[winniec777]

Can anyone offer tips on bathing our 2-year old shepherd mix? She's 67 lbs and quite a handful when it's time for a bath. We can't use a spray hose on her -- she goes nuts and snaps. The groomer can barely bath her -- takes 2 people (one of them a professional trainer) for them to handle her. She's hated baths since we got her as a puppy. I'm at the point where I may start tranquilizing her before we take her in or even when we do it ourselves. We've gotten her to the point that we can just about get all of her cleaned using milk jugs filled with warm water vs. the spray hose. She still wants to run around and nip at us, though. Any thoughts? Will doing it more frequently help? She currently gets bathed every 1-2 months, depending on how dirty she gets (she has sensitive skin and tends to get flaky if she's bathed too often). Fortunately, her coat is longish and repels water and dirt fairly well. Thanks for your help!

[Aggie]

How is it she's used to being bathed?



I usually start off w/ unknown dogs by putting them in the tub, leaving the drain OPEN to drain, and lukewarm water. I use a big 'ol cup and just fill it/pour it down the animal. It's much slower than a using a head, but it's a lot easier for some animals to accept at first. Do you know what exactly she's afraid of/dislikes? The noises/spray/temp/water itself/chaos/etc?

[Durbkat]

I bathe my dog by putting him in the tub and filling it up to alittle bit above his ankles and take a cup and soak him and then give him a bath. If you don't think you can handle it then take him to the groomer. They are trained on how to handle dogs so they should be able to do it.

[AkiraleShiba]

Why not clicker train your dog to have its bath taken ? Start by putting it in an empty bath and slowly work you way over a couple of days to a real bath.

[Love's_Sophie]

I agree with Akira...get her used to bathing by desensitizing her to it, by going in many many small steps, leading up to an eventual full bath; you can use a clicker, or simply start leading her toward the tub, stopping, treating her for remaining calm, and going from there very gradually...

[winniec777]

Thanks to all for responding. RE what seems to spook her -- it's hard to tell. When we leave the bathroom door open, she'll run in there to jump in the tub and wait for the water to come out. She bites the water if I turn it on. She also plays a game with me where she jumps in and out of a kiddie pool while I spray the hose (always away from her, never at her). Again, she likes to bite the water and her tail wags away while she waits for me to turn the water on and off. But if the groomer or I try to spray her with a hose she goes nuts. So I fill milk jugs with warm water and bath her outside in a 4 ft holding pen. She's at the point where I can get most of her body bathed without her snapping at me. I have to follow her around the pen a few times, but she resigns herself to the process.

The only thing I can think of that might have made her difficult is the old groomer we used to take her to. She would always come out looking great and they said she was never a problem but I wonder now if that's true based on her new bahavior. I'll keep trying the desensitization route. Hopefully she'll come around with the groomer in time.

[Durbkat]

If you take her back tell them to tell the truth as you have been experiencing problems with her snapping and fighting the process and you need to know if she is acting the same way there.

[Aggie]

If she is seriously snapping, you might also consider muzzling her for the duration.

I'd also heavily treat reward- desnsensitization is a really good way to go, reward her for everything food she does. Gets in the tub, let's the water be turned on, etc.

[spotted nikes]

Do you happen to have a walk in shower, with a door? If so, get a showerhead with a cord/hose. Before you bring the dog in there, run the shower to get it warm. Then, bring the dog in on a leash. Turn shower on to a trickle, and wet paws. Then increase spray, and do hind end, mid body. Let him walk in circles if need be. I would skip the head for now and just get the body wet. Give treats as needed, if he is behaving. Do not reward bad behavior, but try to go just to his comfort level, and then recede. Go a little further, then recede.
I get the impression that the biting at the spray is a game.

[Purplex15]

first of all she needs to be done more. if she has sensitive skin, they have shampoos for that, but most dogs actually do not have sensitive skin, just a groomer who doesnt completely rinse out the products. if it takes two people to do her, then you should find a different place. i have never had to have another person do a dog with me, no matter how difficult. i would also call the old place that did her and try and talk to someone who remebers your dog and coax them into telling you the truth. explain how she is acting now, and just tell them any info would help, that you wont be mad. they should tell you if they know you wont start yelling at them for not saying anything earlier. the best way to get her used to this is finding a good groomer who will work with you. find one that will allow you to go in a couple times a week just so the gromer can say hi to your dog, get a couple treats, and then leave. then start building up to brushings, then bathing. the groomer should know how to handle the dog without the dog freaking out.

when you are at home, you NEED a muzzle. you also need to tell the groomer she will snap so the groomer knows to use a muzzle. you have no idea how much easier a difficult dog is when you know it cannot bite you. dont put it on immediatly, just after she bites. you need to tie her to something so that she has limited mobility. the less she can move, the less anxious she will feel (this is why it is best to bath dogs in a tub, as oppossed to a run). i knw you say xshe hates the running water, but you arent doing anything by just pouring water on her. first off, you are not rinsing her enough (which is probably why she appears to have sensitive skin). the water is not rinsing to her skin, so whatever product you are using is stayingt on her fur and skin and actually slowly burning her (dogs an get chemical burns this way). you are also not going to get a good finished product if you dont use some sort of force with the water. with the water snapping, do not let her do it with the bathing hose or faucet. she is allowed to do that with the outside hose when you let her. if she is obsessive about it then you need to control that. does she go for the water right when you spray? if so you need to train her to not do it when you dont want her too. if she bites at the water then you put on the muzzle. once she is good without the muzzle take it off, but put it on everytime she goes for it.