Puppy resisting attempts to clean and dry after muddy walks.

[Joolly2]

Took 12 week old beagle for his first walk today. He loved it. Got home and tried to clean and dry him (legs and tummy). He got really upset and tried to get away from me. He snapped and wriggled so much I had to give up. He is now sulking in his crate. Is there a knack to this?
I was using dog wipes, could it have been the smell of them that he disliked?

[mrslaughan]

Our dog as a puppy and even up to 6months old was resistant to you touching his feet.....fortunately our breeder had said to us that it was important from day one to train him to let you handle his feet so he became accustomed to it.

Just every so often (several times a week ) even without the need to clean them I would handle his legs and feet, in a very positive, rewarding (lots of treats) way......you may need to do this to get your puppy used to being cleaned and dried.

If your clicker training you could add this into your training routine?

[Taz1212]

I put three inches of water in the bathtub and give our puppy a mini bath of just his legs and belly. It takes all of two minutes and he stands patiently while I do it. Before this we had a battle every day with me trying to wipe him down in the kitchen- lots of overexcited biting and racing around!

[Booboostoo]

You need to train him. Get him gradually used to being handled by developing positive associations (you'll need to do the same for bathing, don't expect the puppy to know how to behave during a bath, you have to teach him. Aldo make sure you use a non-slip bath mat if you decide to bathe him as it is very easy for wiggling puppies to break a leg in bathtubs).

[Booboostoo]

I am sure you are aware of this but just in case...you only have two weeks left in the socialisation window so the more you take him out the better.

[OttiliaVonBCup]

Maybe you were a bit too rough on puppy? Not intentionally, of course.

[Joolly2]

Thank you for all your suggestions, especially mrslaughan and Taz. I have been handling his ears and feet almost daily as it was mentioned by my breeder to. I don't think I was too rough OttiliaVonBCup at least I hope I wasn't. Socialisation is going well, although this was his first walk out, we have been taking him out daily so that he can experience 'the world'. He has also been to puppy classes. It was just his reaction to being dried that surprised me. He was cross and let me know it. Perhaps I am just expecting too much too soon.

[OttiliaVonBCup]

I didn't mean to offend, I just thought that would explain why he didn't like it.
He's still a baby.

My dog still tries to kill the towel I dry him with and he's definitely old enough to know better.
We have turned it into a game now.

[Dancingyogi]

I used clicker training to stop Dpup biting while I wiped him dry. Go slowly and think baby steps, you'll get there. Get him to sit/Luke down on a towel or mat to begin with, that should at least deal with the worst of the mess.

[Floralnomad]

If he doesn't like being towel dried perhaps he would prefer to be blow dryed with the hairdryer.

[Joolly2]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply.
No offence taken OttilaVonBCup, I am very grateful for everyone's input. This is my first pet of any kind ever, and I am trying so hard to get it right but I have no prior knowledge to fall back on, so I am open to suggestions from more experienced people. I constantly feel I must be missing something/doing something wrong.

[Booboostoo]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things.

Clicker training is great for getting over little problems. You can have him offering his feet to be towel dried in no time. Does your trainer use clicker? Maybe ask him/her to show you how to shape a complex behaviour.

[coalscuttle]

Have you tried just a towel rather than wipes? They have a smell.

[ender]

Agree that dog might not like wipes. Mine love being dried with a towel, they used to think it was a game and leap about but it was easy to bribe them to keep still with a strategically placed piece of cheese.
this porta shower is brilliant for washing tummy and legs, you can fill it with warm water. My dogs seem to enjoy it, they helpfully lift up their back leg so I can get in all the nooks and crannies .

[Joolly2]

Hi everyone, we have been out 3 times today. I lined his car carrier with an old shaggy bathmat and had towels at the ready in the porch to use on our return. He let me towel his tummy and legs but resisted having his feet dried. He didn’t try to snap at me so that’s an improvement. So possibly the smell of the wipes was off putting. Little steps I think.
I love the idea of the shower so thank you for the link ender. I think I will get one as I can always use it for something else if it doesn’t work for the puppy.
I will also investigate clicker training, it is not used at my puppy class, but sounds interesting and could help with all sorts.
Thank you for all your support.

[OttiliaVonBCup]

Good news.

Some dogs never get used to having their paws handled, pup might be extra sensitive.