Bathing

[Loraine]

I gave Candy a bath today and oh my goodness it was such an ordeal.  I have a baby bath as she has grown out of the basin I was using before and she seemed so distraught and kept trying to climb out and the water went everywhere.

Then when it came to the drying, I tried to use my hair dryer and she was TERRIFIED and jumped off the table.  In the end I just towel dried her but she was damp for ages as her coat is so thick now and holds so much water.

Has anyone got any tips on how I can settle her down as she seems to be getting worse when I thought she'd be getting better.  I am thinking of taking her to the grooming parlour but I'm skint so have to do it myself!!

Is it possible that she's scared of water, she doesn't even like going out when it's raining and tries to go back inside - just a thought.

Thanks in advance.                    

[*Jay*]

Vegas was the same when he got his first(and only) shower. My bathroom was sailing and he hates the hairdryer too. You could try associating the bath with nice things - ie maybe put a couple of toys in(obv when there's no water in!) and play with her for a few minutes and then praise her and take her out. You could then gradually build up the time that she stays in the bath. You could also try feeding her in there. Then you can maybe start adding a little bit of water and take it slowly. You won't have to rush the process as they don't need bathed very often so you'll have plenty of time if there are any setbacks. With the hairdryer you could always put it on a low setting in another room and play a game with Candy so that the noise will be very low and again she will soon have a positive association with it. You can then gradually move the hairdryer closer to the room that Candy is playing in and leave it on for a bit longer. The important thing is to take it slowly and build up gradually. It might be a good idea to have someone hold her when you try and blow dry her the next time as she may not like the sensation and they can also give her the treats throughout which might make it a bit more pleasant. I feel like I've rambled so I hope it makes some sense                    

[Jane S]

Just be careful using treats though - you don't want to reward Candy for being afraid of the bath/drier & this could happen if you give treats throughout the "session". I would tend to only give treats afterwards myself, but that's just what works for me. I have to give a lot of first-time baths to puppies & have found that they get over their nerves more quickly if you just plough on regardless, ignoring any signs of fear. I often sing a jolly song quite loudly too while I am bathing a nervous puppy - it either stuns them into silence or it comforts them, but either way, it seems to work I haven't had a puppy in for grooming that hasn't got over these early fears pretty quickly so it's worth a try if the softly, softly approach doesn't work.                    

[Michele]

Hi Loraine,
Gill has covered most things I could think of (thanks Gill )

When you bathed Candy did you wet her head first?
If so when you bath her next leave her head till last and she will not shake as much. Have you ever seen one of those slow motion shots of a dog shaking. It always starts at the head and works its way down the body.
Again, with a lot of puppy things, it pays not to make a big deal of it......you get worked up & then so does the pup :-
I'm sure in time Candy will get to enjoy her bath                      

[Pammy]

I often sing a jolly song quite loudly- it either stuns them into silence or it comforts them,

I now have this mental image of Jane singing at the top of her voice and a really puzzled looking Cocker looking up at her with that "look" on its poor little face                    

[angelad]

I have the same image Pammy (sorry Jane ), but as Jane says it seems to work so it may be worth a try next time. If you can all hear Cooper howling then you know it didn't work!                    

[Mike]

Yes, I'll go for the 'stunned silence' option too  

Though have to admit, I always sing to my dogs too. They are very lucky to have such long ears (so they can wrap them around their face)                      

[Jane S]

You cheeky lot I find a cheerful Beatles medley works quite well - I wouldn't recommend any Sex Pistols or Motorhead Seriously, I think if you have a happy, confident approach when you do something you know a puppy won't like, like bathing, then this helps to relax your dog - if you get worried because he or she is a bit nervous, then this increases the anxiety level & you then have a bit of a vicious circle.                    

[Loraine]

Thanks for all your replies.

I didn't wet her head as I thought that it would distress her further but with all the wriggling about it inevitably got wet.

I think I'll try the singing and just get on with it and hopefully she'll settle down sooner rather than later...

Will keep you posted.  

L                    

[LouiseH]

Just be careful using treats though - you don't want to reward Candy for being afraid of the bath/drier & this could happen if you give treats throughout the "session". I would tend to only give treats afterwards myself, but that's just what works for me. I have to give a lot of first-time baths to puppies & have found that they get over their nerves more quickly if you just plough on regardless, ignoring any signs of fear. I often sing a jolly song quite loudly too while I am bathing a nervous puppy - it either stuns them into silence or it comforts them, but either way, it seems to work I haven't had a puppy in for grooming that hasn't got over these early fears pretty quickly so it's worth a try if the softly, softly approach doesn't work.

Phew! I'm glad I'm not the only one who sings to my puppies in the bath!
It certainly works though, just ignore her and get on with it, if she tries to escape gently put her feet back in and carry on, it DOES get easier.
In fact i now have to contend with a 10 month old dog who drinks the bath water......how do I solve that one Jane?!!!!!  :-                    

[FionaM]

Phew! I'm glad I'm not the only one who sings to my puppies in the bath!
It certainly works though, just ignore her and get on with it, if she tries to escape gently put her feet back in and carry on, it DOES get easier.
In fact i now have to contend with a 10 month old dog who drinks the bath water......how do I solve that one Jane?!!!!!  :-

My Poppy not only tries to drink the bath water but also tries to lick conditioner off herself The only way I've found to stop her is to always have one hand under her chin.

Fiona                    

[Mary]

I have just given Lottie her second bath as I want her to get used to it whilst she is young.  Doesn't like much  
How often is it acceptable to bath a dog?  I'm sure I've read on this site that it's OK to bath often, yet in my puppy book it says that too much bathing is not good as it dries out the natural oils in the coat and can cause dry skin.
Also, could someone tell me the benefits of garlic tablets.                    

[FionaM]

Hi Mary

Poppy's breeders told us we should be bathing her once a fortnight but gradually I've got into the way of bathing her once a week. I find her much easier to brush when she's bathed often and my boyfriend isn't too keen on her when she starts to smell doggy. I always use mild shampoo (and every so often conditioner too) and her coat & skin seem fine to me

I don't use garlic tablets but I think some people use them to keep fleas at bay

HTH

Fiona                    

[Pammy]

In the past, dog shapmoos were quite harsh and could cause the drying out of the nautral oils. Nowadays there are so many mild shampoos that regular bathing is fine. It is OK to use mild human shampoos or two in ones - with conditioner for your dog. Just make sure you don't get it in their eyes.

hth                    

[Michele]

When I worked in a grooming salon we used to have the occasional dog come in with skin problems. Of course there can be numerous reasons for this problem but we would always ask as a matter of course if they knew how the problem has arisen. This included asking them if they had bathed the dog themself, which some had. More often than not they had used a human shampoo.
This prompted me to ask our supplier the difference between canine & human shampoo's. Apparently human shampoo's contain a lot more chemicals, salt (which is what makes it lather up more) & perfume and so if used regularly could cause an adverse effect to the coat & skin.
Dog shampoos are readily available these days from most supermarkets and pet shops. Shaws and Bob Martins being leading manufacturers.

Bathing your dog with a good shampoo should do it no harm. As the show people amongst us will know, to show a dirty dog will get you absolutley nowhere. Rinsing thoroughly is perhaps the most important thing of all.

jmho