bathing your dog...

S

SheltieChe

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that is where we are running into trouble... Che is positively does not like to be washed... so far I have been washing him every 2-3 weeks with hypoallergenic shampoo mostly to teach him to like it and less because he really gets to be dirty and dusty...
I have been teaching him tolerate grooming and so far he is getting used to clipping his toes and hair around his paws...
so several questions come ...
what is the good reliable no residue left on the hair product for dry wash...
what is the best to treat hair around the ears which appear oily- I read something about baby powder? groomers powder?
how to teach pup to tolerate bathing...
 
No advice, I am afraid, but I shall be watching this thread closely as these are questions I have been wondering about.
 
How are you bathing him?

This may not be practical (or what you want to do, lol!) but Luka absolutely hated being bathed in containers. He never got used to it as a pup. So what i started doing was taking him into the shower with me. He got cleaner, and something about it calms him down. By the end of the shower, he's cuddled up in the corner. I don't know if it's because it's such a big space or what, but it's the only way he gets clean.

He loves it, lol. To the point that when he's dirty and I bring him in, he goes upstairs and sits in the shower until i come up to turn the water on.

As for your other questions...
I try to only bathe the pups 1-2x/monthly, unless we have very wet weather. In between I use dry shampoo. For their ear hair, I use some a little more shampoo, and then in between, a lot of dry shampoo (basically baby powder) to absorb the oil.

I can't remember the brand name, but the way I do it is to apply it, let it sit for a little bit, comb it through, and then use a cool hair dryer to blow some out.
 
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1. I find that all of the spray&wash products are about the same... this is what we use (http://www.cherrybrook.com/index.cf...tid/233/vname/ProLine_SELF_RINSE_PLUS_Shampoo), but again, we're not especially brand-loyal (and we're grooming for show).

2. Johnson and Johnson talcum baby powder will do the trick. No need to buy special "grooming powder". If you can find it, though, the Pinaud talc shaving-powder is good stuff, too (and has a nice grown-up cologne scent!). Sprinkle it behind his ears, rub it in with your fingers, and brush it through with a slicker.

3. Just keep at it... make it happy (cookies and cuddles afterward), but he needs to learn that baths are just a part of life. He'll never l-o-v-e them, but he has to tolerate them.
 
I get in the tub with mine -- they like that! Baby powder is definitely the trick for oily ears. And I only bathe every 6 weeks or so, depending. Too much can dry the skin.
 
I've found that feeding the dogs their dinner when being bathed makes it a more positive experience. Neither of mine love the bath, but they do sit still long enough to be cleaned.

I just feed them their kibble one piece at a time and talk soothingly.
 
corbinam said:
I've found that feeding the dogs their dinner when being bathed makes it a more positive experience. Neither of mine love the bath, but they do sit still long enough to be cleaned.

I just feed them their kibble one piece at a time and talk soothingly.
Click to expand...

This is a great idea!

Mark was always a pill about having his nails done (seriously... he would cry and squirm and do the "oh, oh, you're chopping off my TOES!" routine, even though he had his nails Dremel'ed every single week from age two). One of my favorite ways of getting him to hold still was to give him his dinner, one kibble at a time, while my mom did the nails as quickly as possible. Food is a powerful distraction!
 
Mine don't really like it..but I don't give them much of a choice..just be firm and calm..don't coddle or overly pamper them..just get to work and get it done quickly..thats what they want..get er' done..LOL
I don't bathe mine that often...between times I use a spray bottle with water and conditioner..not alot..just a little bit added to water...and I brush them alot.
Also I do some spot cleaning..not a full on bath..mabye just a undercarriage if they get into some mud...and sometimes just a paw wash to get rid of 'frito feet' LOL
I've taken them in the shower with me too..it is a good way to do it..especially if you have a hand held sprayer. We have a slider door in the shower here and Clancy learned to open it..so my bathroom floor got washed too..hahaha

Julie
Clancy & Abby
 
All of the above are great tips! Food will conquer most squirming puppies.I do not relent or give in.
We're firm,and talk sweet, try to work quickly,but just don't let them have thier way.They soon realize that putting up a fuss isn't going to get them anywhere.

Yesterday Jasper was bathed for the first time in the big tub.It was a little daunting,as I knew it would be,but with parts of his supper kibble being fed one at a time by Brian,it was over before he really got fed up with being handled.

The next bath will go better.I had the same problem with Trapp,but he nearly escaped the tub.Now,he really likes his bath.
 
I only bathe my dog 3 or 4 times per year. And when bathing time comes, I bring them to the groomer. I'm just not set up to do it myself, though I have often contemplated it.

I'm sure if they were show dogs, I would do it more often.

In between, I use dry shampoo and grooming (brushes and scissors) to take away the nasties. And I always have baby wipes on hand to do a quick wipe up.

There is no reason to bathe your dog every 2 to 3 weeks.

Thanks for the suggestion of the baby powder though! The one area that tends to start feeling a little "greasy" is the ears/head.
 
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