Bathtub bath - NOT a good time! Tricks, hints, advice, please?

[chelle]

Bailey came home in July as an 11 week old and promptly received a bathtub bath. Easy, pacheezie, he was little, easy to control.

I don't remember if he ever got a second bathtub bath.

I know that sounds bad, but his coat is so easy maintenance. It's a slicker coat than a pb. You let mud try and it falls/combs out. He's white, so easy to find any dirt. Follow that up with a little sponge bath, a little wipe with a dryer sheet and you're good to go. He doesn't stink and never has except for when he first came home.

BUT we spent Sat and Sun afternoon at the big soccer park and it is muddy in places, so he got pretty dirty.

I decided, yep, time to try a bathtub bath.

Okay at first. Got in the tub with him. Didn't last long. Once this dude wanted out of the tub... he just... got out of the tub. He's too big and strong to hold in there, come to find out. I did make the mistake of taking his collar off, so I had nothing to hold onto, but still, whew! Big, strong boy.

I've bathed my smaller dogs plenty and with them, I've leashed them *in* the tub and wrapped the leash around the spout. No problem. I'm almost afraid to try this with Bailey.

So do you bathe your own dogs? How often? In the tub or outside? Sponge baths? Curious to all you do in regards to bathing!

[onyx'girl]

I have a handheld shower hose, so can use it easier on the dogs in the tub. Karlo only had one bath til he was about 8 months and then feared it when her heard his nails scratching. I used a training ball on string and ramped up his drive to get him in. After that he loved it, jumps right in. The hand-held has a massage feature and my dogs really like that too. I use a fursaver on them when I bathe them so I can turn them or hold them in place. Normally they don't wear collars at home, and the fursaver works well for bathtime.

[JakodaCD OA]

I have one of those suction cups with a groomers noose IF I bathe them in the tub. Mine don't mind the tub at all, it's just the mess to deal with

You can also use the no water type shampoo and I believe they have it for white dogs too

[Wolfiesmom]

I bathe Wolfie in the bath tub. He hates it. I get in with him, and close the shower doors. He can't get out. Let me rephrase that, he most definitely could get out, but respects the barrier of the doors. I open the doors and let him hop put when I am done.At the summer house, I wash him in his pool.

[Emoore]

I tried it once and felt like I was never going to get all the wet dog fur out of my shower. And can you picture that in your drain? Ugh. No thank you. In the summer I bathe them outside; in the winter I use a groomer.

[msvette2u]

I've never done this but I've heard peanut butter smeared on the side of the tub works.
Also we use the slip leads you get at the vet clinic to hold them in.
If the dog is over 40lb. or so, I get help. My back isn't what it used to be

[StryderPup]

I bathe Stryder in the bath tub. When he was younger he had some skin allergies and we had to bathe him with a special soap. When he was smaller, I would get in the bathtub with him. He did not love it but he tolerated it. What else I did was made it a big deal when he got dried off and made it a game....I would dry him off in the tub and then get him out, he shakes and then I let him go back and forth under the towel (like a bull tamer, for lack of a better description)....then he can run around like a mad dog...all I have to say is the word "bath" and he runs upstairs and jumps in the bathtub. If he did not like it...I would be screwed!

(also...do you see how much I like ellipses...)

[Scarlettsmom]

We have a big, stupid jet tub that only gets used to bathe Scarlett. DH gets in with her and I run interference to keep her in the tub. The hair is unimaginable and when she shakes, every single surface from ceiling to floor is soaked. I HATE IT!! However, she really only needs a bath at home a few times a year. I am all too happy to pay a groomer to brush and trim her. She is SO wiggly and hairy!!

I do give her a "buff up" when I brush her and use freshening spray (spray on the brush and brush it through her hair). I trim her feet and fluffy-butt myself, but when she is blowing her coat, I pay for the groomer. Generally we go to her twice a year.

When we remodel our bathroom, we will not have the tub, so I will have a shower sprayer installed and a way to lock the shower door so I don't have to chase Scarlett down. Yeah, I'll be taking a dog shower/bath too, but I can usually use one anyway.

[Wolfiesmom]

Originally Posted by Emoore

I tried it once and felt like I was never going to get all the wet dog fur out of my shower. And can you picture that in your drain? Ugh. No thank you. In the summer I bathe them outside; in the winter I use a groomer.

I close the drain while I am washing him and just let the tub fill. When I am done, I stretch a piece of panty hose over the drain and all the hair collects in that while the water drains through.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Wolfiesmom

I close the drain while I am washing him and just let the tub fill. When I am done, I stretch a piece of panty hose over the drain and all the hair collects in that while the water drains through.

That's brilliant! Doesn't help with the wet hair that gobs onto the sides of the tub though. . . I'm too lazy for all that.