# Bathing a large, scared dog.



## Katie Drake (Mar 7, 2009)

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here, so please be nice. 

I have an 18 month old dog named Dexter. He's a Sheppard-Collie mix, and is a big boy. I adopted Dexter from a shelter after he was finally caught running around free as only a young pup. I'm not sure if he was abandoned by his original owners or not.

Today I was told by my family that Dexter has to go because he simply won't let us bathe him, or cut his nails. He fights like his life depends on it when we try to use a hose and he won't tolerate being picked up to be placed in the tub - he isn't particularly heavy, but he's big and doesn't mind scratching and nipping to get his way.

I'm at a loss for what to do. Obviously responsible owners wouldn't let a dog stay in their homes without ever bathing him or trimming his nails, but even with three people we're unable to restrain him effectively - he's too fast and strong, and we're worried that he'll fight so hard that he'll hurt himself.

Does anyone out there have any experience with a dog that's so unwilling to cooperate? If so, please leave your suggestions here or PM me. Dexter is the first dog that I have personally owned and I don't know what I'd do if he ended up being sent away all because of a problem like this. Please help. 

Thanks for reading.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Has your family considered taking him to a groomer. They would be better able to handle him as I'm sure they've had trouble dogs before. I don't know how much it would cost (I have small dogs) but I'm sure others here (there are some professional groomers) who would have great ideas.

Good luck. It sounds like you love Dexter very much. How about posting some pics so the groomers here have an idea what you have.


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

I play a game with my dogs. Its called the jump in the tub game. We play it almost every day. We jump in and out of the tub a few times, and they get chicken or hot dog when they jump in. They only get bathed every 2-3 months, unless they got into something. This way when it is bath time they are happy to hop into the tub because 99% of the time when they do its fun. I also will sometimes have the water running when we play the jump in the tub game, but not get them wet. Its worked very well for my dogs.

If your dog won't even go into the bathroom then you can encourage him to put a foot on the floor, give him a treat, do that for several days, several times a day. Then two feet, then 3, then 4. Then work on walking farther into the bathroom. Then put treats on the edge of the tub for him. Do that for awhile then work on trying to get him to jump in. Make sure you put down some kind of non slip pad on the bottom of the tub for him.

For nails, you can work on desensitizing him. Touch his foot, give him a treat. Do that often for a week or so. Then touch a nail, give him a treat, do that for a few weeks, working on touching every single nail. When he is comfortable with you touching his nails then bring out the nail clippers and start over with those. Touch is foot with them, give him a treat. Do that for a week, several times a day just quick, touch a foot, give a treat and go back to watching tv or whatever. Then go to touching his nails with it and giving a treat. Do that for a couple of weeks. 

When you think he is ready for it, clip a tiny bit off of one nail and give him a jackpot, like chicken or turkey or a piece of steak, something really, really, really good. If he took it well (the nail cutting) then the next day you can cut one more nail and again give him a really good treat. Continueing cutting one nail a day until you have cut them all. Then try cutting 2 nails a day, remember to give a treat for each nail. Then 3 a day and so on.


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## blackrose (Oct 7, 2006)

As an alternative to rehoming him and if training cannot be done in enough time - take him to a groomers that uses sedatives (I am a "bather" at a grooming clinic that is part of a veterinary clinic...we use sedatives on aggressive/fear aggressive/so-neglected-you-have-to-sedate-just-to-get-the-mats-off dogs and cats all of the time, sadly). They can give him a bath and trim his nails without it stressing him out too much. 

We (as in, the grooming staff at the clinc) DO have experience with dogs that are stressed/fearful/fear aggressive/etc., but if a dog is a danger to us and to itself we will refuse to do it unless it is under sedation. It sounds like that is what your boy is - a danger to not only the people trying to handle him (biting, nipping, stratching, failing, etc.), but a danger to himself (he would be a dog that would try to jump out of tubs, back out of the noose/leashes used, thrash around when restrained, etc.). Not only that, but often ONE bad experience at a groomer's can ruin a dog for a long time in terms of allowing grooming and will often make the dog even worse than it was to begin with (and most certainly having all of his fears thrown at him at once in a strange enviornment with strange people would be a major bad experience). 

In between baths, you can work on the training until he won't need sedation anymore.


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## Katie Drake (Mar 7, 2009)

Thank you all very much for the help so far! A question for the above poster.

What is it that you guys use for sedation? We've thought of attempting to sedate Dexter, but we're not Vets and aren't sure of what to use. This may sound stupid, but is it possible to use a sedative that one would use on a human for a dog? Say, a tiny piece of a Valium tablet or something of the kind? If not, can you recommend the names of any dog-specific sedatives that one can buy in stores?

The only reason I'm hesitant to take him to a groomer is because money is very tight right now (we might be selling the house) and if at all possible I'd like to save on a grooming visit.


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## GroovyGroomer777 (Aug 21, 2008)

Do not give him one of your sedatives.
He needs an exam at his vet's and they will prescribe him something, then you take him to a groomer INSIDE a vet's office, so the doctor can be there in case he has a reaction.

Or - have you tried a waterless shampoo?


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

I agree, do NOT give him any human sedatives. You want a vet on site to be able to watch him for any reactions to the sedatives. I would have him groomed professionally the first time but then start clicker training him to feel more comfortable with handling in the mean time. Here is a video that gives you sort of a starting point
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEwiH8CeUE

obviously your large dog would stay on the floor not a grooming table. Teach him that touching him, and grooming him is a good thing, not a forced thing.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

Katie Drake said:


> What is it that you guys use for sedation? We've thought of attempting to sedate Dexter, but we're not Vets and aren't sure of what to use. This may sound stupid, but is it possible to use a sedative that one would use on a human for a dog? Say, a tiny piece of a Valium tablet or something of the kind? If not, can you recommend the names of any dog-specific sedatives that one can buy in stores?
> 
> The only reason I'm hesitant to take him to a groomer is because money is very tight right now (we might be selling the house) and if at all possible I'd like to save on a grooming visit.


*Never* use a human sedative for your dog unless prescribed by a vet. A groomer should NEVER be giving sedatives to dogs, either - that would be the equivalent of a hairdresser giving a nervous client Valium! Only a vet can prescribe medication. 

I had a groomer suggest giving my dog a Benadryl a half hour prior to arriving at her first appointment with her . . . so I found another groomer. She didn't even know my dog! Sigh. Check with your vet for a referral to a professional groomer. They have plenty of experience working with dogs whose owners can't bathe and/or clip their nails, yet are just fine when with the groomer. And, if not, the groomer knows how to work with them. It shouldn't cost much for a bath and blow dry - I have 3 Standard Poodles, and sometimes I drop one off to get bathed and dried to save some time, at a cost of $24 (and that's with a lot of hair!); a very reasonable fee. Nails are usually around $8 to $10, and often included in the grooming fee. 

My daughter swore up and down that her dog would have to be sedated to get her nails clipped, since it couldn't be done with 3 people . . .I got my clipper out've my purse, called Delilah to me, gave her a treat, sat behind her (her back against me), lifted her front paw and clipped. Got all 4 feet done in less than 3 minutes without a struggle (lots of kisses on my chin, but, hey! I like kisses)! A lot of times the owner's stress contributes to the problem.


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## PlushPupsGirl (Mar 10, 2009)

To the original poster, with dogs who do not cooperate, we groomers have a trick to our madness. Its called the Groomers Helper. It ties them up so that they are comfortable but immobile. It really does work in washing or grooming the dogs. 

If you still want to do things at home, make the experience as comfortable as possible, in the summer time you can put a tub outside with the water and soap and put him in it, and just play around with him. Because he is so young just try to show him that baths are a fun experience rather then a traumatic one. Introduce his favorite toys or play games with him while bathing him. 

With his size its DEFINATELY a good idea to get another person in there with you and maybe put a lead on him and have the other person hold him there while your doing it. 

Thats what i did with my Rotty before i was a groomer, and he absolutely loves baths now. He is 5 years old and big lap dog, but he loves getting a bath.


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