# My pup thinks I am killing her!



## Desiree S (Apr 2, 2016)

There you go, it's bath time and Smokey my pup is happy to go into the shower cubicle, the water starts and she sounds like I am going to slash her throat!! Then..... after the shampoo goes on and I start massaging her she enjoys it and stays still until the very end. What gives??? When I water my plants she enjoys the water but why is she afraid of a proper bath?? Smokey is 3 months old.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Are you pouring water over her, over her head? Water on the head is rarely well tolerated by dogs. Usually the suggestion is made to have the tub filled with a few inches of lukewarm water, have a non slip surface and go from there. Try starting by wetting and sudsing up her rump and move forward. If you only have the shower maybe get a dish tub full of water for the sudsing up and rinse with the shower. I don't pour water over the dogs' heads, I rub faces with my wet hands and tip up the chin to get the ears and neck.


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## Lillith (Feb 16, 2016)

Does your shower head have a hose? You can buy shower hose attachments that are easy to put on and remove when you bathe the dog on Amazon. They are made especially for bathing your pet. Then you can avoid pouring water over her head, and it is far more gentle and less scary. We have one that clips on and off of the original shower head easily for bath times.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

I've found with my previous dogs, that showers are more tolerated than baths for some reason. (not sure why and I can't really guess)

Though for Vitae when she was a pup she would act like we were killing her every time we tried to shower or bathe her. She wouldn't even take treats. 

But then my Husband decided to say *choice words* and got in the shower with her and scrubbed her down...She apparently loved the fact that she got to shower with him. (bonding?) After a few months she was fine showering with us outside the tub and now will jump into the tub if the door isn't closed.

Worth a shot to shower with your dog? Just toss on a bathing suit and go for it.


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## Desiree S (Apr 2, 2016)

Thanks folks for all your suggestions. I am very gentle with her and actually went into the shower with her but I had to wear my jeans as she was scratching everything. I didn't pour water over her head but next time I will start on the rump and work up, I think she is also afraid of the slippery floor so will invest in a bath mat. There are different pressure settings on the shower head so shall try another setting that is gentler. I think she probably had a really bad experience at the groomers on the day I adopted her as she was trembling all the way home. Next is learning to swim.....


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## cindidwhat (Apr 9, 2016)

Usually my daughter helps bathe the puppy with me, but last time she was studying and I was on my own so I brought a teaspoon of peanut butter in with me and I kept smearing it on my forearm, kept him occupied while i got him all cleaned up.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

Dogs don't need alot of baths ,, brushing is very cleansing to their coats...


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## todd_anderson (Mar 28, 2016)

Totally agree, i take my dog for bath twice in summer and once a month during winter.


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## TGKvr (Apr 29, 2015)

I only bathe my dog in the tub during the colder seasons... but when I do I find it's just easiest to strip naked and get in the tub with her. I never use the shower feature, only the running water from the spout and use a plastic container to dump the water over her. I keep meaning to get a hose thing but for as often as I do it, it doesn't seem worth it. Then I just let her out, dry her off, then rinse off in the shower.

Outside, I use the hose and she tolerates it OK - it's clear she doesn't LOVE it, though she enjoys being rubbed down with the curry comb (what I use to get the soap distributed/lathered) and she loves the drying process. I used to give her treats during her bath and I'd let her sip water out of the container if we were in the tub - she's weird. Outside with the hose, when we're done, I tell her to "get it" and let her drink out of the hose which she loves - does a good job of washing her face too without me having to do it really. And of course she gets treats right afterwards as well. I probably bathe her more often than I'd like sometimes only because she likes to roll in things sometimes...


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

My huskies get a bath about every 2-3 months or as needed. When I pet them and my fingertips get that white gunk on them, it's bath time. Bobb gets a bath about once a month, since he swims for rehab and needs a haircut every month anyway.


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## superblade (Dec 19, 2015)

Before you bath your dog, make sure that she is ready, you could help her wear a shower cap.


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## Desiree S (Apr 2, 2016)

superblade said:


> Before you bath your dog, make sure that she is ready, you could help her wear a shower cap.


 LOL never heard about a dog wearing a shower cap!!!!! Smokey is doing much better now in the shower she doesn't shriek anymore and when it's all over she will have a zoomie all over the house for at least five minutes!! Thanks for all your suggestions


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Desiree S said:


> LOL never heard about a dog wearing a shower cap!!!!! Smokey is doing much better now in the shower she doesn't shriek anymore and when it's all over she will have a zoomie all over the house for at least five minutes!! Thanks for all your suggestions


Every dog I have ever bathed, whether they liked the bath or not, got post bath zoomies. No idea why. Its hilarious.


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## sandgrubber (May 21, 2014)

Initial terror followed by enjoying the bath is a common reaction. I used to run a boarding kennel. We offered bathing in a 'proper' hydrobath . . . warm water, gentle flow, etc. Many many dogs fought to avoid it and then relaxed and looked happy once the bath got going.


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## Desiree S (Apr 2, 2016)

sandgrubber said:


> Initial terror followed by enjoying the bath is a common reaction. I used to run a boarding kennel. We offered bathing in a 'proper' hydrobath . . . warm water, gentle flow, etc. Many many dogs fought to avoid it and then relaxed and looked happy once the bath got going.


 Today, at five months old, my pup got her bath again and she loved it with the massage!!! Just not looking forward to winter time when the blowdryer comes along! She smells divine now!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Good job you two!

Get the dryer out now. Turn it on in the room while you are toweling her off and such so she gets used to the noise and next bath with the aid of something to chew on briefly use it on her rump and so on. I just groomed my adult dogs daily for a week to get them used to the racket when I bought a high velocity blower for my dogs. Well for me. I was hoping it would help get Sassy's hair out when she was shedding. Sort of and it was a blast to watch the hair flying out of the coat along with water droplets.

She's a fuzzy thing, a regular human dryer might take just as long as air drying anyway. With Sassy's dense double short hair it took as long to air dry with brush outs every 5 minutes as it did to dry with that high velocity blower which is many times stronger than the hair dryers I've had. A never used for anything else wet vacuum used on reverse is an inexpensive way to get lots of air movement without heat. Having the long hose means the noisy motor is away from sensitive dog ears too. Then again maybe something less strong would be better inside unless you were planning on vacuuming the entire room walls, ceiling and all after the bath!


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## Desiree S (Apr 2, 2016)

Kathyy said:


> Good job you two!
> 
> Get the dryer out now. Turn it on in the room while you are toweling her off and such so she gets used to the noise and next bath with the aid of something to chew on briefly use it on her rump and so on. I just groomed my adult dogs daily for a week to get them used to the racket when I bought a high velocity blower for my dogs. Well for me. I was hoping it would help get Sassy's hair out when she was shedding. Sort of and it was a blast to watch the hair flying out of the coat along with water droplets.
> 
> She's a fuzzy thing, a regular human dryer might take just as long as air drying anyway. With Sassy's dense double short hair it took as long to air dry with brush outs every 5 minutes as it did to dry with that high velocity blower which is many times stronger than the hair dryers I've had. A never used for anything else wet vacuum used on reverse is an inexpensive way to get lots of air movement without heat. Having the long hose means the noisy motor is away from sensitive dog ears too. Then again maybe something less strong would be better inside unless you were planning on vacuuming the entire room walls, ceiling and all after the bath!


What an excellent idea! I shall try next time and just blow her briefly to prep her for the winter months. Thanks so much!!!


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## esuastegui (Aug 8, 2016)

Desiree S said:


> LOL never heard about a dog wearing a shower cap!!!!!


Well, now you've seen it too!







And if you want it in video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhkR-e_9BY0

Now, try unseeing that! :flypig::clap2:


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## Desiree S (Apr 2, 2016)

Oh boy!!!! I shall have bubbly dreams tonight. I don't even own a shower cap lol! Anyways, Smokey is enjoying the baths so much these days she just stands or sits still for the entire experience.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

That's great news.


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