Tire them out. Take Buster for a walk first, or throw a Frisbee around. Just like humans, dogs are more relaxed by baths when they are worn out. Use it to your advantage! Plus, your dog will have less energy to fight you. On the other hand, make sure you have the energy to bathe them. Dogs feed off of their owners emotions, so if you’re rushing and frustrated, they’ll be even more wound up.
Make it fun. Bring a few toys for your pet to play with during bath time. Now, don’t allow them to go wild like they’re in the yard, but there is nothing wrong with a little play time in the bath. This will make our dog associate baths with fun, and more play time with you. Coax your pet into the tub with a treat or their favorite toy. While it is easy to consider this bribing, just think of it as an incentive. Motivation, if you will. After the bath is over, allow your dog one of their favorite pleasures of life. A car ride, a quick run up and down the stairs, maybe even go crazy and let them harass the squirrels. They’ll be happy, and you won’t have to deal with a foul-smelling animal. A win-win!
“They’ll be happy, and you won’t have to deal with a foul-smelling animal. A win-win!”
Towel dry. Believe it or not, some dogs fear do not stem from the bath itself. After the dirty deed of cleansing your pet is over, do not risk further agitating them with the evil forces of…the blow dryer. The noise, the heat, the force of the air…all of it is an attack on an unsuspecting, freshly bathed dog. Or so they’ll lead you to believe. Skip the dramatics, just towel dry and let air do the rest. The wet dog smell can be combated with a leave in conditioner or after-bath pet spray.
Do you have any bath time stories or tips? Share them below!
Comments
Sonya / December 2, 2016
Thanks so much! We really learned how to make bath time for our pets a win swim for all. Blow dryers are forever banned! Looking forward to more amazing tips that really work
admin / December 2, 2016
Thank you so much for this comment, and I am SO glad you found it helpful. It is good for me to know what resonates with people so I can provide more content.