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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

How do you clean your dog if she hates water

34 replies

DorisDayisMe · 20/03/2018 13:53

I have seen very mixed reviews about dry shampoos. Do they actually need baths or cleaning. She walks in the park and forest so sometimes whiffs a bit. Just a doggy smell, but I don’t know if that’s normal.

OP posts:
AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 20/03/2018 16:10

I put my dog's ball in his bath. He's a complete ball junkie but not a natural water dog (terrier cross) but he's learned to accept it through routine (he's a mud magnet) and the fact his favourite toy is in there with him

Original poster
DorisDayisMe · 20/03/2018 16:26

We don’t have a bath unfortunately. Can’t imagine her in the shower

OP posts:
Aprilmightmemynewname · 20/03/2018 16:29

Our rotty is too heavy to put in the bath!! Summer it's a fill a bin with warm water in the garden job and winter a spray from wilko and a damp cloth!! Our other dogs like the bath so no problem there!!
Or a baby wipe down does a canny job also!!

missbattenburg · 20/03/2018 16:31

doris I take my dog in the shower.

He is not keen at all so I sit on the shower floor with him and hold the shower head in my hand. This makes it super easy for me as there is no bending over a bath and I can take my time and give him a good scrub and it means I can comfort him. I shut the door so he's trapped in there with me.

I do it starkers because it's easier but you can always pop a swimming costume on if you feel weird about showering with the dog.

Come to think about it... maybe it's the sight of me starkers that he is scared of and he would prefer a solo shower... Grin

Vendeedreamer · 20/03/2018 16:32

I have a similar situation with my dog and living on a farm its made 100 times worse with the mud! The only solution I have found after trying all kinds of different things, ie using hose pipe making it all fun, I also tried the ball but he still wasnt keen, is towel off shampoo (for dogs) Personally I dont think most dogs need a bath unless they play int he dreaded fox poo! Short of keeping my little chap indoors I cant avoid mud so have started using a special dog shampoo that doesnt use water. From memory I think I bought it in bulk from Go Outdoors on offer. Its called nilaqua (not sure of spelling!) I dont put much on him as I find the more I put on the more chance of him running off lathered up.
Good luck.

MasonJar · 20/03/2018 19:39

I don't bath my dogs - GSD and lab - they get very wet and muddy in winter but never roll in smelly stuff thank goodness. I give them a rub down with a towel when we get in and they're confined to the utility room till completely dry.
Then they get brushed with a Zoom Groom that gets rid of dried mud and dirt and loose hairs.
My lab tends to smell "doggy" when his undercoat builds up and I'm always amazed at how much brushes out.

NashvilleQueen · 20/03/2018 19:40

There’s no way I would shower naked with my dog!!

Oops4 · 20/03/2018 19:42

We don't bath out dogs either. As pp said, towelled off and left to dry then brushed. Ours are border terriers so not really meant to be bathed.

missbattenburg · 20/03/2018 19:45

NashvilleQueen I realise I am braver than most weird Grin

joystir59 · 20/03/2018 19:52

We put our dog in the shower. I never use shampoo, just warm water (cold on hot days). He sometimes likes it, as long as he isn't starving for his food when he can be a bit grumpy. He loves the snuggly bonkers towel dry afterwards.

fourpawswhite · 20/03/2018 19:57

I try not to but on a farm it's sometimes unavoidable. I do the same as misbattenburg and take them in the shower with me. One at a time. They hate it, but badger poo means no choice.

The last time was hysterical. Only one dog needed done and the little one was going crazy outside the shower. She wouldn't come near me for ages in case she was nextGrinI swear she was shouting nooooo, let her go.

BiteyShark · 20/03/2018 20:06

I hose mine down with the shower attachment whilst he is in the bath. He doesn't like it but tolerates it and he hates being towel dried even more. The only reason he 'allows' me to do it is because he always get a lovely special snack afterwards.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 21/03/2018 00:59

missbattenburg I still haven't recovered from the time I was minding my own business having a bath, and the next thing I know PestDog has let himself into the bathroom, and his front paws on the side of the bath so he could lick my nipple Hmm I was not impressed.

It's like having a toddler - no personal boundaries whatsoever!

Yokohamajojo · 21/03/2018 11:08

Our one is a terrier and doesn't get bathed very often but sometimes he needs it! Same as many others, he really doesn't like it but will tolerate, takes both me and DH though ;-)

Someone gave a tip of smearing peanut butter on the wall so he could lick it while being cleaned! Did not work with ours, he just ignored it and he is seriously food obsessed!

steppemum · 21/03/2018 11:19

steppedog is covered in mud after a walk, not really towelable, besides which he would then lick himself and ingest vast amounts of mud.

So, we come home through the back gate, and I hose him down while on the lead. It is very cold some days and he isn't impressed, but it only takes a minutes and then he shakes and we go in and wrap in a towel, rub him down and he gets good treats.

No choice really, he is way too muddy to come indoors.

When we were fostering we had a dog who needed a bath with special shampoo, the rescue lady suggested goigng outside with a bucket of warm water and a plastic jug, get him wet, massage the shampoo in, let him run round the garden while you refill bucket (the shampoo had to be left on for 10 minutes I think) then use the jug to pour over him to remove shampoo. The water was warm. It worked very well, and I shall use that if I ever need to give steppedog a proper bath. The mud bath/hose combination is keeping him spotless at the moment!

Wolfiefan · 21/03/2018 11:22

Most dogs don't need bathing very often. It can dry out the skin and leave it irritated. Wolfie girl had one bath. She was covered in manure! Tipped jugs of water over her. Lather and rinse. Normally I just rinse mud off her with clean water.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 21/03/2018 12:41

Yes I normally just rinse in plain warm water too.

That said forgive me MN for I have sinned I have some dog deodorant on order because I have people coming around to do house viewings and I don't want a doggy smell in the house!

BiteyShark · 21/03/2018 12:53

Mine gets rinsed in water after muddy walks but does get a shampoo at the groomers every 5-6 weeks when he smells non-doggy for one day Grin

ColinTheDachshund · 21/03/2018 13:44

I can't believe how long it took me to realise the usefulness of a flannel. Maybe doesn't work so well on wire or long haired dogs, but excellent if a short haired one has rubbed his head in something vile.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 21/03/2018 14:12

My dog arrived hating water (stepped round puddles on walks, expected to be carried over streams). She's better now but she will NOT get into a bowl of water. I now have to get her to lie down on the floor next to the bowl and I wash the mud off with a flannel.

Totallytopsecret · 21/03/2018 14:26

Ours will tolerate being put in the shower if there is a towel under his paws, but he gets very anxious if he's left scrabbling about on the slippery wet tiles.

The vet recommended brushing him through with baby powder (obviously not talc) or cornflour if he's particularly doggy smelling. when he's dry, obviously, you don't want to cover him in slime!

TropicPlunder · 22/03/2018 17:07

I second a hose pipe like a previous poster. Mine didn't seem to like water when we bathed her, but went for the hose like a loon, dancing around. Entertained dog and child for ages!

Original poster
DorisDayisMe · 22/03/2018 18:34

Thank you for your advice. I have bought some powder shampoo and the Zoom Groom Brush. As inventive as you all are, she gets hysterical around any water, so no showers, hoses and baths .

OP posts:
mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 26/03/2018 13:34

Well try the wet flannel (swiftly followed up by dry towel) - it works for us.

Againfaster · 29/03/2018 21:43

feeding raw liver when put in the shower... he was suddenly desperate to get back i there every day after and his fear vanished.