How do you clean your dog if she hates water

[DorisDayisMe]

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.

I only clean him if he rolls in poo or gets mud under his legs - wet flannel wipe down and he hates it.

Shampoo onto dry fur/hair then shower off. She doesn't like it but the towel drying makes up for it

I’m a dog sitter and had to deal with a Springer whose owner thought it was a good idea that his first shower would consist of being closed in a shower, with the water running. As a result he hadn’t been showered in a year. I started by always drying him with a facecloth, but also using that time to give him loads of cuddles and petting him/rubbing his belly, with the cloth. Once he associated the cloth with cuddles, I then started wetting in in a bucket a few feet away, bringing it closer as his confidence grew. Eventually I was able to bring the bucket beside him, soak the cloth then rub him all over. This took nearly two months, at twice a week.

I can now shower him with a very low pressure shower, but it took months and he gets lots of cuddles and the odd treat, during the shower. Never raise your voice and treat him as if he was the most delicate little soul on earth and you’ll get there.

Update success

I used to shut him in the shower, then stand on the loo and spray him with the shower head from above. That way I could get him washed as quickly as possible, and not have to touch the fox shit that he had rolled in.
Obviously this only works if the layout of your bathroom allows it.

Peanut butter!

Our dog loves it. We get the dog friendly stuff from pets at home called peamutt butter.
Spread it onto the side of the bath and he's that focused on licking it off he doesn't pay any attention to that fact he's having a wash!

DGM used to chase theirs round the garden with a watering can!

Another one who doesn't bath my long haired dog.

Wipe paws and tummy, she's a good girl and knows the routine when she comes in muddy from the garden - small dog, short legs.

If her undercarriage is impossibly dirty after a walk I will pop her in a bucket of plain warm water in the garden and wash off the worst of it - she's not keen on the hose. Otherwise it's just a case of brushing her.

It's amazing how much a good brush can get rid of obvious doggy smells.

The only time I've ever used shampoo on her was when she rolled in fox poo, and even then I only used it on the pooy bits.

I did not use any shampoo just water. Once she was in there she quite enjoyed it. She loves cuddling in a blanket so she has been doing that to dry off.