# Why does my dog freak out after a bath?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-dog-freak-out-after-a-bath/559960>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 8, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-dog-freak-out-after-a-bath/559960 "2010-11-08T21:30:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-dog-freak-out-after-a-bath/559960/21 "2010-11-09T14:16:29Z")

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I agree with **Alka Seltzer** that it’s the result of the frustration of being involunarily immobilized and acted upon. Life is so wonderful just to get it over with that a little pell-mell paced racing is in order.

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**Author:** ![moldybread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@moldybread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moldybread)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-dog-freak-out-after-a-bath/559960/22 "2010-11-09T14:25:57Z")

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Are you happy when you get to leave the DMV or a visit to a doctor? I am usually ecstatic, and I think our canine friends feel much the same after a bath.

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**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-dog-freak-out-after-a-bath/559960/23 "2010-11-10T00:02:04Z")

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Hm. Interesting. He seems so calm during the bath, though. However, I guess he doesn’t have much choice.

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-dog-freak-out-after-a-bath/559960/24 "2010-11-10T00:30:38Z")

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> [@simster](#):
>
> “damnit, it took me weeks to get my skin and smell just right - now I need to start all over again, better get a quick start at it”

I’ve always wondered if it was this - they don’t seem to like not smelling like themselves. We’ve had dogs and rabbits that have thrown fits over their houses/hutches being cleaned too.

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