Introducing you puppy to bathing

TomAndKing · 12-10-2006, 08:52 PM

Any tips?
King hated going for a bath since day one. Anyone have any tips to easy a dog into tollerating baths?

misty · 12-11-2006, 05:20 AM

I put Sasha in the bathtub and used one of those massage shower heads and put it against her body. She seemed to like it and stay still rather than having the water sprinkle over her. So far, it has worked well and she still stays still and doesn't freak out and actually likes taking a bath now.

**TracyJo** · 12-11-2006, 06:26 AM

Um Tom... Why are you asking about puppy bathing? Is there a puppy in your life in need to a bath????

frznbuns · 12-11-2006, 08:53 AM

We have a claw foot tub.. Old House... I would put the puppy in the tub and give them a cookie.. then take them out.. then start it all over again.. over and over.. then started to let the water fill in the tub and more cookies.. now all I have to do is say bath.. and no problem... the only thing I have to do now is put the dogs feet on the edge so they can hop in easier..

LapDog · 12-11-2006, 11:52 AM

I didnt really do any special treatment with Duch...I pick her up...and put her in the tub...now...but what I found helped is getting in with the dog so you can shut the SHOWER door...all Duchess could do is walk in circles lol. But now she just stands in the tub with this look on her face that we all know so well

TomAndKing · 12-11-2006, 06:20 PM

No puppy at the moment. I just want to correct all the things i did wrong with King, and this was one of them. i literally had to carry him into the bathroom to get him in the tub. If on a leash, pinch or just calling him, he would fight it like i was trying to beat him with a red hot pole. he HATED baths but loved to play in the lake.

I figure, learn as much now so that when i do get my next dobe, i cant hopefully make a big friendly suck like Pyper(lil_arrows dog)

**ps4570** · 12-11-2006, 07:21 PM

We had a time getting Lena into her pool until the neighbor's dog came to visit. Their dog hopped right into her pool and Lena's reaction was precious. All of a sudden there was a dog in her pool and she was pissed. I ran and grabed a camera. Lena chased the interloper out of the pool and wouldn't let her back in. We haven’t had much trouble with baths since.

**TracyJo** · 12-11-2006, 08:45 PM

Gotcha :-) With Chi, I made it a game and used clicker training. We started with a box in the living room (part of 101 things to do with a box). At first I would c/t (click and treat) if she even looked at the box, then c/t for touching the box, eventually we moved to c/t for climbing in the box. That is how she learned to get into something. Always positive, always fun - getting her in the box on command took maybe 2 or 3 days. Then we took the new trick to the bathroom - same concept as with the box, c/t for looking at the tub, c/t for touching the tub, c/t and jackpot reward for jumping in the tub. (*note, she was jumping in the tub after maybe 10 minutes. Once they grasp the concept of clicker training the learn very quickly) We spent a few days just doing that and then added water - it really was easy and I'm so glad we did it that way. She's 70+ pounds now and gets bathed every other week or so, I don't think my back to handle fighting her and lifting her in and out of the tub. Where many dogs run and hide at the sight of the towel and shampoo or nail clippers, she runs to the tub, jumps in and waits for me.
I tell you for all of her faults, she really does have some shining attributes :-)

**TracyJo** · 12-11-2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ps4570

We had a time getting Lena into her pool until the neighbor's dog came to visit. Their dog hopped right into her pool and Lena's reaction was precious. All of a sudden there was a dog in her pool and she was pissed. I ran and grabed a camera. Lena chased the interloper out of the pool and wouldn't let her back in. We haven’t had much trouble with baths since.

How funny! A Dobe defending her water against a Lab LOL

TomAndKing · 12-11-2006, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TracyJo

Gotcha :-) With Chi, I made it a game and used clicker training. We started with a box in the living room (part of 101 things to do with a box). At first I would c/t (click and treat) if she even looked at the box, then c/t for touching the box, eventually we moved to c/t for climbing in the box. That is how she learned to get into something. Always positive, always fun - getting her in the box on command took maybe 2 or 3 days. Then we took the new trick to the bathroom - same concept as with the box, c/t for looking at the tub, c/t for touching the tub, c/t and jackpot reward for jumping in the tub. (*note, she was jumping in the tub after maybe 10 minutes. Once they grasp the concept of clicker training the learn very quickly) We spent a few days just doing that and then added water - it really was easy and I'm so glad we did it that way. She's 70+ pounds now and gets bathed every other week or so, I don't think my back to handle fighting her and lifting her in and out of the tub. Where many dogs run and hide at the sight of the towel and shampoo or nail clippers, she runs to the tub, jumps in and waits for me.
I tell you for all of her faults, she really does have some shining attributes :-)

Great advice. Ill have to try that when i get my next dog.