Bath Time From Hell

[pwhite48]

Help!

Honey had her first outing in the snow today, and came back cold, wet and really muddy.  So I thought I'd give her a bath - her first one.

She was OK in the water - just quiet and tried to climb out a couple of times.

BUT when we got her out and tried to start drying her, she went CRAZY.  She hated being covered with a towel, and we had LOTS of growling, barking and snapping - she was horrible :twisted:   I persisted with it because I didn't want her to think her moaning will make me stop, but it was a really unpleasant experience (for both of us :cry: ).  We then attempted to put the hair dryer on her, as we want her to get used to it - again she hated it, but seem more worried/scared by it than angry.

She then went really quiet, and sat on my lap but she did let me dry her with the towel.

So what should I do in the future?  Was it a case of her finding all a bit much for her first time?  And should we do it more often to get her used to it?  I was thinking of giving her a daily rub over with a towel (accompanied by treats) but without wetting her first - just to get her used to it.

And she'd been such a good girl today otherwise :oops:

Any one else experienced this with their dogs?  I though they were meant to love water :wink:

Regards
Phil                    

[Loraine]

You are not alone in this Phil.  The first time I bathed Candy, you should have seen the amount of water in the bathroom and all over me too!  As for when I switched on the hairdryer - well what can I say - it was AWFUL.   :evil: I thought that I'd never do it again as it was just all too much.  I left it a while before I bathed her and I wished I done it again sooner.

The next time eventually I did it, it was still hard work but better.  And so it's gone on until now she doesn't even flinch.  

I'd say persevere but don't give her any treats until you're done otherwise she'll think that it's okay to play up as she gets rewarded for it anyway.

Also try and be quite nonchalant about it and just get on with washing/drying.  Carry on be firm she'll soon ger used to it.

Loraine  

PS you could try singing while you wash her - you should have seen Candy's face the first time I broke into song!!                        

[Pammy]

Phil - imho - I think you've tried to do too much all at once for her and it's all new so she's reacted perfectly normally.

I wouldn't have bathed her after her antics in the snow, just wrapped her in a towel to let her dry slowly. Mud will brush of when it's dry But you do need to get her used to having a bath. Do the towel, bath and hairdryer thing seperately though.

For example, get her used to the towel by wiping her each time she comes in. Wrap her in a towel when she's having a cuddle and give her lots of praise when she's not biting it etc. She'll soon then see a towel is nice

Bath, get her used to the bath being nice too, put her in with a tiny tiny bit of water and when she's not dirty, don't use shampoo, just clean water but practice shampooing moves :wink:  Jane S sings very loudly and jollily when she's bathing -dogs, apparently it stuns the dogs so much - they stay stock still

Hair dryer is a toughie - some never like it - mine don't so I don't bother. The trick is to introduce it when you don't need to use it, the same with it all, so you can concentrate on making it a jolly time, rather than trying to get her clean etc, so that when you do need to do the full bath thing, she should be OK. Try having her in the room while you dry your hair and then run it over her. She may get used to it.

Put yourself in the paws of a tiny puppy - had a great time in all this soft fluffy white stuff, get plonked in this BIG white thing full of water, bubbles thrown all over, then a big fabric thing thats attacking me - then a big noisy thing blowing me away. It's a lot for her to take in one go.

Sorry if that's come across as a lecture - not meant to be but hope it helps                    

[pwhite48]

Thanks Pam - no not a lecture at all, you are talking perfect sense

Out of interest (and apologies if I sound really stoopid :roll: ) but what does 'imho' mean?  Is it Cocker-speak?

Cheers
Phil                    

[Michelle_S]

I don't think that there's much more to add to Pams' excellent advice   , but maybe to reassure you, i posted on this topic a while ago as i was really worried when Harry struggled and CRIED AND CRIED  all through his first bath  

We just perservered and now, tho' he doesn't enjoy it, he will calmly stand with resigned expression and put up with it  :wink: .

Once towelled off and 'released' however he, in common with many others goes in to 'hyper drive' careering all over the house for 5 minutes or so and 'drying' himself on carpets, cushions and whatever he can find!                    

[Pammy]

Thanks Pam - no not a lecture at all, you are talking perfect sense  

Out of interest (and apologies if I sound really stoopid :roll: ) but what does 'imho' mean?  Is it Cocker-speak?

Cheers
Phil

Glad you found that useful - imho means in my humble opinion                    

[shonajoy]

Hi Phil,

Indie was the same at first, but he's got so used to it now he's great. I don't use the hairdryer on him at all, just a towel, and he gets a treat afterwards. A lot of it is to do with your confidence, they are like kids and know if you are tense, so try and do it when you are calm and not worried. I have the kids in the bathroom with me, talking to him, but he's relaxed now, because we have done it so often. Another tip is, run some water in the bath, and let her nose around a bit - Indie would peer over the edge and sniff, then eventually we'd put him in for a paddle. Try that too, without bathing her, then move on to doing the legs, etc.

Honestly, it's just gradually getting her used to it, Indie hated the bath at 12 weeks, and now at 15 weeks he's a right water baby.

Shona                    

[pwhite48]

Thanks Shona

How often do you bath Indie, out of interest?

Phil                    

[shonajoy]

Hi Phil,

we have been bathing him probably twice a week - he had an unfortunate habit of rolling in poo for a while, and he loves mud.

Shona                    

[Laura]

Brogan is my 7 month old orange roan puppy.  We got him used to the bath by smearing butter or peanut butter all over the side of the bath.  He is so  distracted licking away that he is almost oblivious to the water being chucked all over him!  

I am tring to get him used to the hairdryer but he hates it  He will however sit in front of the tumble dryer by the air vent.  I plan the washing accordingly!  I set up a blanket and a pigs ear for him to settle down on while my washing dries, Brogan gets aired!                    

[pwhite48]

Laura you have some really innovative ideas    
Phil                    

[Colin]

Both Jimmy and Misty hated bath time at first and sure let me know it. Whilst I'd still describe them as reluctant , they are more cooperative now.

I just use the shower attachment to hose them down as I found no matter how little water I put in the bath most of it ended up on me and the floor.

When introducing the hairdryer it might be best to just use it on the legs and body for the first couple of times, once Honey has realised it's of no danger she might be more tolerant of it around the more sensitive head area. I plonk my two on the ironing board when using the hairdryer and they realise there's no escape...... they actually seem to quite enjoy that part of bath time now.                      

[Katherine]

Whenever barnaby goes out into the garden to play, he gets wet and muddy, and when it snowed he tried to eat it. He's never had a bath before but we leave a towel by the door so that whenever he comes in we wrap him in a towel and dry him.
Apparently he was the one who, after his brothers and sisters fell asleep, would lie on his back on top of them. Now he loves being on his back so when we dry him we put him on his back and he goes limp.
I suggest when you dry Honey, pick her up, she might be more calm.

Katherine                    

[T]

Good advise all through guys .. and Cool ideas Laura!!

Charlie-Spud was okay with the bath to start but got worse so we stopped and went for the shower cubical instead ... which has been better, well at least it keeps the water off the wall!!  :wink:

I think we'll try the bath again, a little at a time as suggested.

It is so strange though cos he loves water ... straight in it when were on a walk ... puddle, stream, pond ... "splosh" he's in!  :?                    

[Anita]

I agree with everything! Just go slowly and perservre! I got Phoebe used to the hairdryer as I knew I'd be taking her to a groomers and I wanted her to get used to it beforehand. I also took her to the groomers from an early age to get her used to other people, other dogs and the hairdryer. The first few times before her puppy fur came out she just had a tidy up.

maybe a little yellow rubber duck might help