Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 08/25/2009 7:47 AM |
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I want to give my puppy a bath but I am wondering the best way to try to ensure he is going to like the water...
Should I have the tub filled before I put him in and only maybe 6 inches deep...
Should I put him in the tub and then start filling it...
I remeber when I had my lab growing up she loved the water and when we filled the tub she loved playing wiht the water coming out of the faucet and she did that from day 1...I find my GSP is a bit of a scardie cat...I just don't know what would be scarier being set into the water or seeing it come out of the facuet and gradually fill up the tub, I can make sure it is just barely trickeling out of the facet instead of full flow...???... |
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auwallace
Mobile, AL
MH
Posts:235
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| 08/25/2009 8:29 AM |
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| Lola loves water, but she hates to be sprayed with it. I don't bath her that often. She isn't real thrilled about getting a bath, but she deals with it. |
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Kerplunk105
Bucks County, PA
MH
Posts:713
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| 08/25/2009 8:37 AM |
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| All my dogs first baths were with me in the shower. I find that was the easiest way since they cant escape lol |
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Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 08/25/2009 9:00 AM |
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| I was thinking of putting my son in with him! I remember my sister used to take baths with our lab! |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:7851
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| 08/25/2009 9:25 AM |
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| All of mine are bathed in the shower or outside with the hose when it is hot. I generally start the water first and let them check it out. If they don't show an interest I just put them in and hold them gently. Mine are all really good with baths, but Halo is the best. I open the shower door and she just walks in and waits. The other two are good, but I have to go get them and give them a little encouragement to go into the shower. Once there they all will stand and stay while I bathe them. Halo and Ringo love the water and sprays of water so not problems bathing and getting the face wet. Belle hates water in the face unless she is retrieving something. So with her I save the face to last and then hold her face with my hand gently on her muzzle. If I let go I get a shower from her shaking. I also keep towels at the ready with her as she will shake first chance she gets. I have never tried bathing a dog in the bathtub so my guess would be fillt he tub a little with warm water and then leave the faucet on at a trickle. At least that is what I would do. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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flygirl
Muncy, PA
MH
Posts:409
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| 08/25/2009 9:30 AM |
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| Benelli loves the drying off part the best. When it is raining out she comes in and waits for the towel to dry her off. Then she wiggles all over. |
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Benelli
Abby
RIP Dutchess - 2000-2010
Cheyney the cat |
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Kerplunk105
Bucks County, PA
MH
Posts:713
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| 08/25/2009 9:48 AM |
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| Bliss sounds like Halo. She just jumps in and stands there. Leena doesnt mind baths, but she hates the hose. They both love being tried off. |
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Elizabeth
Leena RIP 11/08-9/17/09
Bliss, the Labrador
Tegan, the Weim/Labrador
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zimbass
MH
Posts:237
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| 08/25/2009 9:55 AM |
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I would say, pup in the tub with a few toys to keep his mind occupied, slow trickle to start filling the tub, keep it fun. Avoid any head/face water until your sure he's ready, for now just use a damp wash rag to wipe the head and face.
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2095
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2532
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carlower1
Kansas
MH
Posts:1253
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| 08/25/2009 10:01 AM |
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my dogs are usually in the bathroom with me when I take a bath (something about the kids running in and out and leaving the door open.. so when they are ready for the first bath... they are picked up and cuddled in the water... After the bath they get special treats .. or get to go special places, so it is the shaving part one of my dogs tends to have issues with, not the bath
Carrie |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:112
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| 08/25/2009 10:12 AM |
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Cooper (4 months old) loves running through shallow streams, and does okay running in and out of the lake, but he hates when I use the hose (even when it's not on him), and definitely does not love bathtime yet. The first couple baths I filled the tub a few inches high with luke warm water. I don't know that that helped to ease him at all. I bring a plastic pitcher or small bucket into the bathtub with us. I fill it up a few times, dump it on him, lather him up, dump a few more pithers of water on him, and repeat. He doesn't try too hard to escape, but he definitely does not like getting a bath. He makes this awful, sad moaning sound the entire time. I try to make bathtime short and sweet, and I have recently started to leave a few treats outside the tub so I can reward him a few times during and afterwards. Like Benelli, Cooper also loves being towel dried.
Cooper's nerves are definitely high while in the bathtub, so I make sure to take him outside to pee immediately afterwards. Just be careful, they love to roll around in everything to get a scent back on their bodies!! |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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carlower1
Kansas
MH
Posts:1253
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| 08/25/2009 11:25 AM |
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We have to be careful of the "b" word around my house... most of the time if I am hollaring for my kids to take a bath.. we find Wachter in the tub before they can get in. I took him to the kennel when I left town and WARNED them to never use either of the "B" words in his presence.. or there would be trouble... the lady tried to assure me that they are very gentle when they give baths and I had a hard time convincing her that was NOT the issue...
Needless to say her assistant completely ignored my warning and commented that she was going to give so and so a bath.. next thing they know she is sitting on the floor having been run over by a black and white blurr and my beast is standing in the tub. He would not get out until they scrubbed him to HIS satisfaction.
(BTW.. the other "B" word is bye bye)
Carrie |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 08/25/2009 1:25 PM |
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LOL! love all the stories... With other dogs in the past the "B" words were Bye bye and barn!
I put my son in the tub and ran the water at a small flow and put Blitz in...I used a cup to get him wet but not his face...he just stood, so it was a so so experience...
He loved the drying off part too, he liked trying to get the towel!!! |
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MelB
MH
Posts:1217
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| 08/25/2009 2:23 PM |
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| my springers jump right in the tub,,,,,,until I start the water then the game is over and they want OUT LOL. However, fill a baby pool, and they love it, so we do a lot of baths outside in summer in the baby pool where they think it's grand fun. |
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zimbass
MH
Posts:237
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| 08/26/2009 6:44 AM |
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| Buddy's the opposite, all his baths have to be in the tub or shower, he stands and loves his baths, outside if I try to give him a bath with a hose, he goes after the water constantly the whole time, thinks it's a big game. He grew up with kids, sprinklers, and a pool, I can't water my grass or garden if Buddy's around, or it's game on. He's got a water fetish. |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2095
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2532
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Marie
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:2721
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| 08/26/2009 7:41 AM |
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| Very fortunate with Rocky and baths, no matter which method. He is very good and not afraid of anything. Especially fortunate since Rocky occasionally will roll in a dead sticky to transform into a real stinker!!!! The one tip for the bath tub method ( is the same as Wiscocooper's method), is adding a high value treat in front of Rocky's nose to encourage him to jump in the tub. Works well once the puppy is adult size. Very happy your puppy had a positve first time bath and towel dry off experience. |
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Marie and Rocky, a tall, high energy GSP
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab18/Annette_Merryfield/100_0285.jpg?t=1287205231 |
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newnenglander
SH
Posts:57
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| 08/26/2009 9:05 AM |
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When our Buddy was a pup, we started out with two people bathing the dog....one to bathe, the other to hand out a near-constant stream of kibble (of course, our guy has always been very food-motivated, so this was easy). After a few baths this way, we reduced the frequency of the treats, so now bathing only requires one person and a few pieces of kibble. It's been pretty painless (which is good, since we live in the middle of a stinky swamp and baths are a real necessity). |
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