Dog has been crying since having a bath

[Lovemusic33]

Bathed my dog today, I don’t bath her often, she hates water so I only do it a couple tines a year, she was pretty stinky so I gave a wash down with warm water and dog shampoo outside (as she can’t get up the stairs). Since her bath she has just been whining and looking at me, she won’t settle but doesn’t seem to be in pain, is happily chasing her ball and jumping up on the sofa. Is she just anxious after I bathed her? How can I settle her? I want to go to bed but when I leave the room she paces and cry’s.

[Whisky2014]

How warm a bath? Dogs cant tolerate temeratures like we can.

[adaline]

How warm was the water and how cold is it outside? Did you dry her off properly/wrap her in a blanket?

[Lovemusic33]

It wasn’t too warm, just room temperature or just above, I was worried she would get cold as I was doing it outside. She’s a staffie so feels the cold, I kept her warm afterwards.

[Whisky2014]

Try her with some water. Lay a towel on sofa and see if she wants to lay on that. Whenever I bath my dog she goes absolutely crazy running around everywhere at 100mph.
Maybe your dog went from one tempt to another. It's cold outside so maybe have warmer water then cold air hasn't helped?
Give her a treat and see if she eats it? Maybe she just hates you for making her smell good!

[Lovemusic33]

Dried her with a towel, wrapped her in a blanket and left the heating on as I had to go out for a bit.

[Lovemusic33]

She’s now asleep on me, I will try and sneak away in a bit (it’s like having a baby), she’s a old girl so maybe it was just a shock to the system.

[Whisky2014]

Yes, maybe. I hope she is ok. I'd let her sleep on the bed but I'm a sucker!

[MyKingdomForBrie]

When mine had a nasty shock last year I carried her upstairs with me when I went to bed (very large poodle and not normally allowed upstairs at night!) and settled her on a blanket in my room as she just needed not to be alone. Don't know why a bath would have been traumatic though it sounds like you did it nicely, though I guess it is pretty awfully cold outside at the mo.. dogs are still swimming in the lakes round us in this temp though!

[Lovemusic33]

I would let her come to bed but she pees on my bed (because she knows she’s not allowed upstairs), she’s always sleep downstairs so goes crazy if she manages to get up there (by peeing everywhere). If she won’t stay settled I will end up sleeping on the sofa with her, at least she smells good now 🤣

[Lovemusic33]

It’s been pretty warm her today as we are down south which is why I took the opertunity of doing it.

[jomaIone]

I don't think the temp of water would be a cause. My lab gets washed with the hose pipe outside!

Maybe just a bit traumatised if she doesn't like water. If she's asleep now I would imagine she's fine.

[OutwiththeOutCrowd]

Do you think she might object to the shampoo smell? What might seem pleasant to you might be overwhelming from her perspective, even if it's a shampoo meant for dogs.

[miranda1511]

Some breeds are susceptible to a condition called Limber Tail which can be caused by bathing or swimming in cold water or getting wet and cold. It is very painful and could be the cause of your dogs distress. I only bath my dog in summer now as she gets this very easily. It seems to pass quickly though.

[Floralnomad]

I’m also SE and there is no way I would have bathed a dog outside today . In the future you would be better to bite the bullet and use a mobile dog wash or take her to a groomers or if that’s too distressing for her just purchase some of the deodorising wipes or sprays that they sell in pet shops if she needs a winter spruce up .

[pineapplebryanbrown]

I'm surprised at what most of you are saying. I shower my dogs in warm water and a small amount of dog shampoo once or twice a week and then dry them with a hairdryer. They don't mind, they don't love it but they stand still and put up with it.

I have to because they are terrible, horrific rollers and mash shit of all varieties into their fur. Once even human shit which was truly awful. I put trouser suits on them but they just mash it into their ruffs.

[troubleswillbeoutofsight]

Mine goes to the groomers three times a year and if very smelly/ muddy a bath at home ( in the bathroom) about twice a year.
After bathing at home I dry her as best I can but can't get a hairdryer near her. Being wet and then of course cold makes her very upset for the rest of the day even though I make sure she stays indoors afterwards and light the fire and keep heating up high. She's not upset after the groomers so it's clearly something to do with being still wet and cold
I live in the SE and agree it was mild yesterday. But not mild enough for a bath outside imo
I think your dog was cold and still probably damp

[adaline]

I shower my dogs in warm water and a small amount of dog shampoo once or twice a week and then dry them with a hairdryer.

It's not good for their skin or fur to use shampoo on them that often. A rinse off in the water and then a towel down should be adequate.

[Boxlikeahare]

Our dog isn’t allowed upstairs- apart from when she needs a bath in a cold month (she only has two or three baths a year).

Next time could you take her upstairs to the shower on a lead so she can’t run around peeing everywhere?

I hope she is back to normal today OP.

[HoraceCope]

did you sponge her down?

[HoraceCope]

she is probably having you on, pulling the sympathy card op - you know she hates water

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I wouldn't have bathed a dog outside in this weather either, or using cold water. I wouldn't sign up for either so I'm not going to force it on my dog.

Mine is a mud magnet that enjoys rolling in dead animals, so he can need rinsing down several times a week at this time of year. I always do it with warm water, and DDog has come to almost enjoy baths - he'll jump in when he knows he needs one. It helps that he's allowed to play with a ball in the water. No shampoo, towel dried afterwards.

[pineapplebryanbrown]

How do i get ground in dead animals and human shit off them without shampoo though? They smell so bad.

[Lovemusic33]

I did sponge her down with warm water and shampoo, only took me a few minutes, it wasn’t cold out, quite mild here yesterday which is why I did it. She doesn’t like water (most staffies don’t) but she apsalutly stunk and she has had a bad paw which the vet advised to too keep clean by bathing.

She seems a bit better now, still a bit vocal but she did settle down last night.

[adaline]

Good scrub with warm water, and then tomato ketchup for the smell works wonders. Or if you have to use shampoo, use a puppy version as it'll be gentler on their skin.

[pigsDOfly]

I had to bathe my dog today; the first time for ages and ages.

I made the awful mistake of thinking it would be a good idea to let her have a good run in the park; everything's waterlogged here but she needs to run off lead and the park looked like the least waterlogged place. How wrong I was.

She's small, so low to the ground, and long haired.

Oh dear god, the mess. Everything I was wearing had to be washed as well, even my coat.

I used a very small amount of dog shampoo on her and now she smells like wet wool, even though she's dry.

I hate the smell of dog shampoo, much prefer her normal warm clean dog smell.