# Does any gsd actually like to have a bath?



## lovemybuddy (Oct 26, 2009)

I just had quite an experience giving Buddy a bath. The last I gave him a bath, he was much smaller, lol. Apparently, he remembered the bath tub and didn't want to step paw into it. Being super stubborn myself, I wasn't going to take no for an answer. So I picked up that 90 pound boy and plopped him in the tub. But I'm not thinking I'm going to be able to do that ever again.:crazy: 

Once he was in the tub, he did great. He relaxed, loved getting his rub down, he was even calm enough to take some treats. He was really, really good. It was just the initial getting him into the tub that was rough.

Any suggestions on how to make it go easier next time would be great. I'm thinking I should try to bathe him outside next time ~ maybe in a baby pool. That may go better. Any suggestions would be appreciated!


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## onyxboy (Jun 6, 2010)

I believe that any dog that loves the water would love to have a bath that way they get a good rub down and one on one attention from their owner(s). I suggest not giving a bath too often to GS because it could dry out their skin. I suggest using a oatmeal shampoo and maybe once every 6 months or if really needed. Just plain ole brushing really helps.


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## Asche-zu-Staub (Apr 25, 2010)

Aschen does what your buddy did....Stauba will be fine until she touches water. She freaks! Scratches, jumps, and cries like we are murdering her. She had an accident in the car once and had poo smeared all over her...we ended up having to use the hose on a low shower setting and it took 3 people, 2 to hold her still. SHE GOES NUTS!!!!!! I have no idea why she is so scared of water...she wont swim either...i feel awful when i have to give a bath!


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

My dogs have always loved a bath. Here's why I think I've made it a good experience. I have always installed a European style shower head on a hose in one of our showers. With that, I can provide warm water that isn't as shocking as cold hose water. I start them with that very young, make it fun and especially make the toweling off like a nice brisk massage. Done right, they'll actually look forward to a bath.


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## Asche-zu-Staub (Apr 25, 2010)

Relayer said:


> My dogs have always loved a bath. Here's why I think I've made it a good experience. I have always installed a European style shower head on a hose in one of our showers. With that, I can provide warm water that isn't as shocking as cold hose water. I start them with that very young, make it fun and especially make the toweling off like a nice brisk massage. Done right, they'll actually look forward to a bath.


I would love to use the tub...but she flips out the second water touches her and slips everywhere...i'm scared she may get hurt. She also scratches up our faces and arms. 

I got her at an older age than my aschen...I wonder if she had a bad water experience?


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Asche-zu-Staub said:


> I would love to use the tub...but she flips out the second water touches her and slips everywhere...i'm scared she may get hurt. She also scratches up our faces and arms.
> 
> I got her at an older age than my aschen...I wonder if she had a bad water experience?


I've never trained an already hydrophobic dog to bathe well, only very young as a part of training. I'd be interested in reading ideas about how to condition a dog like yours to at least tolerate it.


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## Asche-zu-Staub (Apr 25, 2010)

Relayer said:


> I've never trained an already hydrophobic dog to bathe well, only very young as a part of training. I'd be interested in reading ideas about how to condition a dog like yours to at least tolerate it.


Hmm...I'm going to have to read around! Anyone else on here have input? all answers are much loved!


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Asche-zu-Staub said:


> Hmm...I'm going to have to read around! Anyone else on here have input? all answers are much loved!


This is just a guess based on having quite a bit of experience with dog training. Try taking your dog into the bath several times with no water at all. Put treats and toys in. No threat of water at all for a while. Be really patient.. may take dozens of times. Once comfortable, maybe just make a trickle of warmish water that you can barely put on him... or maybe just try to see if he'll drink some. If there is no trauma, stop and let that be a victory. Add more warm water as it can be tolerated. Just an idea.


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## txbwj (May 2, 2010)

Raven loves the water so it stands to reason, she loves a bath, even lets the grandson help


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

all of mine have always liked baths, but they are definite water rats, so anything water they are game


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Our last GSD Blue loved the water and never minded being bathed. My current two hate it and want nothing to do with being wet. I can only assume their previous owners either didn't introduce them to water when they were young, or they had a bad experience. Fortunately we live in a dry climate and they stay very clean, so I can get away with using a grooming foam waterless shampoo. The dogs we had in the past were northern breeds like Malamutes - they never needed to be bathed, their thick coats have a natural dirt repellent built in - just a lot of brushing and a brisk rub down with some hot wet towels did the job. 
___________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Kacie and Onyx are both fine when I have to hose them down in the tub, I have a handheld shower attachment. Karlo has only had one bath, at 8 weeks and was fine with it. I went to give him a bath a couple months back and he was not cooperative. The tub surface scratching made him want out, I let him win. He loves the outside hose, chases it, and lets me squirt him. That's how he gets his baths for now.

Lakes are great for him, the doggy pool, he will only drink out of.
Kacie lays right down in the dog pool. Before I adopted her, the girl that had her said the only thing "bad" that she does is finds mudpuddles to lay in! She was right! If there is a puddle in her view, she wants to soak it up.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Jake loves water, just can't add soap! LOL


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## FLyMuSLiMa (Apr 25, 2010)

Zaidy loves baths! I think I bathe her waaayyyyy too often; (once a week) But she loves every bit of it; she'll lay down in the tub and everything; I've even trained her to shake once all the water is out of the tub and the shower curtain is closed to prevent lots of water throughout the house; she's such a little lady! She chases me around the house once she's through so I can blow dry and brush her....


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## lovemybuddy (Oct 26, 2009)

Thanks for all of the great advice and stories! I loved reading them. I guess some shepherds love the water and some don't. Hopefully we can get Buddy to love his baths one day. It was more the tub that freaked him out than the water, though. I have a few months before he needs another bath (hopefully!) to figure out the best way to get him clean the next time. :fingerscrossed:

Thanks again!!


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I have 2 that LOVE their baths, stand nicely and I never had to fuss with them, the others are pretty good too but don't jump in the tub. I think the thing that I did that helped was when they were small I would get in the tub with them. This would give them confidence about the new situation, Running the water seemed to be a scary spot, so I would put a couple fo inches of water in the bathrub first and use that to wet them down and suds them up, and then when I did run the water I'd just make it a trickle instead of a full on blast.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog loves playing in water.
when i bathe him i hose him down.
i have a bucket of water with shampoo
in it. i pour some on him, rub it in. he lays down
so i can get underneath him. i hose him off.
my dog is taught not to shake untill i tell
him it's ok.

my dog is 3 yrs. old and he's only had
4 or 5 baths, maybe.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Sin hates baths. He does however enjoy the kiddie pool. He will go in ponds and lakes but he will only let the water touch the underneath of his tummy.


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

I always make sure there's a good non-skid mat in the bottom of the tub, and Echo steps in willingly (although not enthusiastically) for her baths. She doesn't like the soaping up part, but she loves the part that involves the hand held shower nozzle!!


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## JudynRich (Apr 16, 2010)

I put a towel in too so it is not so slippery and I use the enclosed shower (no tub). The fact that they never stand in H2O may help, and I pour the water on the dogs. Both dogs do not happily go into the shower, but they will both obey and tolerate the bath. They LOVE the drying off time and we play with the towels and have a great time taking turns brushing and grooming.


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## Baersmama (Jun 15, 2010)

In the summer we gives baths to our dogs after we have visited the forest preserve lake to get all the grit off of them. We fill a kiddy pool in the yard before we leave so the water has a chance to warm up. When we return, they know to go right into the pool. Lots of scrubbing and they love it. We use a pitcher to rinse them. Getting them into a bathtub is a different story....I think they worry about slipping and are too confined. Sad to say...I have to pay a groomer when the weather is poor. (I had one shepherd who ended up tearing the shower curtain down!!)


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

I've got two that like it and two that don't mind it, but don't "enjoy" it per se. The two that like it, Akira and Kodi, are also my swimmers so it stands to reason that they enjoy water regardless of its form.

90 lb gsd's and bathtubs are difficult at best. I will bathe my girls in the tub in the winter, but the boys get taken to one of the do it yourself dog wash places. They are just too big, too furry, too active. The girls are much more laid back and patient.

During the warmer months everyone gets bathed outside with the hose. I snub them up to a tree or you can use anything similar and sturdy, and they don't have much choice but to stay there and accept their fate.  Everyone's very good about it, they don't get a choice from the getgo so they don't ever think they HAVE a choice, and thus, don't try to debate about behaving for a bath.

It's all in how you approach it. You can spend forever desensitizing or you can just teach them that water and shampoo won't hurt by getting to business.


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## brucebourdon (Jun 2, 2010)

I wonder if it might be worth taking him to a pond or lake, some place that you can wade into the water with him so he can learn that there's nothing to fear, and it's even fun...

All my dogs have always loved the water, our golden is ridiculous (she especially loves stagnant muddy dirty water all over her fine fur - ugh!).

Our GSD is happy in the kiddie pool and fetching balls in shallow areas of ponds. She will even dunk her head to get something from the bottom of the kiddie pool, but she hasn't gone deep or had a bath yet either - taking our time. 

Do you know anyone that has a dog that likes the water? Maybe Buddy can see how much fun it can be?


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## Dawn (Jun 23, 2010)

Raven is horrible when she gets a bath. I am lucky enough to have an actual grooming room available to me at work, so I do not trash my bathroom.
Last time I bathed Raven my friend helped me ( another vet tech I work with) and between the two of us have bathed alot of dogs over the years. Raven gave both of us a workout. She flipped out, crying, jumping, trying to run away, at one point she even went up over my head when I was washing her belly..lololol.
To say the least the two experienced vet techs giving the bath were dripping and I mean dripping wet....lolol
I am not looking forward to the next bath...lol


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