Wriggling around helps to dry your dog off and warm them up again too!
So now we know the WHY, it’s important to also know the WHAT. What is safe to bathe your dog with?
We always recommend using a specialist shampoo for dogs. Our personal favourite is the Animology brand, which comes in a range of specialist shampoos tailored to certain colour coats and ages (White Wash and Puppy Love) all the way to treatments for the smelliest, toughest substances (Fox Poo!)
Be aware that some breeds are prone to sensitive skin and may need a more gentle approach in the form of body wipes as opposed to a full bath. We recommend the Furrish range as they come both scented and unscented and are safe for direct skin contact.
It can be frustrating at times to constantly have to be wiping or rinsing off your dog but it’s also an inevitable part of dog ownership.
Above all, remember this- a mucky pup is a happy pup!
Written by Peigí Conneff
