Bath Time Tricks?

ORIGINAL: calliecritturs

VERY VERY VERY well broken down -- when you get a truly phobic dog all the things she's suggested are perfectly wonderful 'baby steps'.  You HAVE to break it down to almost imperceptible steps for some dogs.  Yes, it takes forever, BUT this way you catch those tiny small 'triggers' that can make them bolt and you desensitize them.

I particularly like the one step where she just **touches** the faucet handle.  Yes -- it is often something just THAT tiny that they have matched with fear and before you can get them to let you turn ON the water you have to desensitize that first visual cue -- which had him freaked out before the 'sound' of the water came on or the 'feeling' of wetness did -- AND which is why a lot of people fail at desensizting!!

Breaking it all down to these tiny steps -- THIS is what will make it successful for that dog who is truly scared!!!  She takes the pressure OFF because everything happens slow!

For one dog we put the water bowl in the bathroom JUST inside the door -- it took me YEARS to get Socks desensiztized.

In her case it wasn't 'baths' at all really - altho the fact that they took place in the bathroom was huge for her. 

No -- in her first home the husband was an abuser, and he apparently locked Ms. Socks in the bathroom while he beat his wife.  He was afraid of her (and he apparently was the one who trained her!!) -- but he actually had her canines filed flat he was so scared of his own dog and I'm sure he gave her reason!!  She was a boxer pit mix -- bless her heart.  But she got to the point where she tolerated a bath REALLY well. 

I didn't add to this one, but I did post before, that the reason I chose to go to such extremes in terms of  breaking it down, was that he actually hated getting washed so much, and I was so set on  washing him one day that I tried to force him into the shower. Well, my impatience resulted in his turning around and taking a good chunk out of me. It hurt extremely bad, and I felt extremely bad, and extremely stupid.

I forgot last night to add to very important things in doing this, especially if you must go to such extreme measures with it. While desensitizing, have no expectation of washing your dog. He may smell. He may smell horrible. If you have to wash the dog, do not do it in the location that you are desensitizing in. I washed Max outside with the hose (which he also hates but I don't really care) or got a wet wash cloth and wiped him with it.
Also, use high value treats, especially if you are at a stage that you know your dog is particularly afraid of. This is not something the dog gets all the time, but something special. Maybe some lunch meat, or hotdog, whatever the dog will go absolutely nuts for.
And this is the one I think is most important, always end on a positive, and stop with the dog wanting more. Stop before the dog decides it's too much and jumps out of the tub. Usually, after I take a shower, I have Max get in the tub again, and I reward him for being in it while I brush my teeth and get dressed. When i'm ready to go, I usually have to tell him to get out. In that way it guarantees the last thing he remembers each time about being in the tub is positive.  But, if the dog gets overwhelmed and can't handle any more, stop for the day. Don't continue to stress the dog out.

I have also been trying to get my dog to take better baths. Thanks for all the tips!
 
-Will

This is a great thread! Tojo screams when he gets a bath. I'm sure the neighbours think he's being killed.

ORIGINAL: sheprano

Line the top of the tub with peanut butter, it'll keep em busy! []

Thats what I do and it works like a charm!

ORIGINAL: gwennabeme

ORIGINAL: sheprano

Line the top of the tub with peanut butter, it'll keep em busy! []

For the dogs who don't like it, or if you have allergies, lamb baby food, or squeeze cheese works, too.[]

Thats what I do and it works like a charm!

I've also seen a suction cup that you can hook a small leash to that works in the tub.  Actually, if anyone has one of these where'd you get it?  I think I want one.

My dog used to be so scared that he wouldn't even get in the tub (and at 55+ pounds, I couldn't even lift him, not when he was pressing his belly hard against the floor). What I did, very first thing, was actually to have him in the bathroom with me when I took a bath. He saw that it must not be too scary if his mistress was doing such a horrible thing to herself (and I made sure to look and sound happy about it, constantly going "weeeeee!" when I squeezed sponge water on my arms or something, lol). Pretty soon he was creeping up to the tub to lick my shoulders ("Ma! Ma! You're wet! I'll help dry you! Have no fear!!"). After a while, I got the idea to start feeding him IN the tub. It was a little difficult getting him in, since neither of us were sure how to do it. Jake was too scared to jump, but he couldn't pull himself in (even with towels and a bath mat for traction). I was even using yummy treats (liver, I believe it was) to entice him to come in. Finally one day he figured it out and jumped in, and I praised him silly and immediately had him jump out (and praised him then, with a treat). Jump back in, treat, jump back out, treat, and that was it. You don't want to do too much too soon. Next day it was the same thing, but I added in his bowl and kibbles, and he was fine after that. He quickly recognized the routine, so when I got the kibbles set up in his bowl, he'd already have taken off for the bathroom and would be waiting for me to spread out the towels (not necessarily for traction, but so he wouldn't be able to feel the cold chill of the porclain. Every little bit helps, lol).
 
One imporant thing is consistancy. If you neglect the routine for even a month, or a week, or so, you'll have to start over. I stopped feeding in the tub a while ago and when I tried to start it up again, Jake once more couldn't figure out how to get in the tub. *sigh* Consistancy consistancy consistancy! Oh, and by the way, the first time I gave Jake a bath in the tub after desensitizing him, he was still fine. He got a bath in the afternoon, and in the evening he jumped back in the tub without a single problem, as if the bath had never happened. Next morning he was fine as well, and later that night, and the next day and the next day and so on and so forth.