[brebrehj]

My almost 7 month old snarled and tried to bite me while bathing him.
He is not fond of bath time at all but has never tried to bite until today. It pretty much resulted in me letting him stand outside the tub and sprayed him with the detachable shower head....obviously I dont want to do this all the time. And hosing him down in the back yard isnt an option due to not having anywhere to tie him up.

What are your tricks to get your pup to at least tolerate a bath?
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[Twyla]

I have a FA dog who is seriously claustrophobic. I use the kiddie pool for his baths. I don't tie him, instead have him on a leash - just in case a squirrel is brave enough to show it's face Woolf actually enjoys baths now. Before it went beyond the teeth, knocking me on my butt (that was fun... not) to shutting down when we tried the shower.

 

[Sri]

Mine hates baths. period. he's terrified of them. Has been that way since we got him.

I am using clicker training to modify his behavior. It worked to clip his nails finally. Earlier he wouldn't let anyone touch his paws.

Spa Day: How to Train Your Dog to Love a Bath, a Brushing, or Even a Mani/Pedi | Karen Pryor Clicker Training


The bath time videos are at the bottom of the page. I've got mine to jump in and out of tub with no water, so far. He wouldn't even enter the bathroom before this.

 

[David Taggart]

By acting like that he simply challenged you as a leader:"You cannot do it to me any longer, I'm not a baby!". He has used his force and his means. It would be a good question why he did it at all? He uses force because you have used your force, you forced him into the bath. If it was only one way you use your force he wouldn't behave like this. Obviously, you force him to do other things, obey your commands when he doesn't want to obey. And you do it too often. I think, you should change your attitude towards your dog first of all. Start asking him, not forcing him to do things, stop being a master of your dog for change, behave as his friend. Ask him to come calling from the bathroom. Ask him to come just for petting him on the floor. Attract him with treats, break his negative stereotype of minding that small room as a room for torture. He won't do it with your first recall, but don't give up. He might start taking his treats half way through the doorway - it would indicate his progress, you will succeed finally. Ask him to step into the bathroom and sit in there without any washing - he will do it for his treats. The woman I know had this problem with her boxer, just he was afraid, not self-protective like yours. She was dragging him to wash on prong collar, her clastrophobic boxer was breaking with all four, screaming. He was shaking while was washed and didn't want to eat until the next day. Her friend, the groom, told her to make her bathroom a room for receiving pleasures. As far, as I remenber, she couldn't persuade him into the bathroom quite a long time, but she did it by making her dog really hungry at the beginning of training and played some sort of a game with his toys. Well, I suppose, you can imagine what you can do with a ball in a small bathroom space!

 

[AngelaA6]

Gunther hated baths. I clicker trained him to get in and out and not to struggle by clicking when he showed the appropriate behavior. He still doesn't ENJOY them but he doesn't jump out prematurely, doesn't fight and doesn't whine. I also used a high value treat (which is a hotdog cut up into pea sized bites for my little guy) and that made a huge difference. Best of luck.

 

[brebrehj]

By acting like that he simply challenged you as a leader:"You cannot do it to me any longer, I'm not a baby!". He has used his force and his means. It would be a good question why he did it at all? He uses force because you have used your force, you forced him into the bath. If it was only one way you use your force he wouldn't behave like this. Obviously, you force him to do other things, obey your commands when he doesn't want to obey. And you do it too often. I think, you should change your attitude towards your dog first of all. Start asking him, not forcing him to do things, stop being a master of your dog for change, behave as his friend. Ask him to come calling from the bathroom. Ask him to come just for petting him on the floor. Attract him with treats, break his negative stereotype of minding that small room as a room for torture. He won't do it with your first recall, but don't give up. He might start taking his treats half way through the doorway - it would indicate his progress, you will succeed finally. Ask him to step into the bathroom and sit in there without any washing - he will do it for his treats. The woman I know had this problem with her boxer, just he was afraid, not self-protective like yours. She was dragging him to wash on prong collar, her clastrophobic boxer was breaking with all four, screaming. He was shaking while was washed and didn't want to eat until the next day. Her friend, the groom, told her to make her bathroom a room for receiving pleasures. As far, as I remenber, she couldn't persuade him into the bathroom quite a long time, but she did it by making her dog really hungry at the beginning of training and played some sort of a game with his toys. Well, I suppose, you can imagine what you can do with a ball in a small bathroom space!

No disrespect but you are so totally off base. You're making an assumption as to how I treat my dog. First of all I do not force my dog to do much. Stop barking and thats about it. I use positive reinforcement when he follows his one command. I often sit on the couch with my baby (yes I said baby because he is my baby and is treated like one) and give him cuddles and love. I do this with both my gsd's. I am constantly giving my dogs love and respect.
I have no doubt he was acting out because of fear not because of a dominance issue.
He has no problem going into the bathroom. He follows me everywhere and lays there while doing my hair and make up. So getting him in isn't the issue. Behaving while in the tub is the issue.

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[brebrehj]

Gunther hated baths. I clicker trained him to get in and out and not to struggle by clicking when he showed the appropriate behavior. He still doesn't ENJOY them but he doesn't jump out prematurely, doesn't fight and doesn't whine. I also used a high value treat (which is a hotdog cut up into pea sized bites for my little guy) and that made a huge difference. Best of luck.

Seems like you and sri both are having luck with the clicker. Thank you for the advice. I will give this a go!

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[David Taggart]

baby because he is my baby and is treated like one

You are making me confused, because you said

hosing him down in the back yard isnt an option due to not having anywhere to tie him up

Why should you tie him up?

 

[brebrehj]

You are making me confused, because you said
Why should you tie him up?

Because he clearly doesn't like water. He is a 70lb dog and im a 94lb woman....I dont see how I would be able to control him in a situation where he could run.

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[onyx'girl]

I didn't bathe my pup but one time until he was about 10 mos old. He hated it too, so I teased him up with a ball on string and tugged w/ him. Then I made him get in the tub to get to his ball. The noise of his nails scratching on the surface was what made him balk in the beginning. But after seeing that the water was fun, the ball was his, and then me massaging him, he loves baths. I do have a hand held shower attachment which makes it much easier. All three of my dogs love bathtime, I on the other hand hate it!

 

[Walperstyle]

We started young with our guy. He hated it, but what helped is getting in the tub with him. Not naked though... don't want him to bite your balls off!

Anyways, if the dog see's you are in there with them, they tend to realize that "if the pack likes this, I should too"

our guy willingly jumps in the tub now when he's dirty. We can't ask for a better dog. ...now if we could only keep him out of the Mud. lol.

 

[Swifty]

Mine hates the bathtub and doesn't like the hose so I use waterless shampoo and a wet rag. The older dog tolerates the hose in warm weather at least. The kiddie pool is a really good idea, and I use one just to get them somewhere to lie down in hot weather after playing.

 

[Pmcman14]

My 4 month old pup used to snarl and whine at me when I used to bathe him. I think by no means that your dog is trying to "challenge you as pack leader" (I hate when people assume things like that) but simply he is just trying everything he can do to get out. I resolved this problem by instead of using the shower head to rinse him (which I noticed he hated the most), I have two buckets with water and rinse him off that way. I use one at a time slowly pouring it on him getting the shampoo off then when it's empty I switch buckets and let the other one refill while I rinse him off with the second bucket. It takes longer then just using the shower head but it has helped so much, he now just sits there looking at me with those sad puppy eyes lol.

Goodluck on your dog, hope this helps!


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[BowWowMeow]

How often are you bathing your dog? I bathe mine once or twice a year. I take him to Pet Supplies Plus and use the tub there. He gets lots of treats and positive reinforcement.

 

[brebrehj]

I resolved this problem by instead of using the shower head to rinse him (which I noticed he hated the most), I have two buckets with water and rinse him off that way. I use one at a time slowly pouring it on him getting the shampoo off then when it's empty I switch buckets and let the other one refill while I rinse him off with the second bucket. It takes longer then just using the shower head but it has helped so much, he now just sits there looking at me with those sad puppy eyes lol.

Goodluck on your dog, hope this helps!

That's a great idea. It never dawned on me that it could be the shower head. I will definitely give this a go!
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[brebrehj]

Bowwowmeow, I bathe his only when needed. He and my 3yr old gsd have been playing hard lately and my little guy gets scared and releases his anal gland. Gross I know. Pretty much when he gets stinky. In his 7 minths of life he has had maybe 4 baths. My older boy a few times a year

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