Why does my dog poop during bath time? Is it fear or stress?

Question

My shitzu pooped when I was washing her?! So I bought this shitzu around 3 months ago she was in really bad shape and the only reason I bought her was cos I felt bad leaving her there she probably never had a bath before and I’ve washed her once a month since I’ve had her so 3 times the other 2 times she was really scared but didn’t poop but today she pooped in the bathtub and when I was blow drying her she pooped on My floor she’s never done it before until today why?also she was really scared

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

It is extremely likely that she pooped because she was scared, Being very scared makes animals (and people, too) lose their poop. Blow drying is very stressful for a dog who is not used to it from when he was small, Frequent bathing is not necessary for a dog, and neither is blow drying. You should only wash your dog when she is very dirty (such as after rolling in something stinky). Frequent bathing causes dry itchy skin, which then can turn into a chronic skin condition. You may want to teach her that being in water is fun by going for walkies near a pond or lake, where you can entice her to go swimming (chasing after a ball, for example). Then getting wet while bathing her may not be so scary. Once she is not so scared any more she will likely not lose her poop like that.

Why does my dog poop during bath time? Is it fear or stress?

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