How do I get my dog used to being bathed?

So we talked about that a little bit earlier. Working on conditioning long before you need to give your dog a bath can be helpful, although that may not be possible in some scenarios. Say you get a dog from an unpleasant situation, and they're quite fragrant already, and you want to get them clean—do the best you can to make it a not traumatic experience. Make sure there's good traction in the tub or the shower that you're using. Use either a gentle spray if you're in the shower so that you can get close to the dog, or use a cup to gently pour water on. Be conscious of the water temperature and try and sweeten the deal with some sort of food. I typically use peanut butter on the wall of my tub when I'm bathing my dogs. And that's usually enough of a distraction that they give me the puppy dog eyes, but they're still willing to eat and stand still for the process.

The first thing I'm always going to suggest is to start young. Also, and this is so critically important, try to make it fun. How do you make a bath fun? Well, there are lots of different ways for a dog. If you have a favorite treat or some peanut butter, you'll see that some of our clinics will use some peanut butter or canned cheese; put it on your finger and let them lick it off, for example. They're making a positive association with being in the tub. That's one way you can try to do it. But the younger you start, the more they get used to having it done, and they're going to be more receptive to doing it down the road. Also, the frequency, the more often you do it, the less of an issue it is. I will mention a couple of other things. If your dog has high anxiety about the situation and it turns into an absolute rodeo, honestly, I recommend not doing it. If you're going to be exhausted from the experience and your dogs traumatized to some degree, just don't do it. As much as you like to bathe them, if you need to, you can always do a so-called spit bath or a sponge bath. Just take a washcloth and some soap. You can do it outside or on the bathroom floor, but don't try to do it in the tub because that puts them in a high anxiety situation. You can just try to wipe them down to the best of your ability. It's obviously easier if they've got short hair than if they have long hair, but that's one way of skirting around that issue with the high-anxiety dog.

There are some anti-anxiety medications that you can buy over the counter that I often recommend. There is a probiotic called Calming Care that can be really beneficial. Another product is called L-theanine, but the L-theanine and the probiotic need to be given for a while prior to the event. You can't wake up that morning and give it to them, and they will be fine. It doesn't work that way. CBD oil, for example, can be beneficial for dogs to help relieve anxiety. But I would suggest giving it a few days ahead if you feel you have to bathe them and if it's going to be a high-anxiety situation. But otherwise, if it's going to be a trauma for you and your dog, just don't do it. Period. Wipe them down as best you can as often as you can. This can be the best substitute for bathing without all the trauma.

Start bathing your dog when they're young to help them become more accepting of baths as they grow. Use food rewards and keep sessions short in the beginning. Gradually, your dog will become more and more accepting of baths over time. If you have any questions about dog grooming or hygiene, contact your veterinarian or a local pet hospital.

We want to start when they're puppies, getting them used to water. That's a good time to do it in the kitchen sink. You want to use warm water. That way it's not a shock to their system. Just start gradually. You can also have someone else in your household feeding treats to do this when they're hungry and that creates more of a positive experience. So we're working on positive reinforcement. If they are puppies, you do want to make sure you're using a tearless shampoo or a puppy shampoo and really avoid the eyes if at all possible. If you do need to bathe the head, then make sure you're using human baby tearless that will work really well. That way it doesn't hurt their eyes if it gets in the eyes.

Start bathing them as young as possible so they can get used to it as they grow older. If you've adopted an older dog or have a dog that you haven't been regularly bathing, start slow. Begin by getting them wet with water, lathering them up, and giving them treats and praise along the way. It's important to make it a positive experience for them.