Taking a Bath!

[alphatyson]

Hey guys,

I have a 3.5 month old GSD puppy and he absolutely HATES taking baths. I try to only give him one when he needs it (ie. gets too dirty and/or gets poop/pee on himself) which usually means once every 3-4 weeks. I gave him a bath last night and dried him off, then he went downstairs with my roommates. When I cleaned everything up I headed downstairs only to have him growl at me and start attacking me (he kept biting and I knew it wasn't a playful bite). Has this ever happened to anyone before? I'm a little concerned... I guess giving him a bath must've really pissed him off. My roommates had to help get him off me with the spray bottle.

Also, when I try to groom him with the brush he starts barking like crazy and really tries to avoid it. How do I teach him to remain calm during this procedure?

Any input would be appreciated, thanks.

[Freestep]

Take your puppy to a groomer and have them "break him in" to the grooming process, so you aren't the bad guy. If you do bathe and brush him at home, just be very firm with him so he realizes that fighting the process isn't going to do him any good. It's helpful if you have something to tie him up to while you groom, so he can't run away. Give him lots of treats when you brush him, so he learns that when you bring out the brush, good things are in store.

A lot of dogs get super hyper after a bath, and I don't know why, but that's probably why he was "attacking" you.

Is your pup enrolled in a puppy obedience class? If not, sign him up ASAP! That will help a lot with everything you do together.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Bath Training

[alphatyson]

Freestep, yes, he is enrolled in class. I will definitely look into the groomer... they're having deals at Petsmart lately so I think I will take him in one of these days.

Thanks for the tips both of you =)