# Scared of Water..



## Arearis (Jul 20, 2006)

Ok as it is getting warmer outside I have dragged out the kiddie pool and sprinklers for the pups and it is time to give Buddy a bath. I cant really give him bathes in the winter because he will not fit in the tub and I cant take him to the do it yourself place because he goes nuts and knocks over everything in his path. So he normally only gets them in the summer monthes outside with a water hose and it is one of the hardest things I have to do. He goes crazy and drags me all over the place. He hates water of any kind, Rain, snow, water hose, sprinkler, and pools. Which is a first for me because all of my other dogs will spend hours playing in the pool or at the sprinkler and he will just go pout in the corner and look at me like I am the meanest person in the world. Well on top of him not being to fond of getting wet, when he was a pup he use to chew up water hoses so I would show him the water hose and verbally scold him. It takes nothing to hurt his feelings and he would go pout but eventually he stopped shreading my hoses. So now this has bit me in the behind because everytime he sees a water hoses he runs to a hiding spot makeing it even harder to bathe him. He is normally a very well behaved dog, he will sit, stay, come, and all of that on command but when it comes to water all of that goes out the window and he acts like he doesnt have a brain in his head. Is there anything I can do to make him less terrrified of water and the hose? At this point with his ear I have to wait a few weeks to bathe him because I dont want to encourage him shaking his head but in the meantime I figured we could work on it alittle bit to make it an easier and less stressful event for me and him.


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## ldpeterson (Feb 13, 2005)

My dogs are afraid of the hose and I've never even used it to threaten them with. 

What I do is tie them up to something in the yard, on a very short lead and bathe them. They hate it but can't really do anything about it because they can't move but maybe a foot here and there, so they just grin and bear it until it is over. It's easier that way for all of us.


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

Find a river, a lake or a pond close to you. Put on shorts or a swim suit and walk into the water. See how you dog reacts. Do not apply any pressure, just see how the dog reacts. Hopefully, the dog will the paws wet, and from there it is time to swim and retrieve.

Some dogs, including guys like labs, hate tubs and hoses, but once in a natural setting they love the water.

Just a thought.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: mamagooseMy dogs are afraid of the hose and I've never even used it to threaten them with.
> 
> What I do is tie them up to something in the yard, on a very short lead and bathe them. They hate it but can't really do anything about it because they can't move but maybe a foot here and there, so they just grin and bear it until it is over. It's easier that way for all of us.


That's what I used to do to Luther. He was afraid of water too (one of only 3 things that scared him, the others being CATS with claws and snowmen wearing pink chenille). His fear of water was from being a teenager running down the dock at night. He fell off the dock in water over his head, it was moon tide after a fish kill - nasty. My DDH was too far away to hear me calling and I had to drag a soaking wet 100lb dog out by myself. Not exactly an irrational fear of water


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## LedZep (May 4, 2008)

this past weekend (bad heat wave in the East) I filled a plastic baby pool and let Kuno (7 months) play in it. He had a ball, and loved it. When I turned the hose on to fill it more, he thought that was the greatest thing - biting at the water stream - trying to "get it" when it hit the water in the pool. I was laughing so hard.

Of course, now he thinks the hose is a chew toy, so I'm going hoarse saying "leave it".


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## novarobin (Oct 4, 2007)

My Lab, Chatham, was afraid of water. I kept telling him he was a water dog, but he didn't believe me. DH and I would take him and Kaper to a beach or river nearby. At first he wouldn't even put his paws in but eventually worked up his shoulders because he followed Kaper everywhere (and if there is water, Kaper is in it). Then we were stuck. He would not go any further for a long time. We didn't rush him. When it got warm enough, I tried going in but it still wasn't enough. One day DH and I were in up to our knees throwing a stick for Kaper. Chatham was in with us up to about his shoulders. He got so excited for the stick, I think he forgot where he was. When DH threw it he took two leaps, and ended up over his head. He just swam back to where he was standing. It was funny b/c he kind of looked around liek "what was that" and took off swimming again. I guess he just didn't know he could do it. 

As for a hose, I am not sure.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Have you tried having him just stand by the hose (on leash so you can make him stay there) and giving him yummy treats so that he begins to learn that when the hose is around GOOD things happen?


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