Does your pooch hate bath time? Do they try to run away whenever you start running the water and hide? Do you find that rather than having a nice clean and fresh-looking dog at the end of bath time, you end up with soaking wet clothes and a lot of splashed water everywhere? Although there are some dogs that are just not keen on baths and will never change their minds, there are some things you can do to help make the whole sorry affair a lot nicer for them.
Invest in a Special Bath for Your Pooch
Start as you mean to go on by choosing one of the great dog bath tubs that are available. IT can be very stressful, trying to get your dog into the family bath, so why bother? A specially made for dogs. By also making it feel as much of a treat as possible, you can help take a lot of the horror out of it.
Help Them Get Familiar with the Tub When it’s not Full of Water
Rather than trying to throw your dog in the deep end, take some time to get your dog familiar with the bath when its empty. Try giving him some treats and meals while he or she is in the tub. If you do this regularly, your dog will hopefully learn to associate being in the bath with good and positive things rather than the dread and fear it may make them feel otherwise.
Get a Non-Slip Mat
One of the reasons a lot of dogs don’t like the bath is because it has a very slick and slippery surface at the bottom. Therefore, you can help erase some of the fear they might feel for the bath.
Use Treats, Lots of Them
It has already been hinted at, but it is important to use treats and lots of them when you are trying to make bath time easier for your dog. The more you use, the more they will come to see baths as a good thing. Keep a bully stick or some other kind of longer lasting chewing treat as a reward for when the tub is finished.
Wash Their Feet First
There are not many people that enjoy water being sprayed in their face, and your dog is no different. That is why it is best to wash their feet first. Make sure the temperature is not too cold or too hot. Ideally, you start with the feet and move upwards towards their head and they will find it much easier and more tolerable.
Use a Pitcher or Gentle Sprayer to Rinse Your Dog
Your dog will find it much easier to cope with being washed under a gentle and slow water stream from a sprayer or pitcher with the tub, rather than being put under a shower spray or deeper into the water under the tub. Especially when it is time to rinse them off. start by lifting their snout in the air to limit the volume of water that can get into nose and ears.