Note: Today I am releasing two posts! So, if you are a member, keep an eye out for The Training Lab version of this post! If you are not a member, check out our Online Memberships and become a member today to get access to The Training Lab blog posts where you can get step-by-step instructions on how to train behaviors!
Bath time can be quite a mess for some people. I know this because I used to work for a Labradoodle breeder and many times I came to work and had to give 15+ baths to puppies! That’s a lot of puppies and I learned fast to bring a change of clothes because getting wet was inevitable. But whether you have a puppy or an adult dog, bath time can be a hassle if your dog deeply despises the process. So, for today I am going to discuss how to make bath time easier for both you and your dog!
The Bathtub
First and foremost, you will need to teach your dog that the bathtub is not all that bad. How do you do that? Do teach your dog that the bathtub is not all that bad, you must teach them to interact with the bathtub on their own. Much like with the crate, many dogs develop an aversion to the bathtub because they are forced into it. So just like the crate, you can teach your dog to voluntarily get into the bathtub and participate in the process of taking a bath.
Other Tools
To teach your dog to get into the bathtub safely, there are a few things you need to do. First, consider the size of your dog. If your dog can easily step into the bathtub, then you might not need the same tools (or number of tools) as you would for a dog who is too small to climb in safely. The general rule here is that you must have something that will prevent your dog from slipping while it is getting into and out of the bathtub and while it is standing inside the bathtub. The best tools is a rubber bathmat stuck to the inside of the bathtub, one over the side, and one on the floor outside the bathtub. For smaller dogs, you might need a staircase or ramp if your dog has limited mobility. However, most dogs will be fine as long as you have something on the side of the tub that they can safely grip with their nails.
Protocol
As mentioned before, you first must teach your dog to enter the bathtub when cued to do so. To do this you will first need to introduce your dog to the bathroom, bathtub, and water by giving it treats for interacting with each of those objects. As your dog gets used to the bathroom and enjoys being in there, you can then teach it to interact with the bathtub itself, rewarding it for investigating it, putting a paw on the edge where the bathmat is, and eventually getting inside. Then you can teach it to enjoy being inside the bathroom, but outside the bathtub while the water is running. Once your dog is comfortable with that, you can take it to the next level and get it used to the water running while it is in the bathtub.
It is important that you get your dog used to being in the bathtub with the water running before you spray your dog with water. Many dogs will have a lower threshold for the water touching them than they will for it simply being on. In other words, to many dogs there is a huge difference between being near the water while it is on and being sprayed with the water.
It is also important that your dog is completely comfortable with being in the bathtub before any water is introduced. The bathtub needs to be conditioned as its own thing, separate from the experience of water. If your dog has already connected the two things (bathtub and water) and dislikes both, this process may take more time.
Once your dog is comfortable with the water being on while it is in the bathtub, turn on the water at a low pressure, and make sure it is warm. With the low-pressure water coming out, wet your dog’s bottom and tail. If it remains calm and comfortable, begin wetting its shoulders. At that point, turn off the water, give your dog a treat, dry it off, then cue it to exit the bathtub. Ask it to sit and finish drying it off. Over time you will get your dog more and more wet, with the water turned on with more and more pressure (until it is turned all the way on), then add shampoo and complete the process.
If your dog is comfortable with the process once it will voluntarily get into the bathtub, you can try to complete the entire process. Just make sure you have a highly valuable reward to give your dog once it is out of the bathtub. You can give it part of the reward while you finish drying it off and the rest after you are finished.
Closing Thoughts
The idea here, as always, it to teach your dog to participate in the process. The only part you should do for your dog is get it wet, lather on shampoo and conditioner, rinse, and dry it off. The rest should be up to your dog to do on cue when you ask. Remember to put the behavior of entering the bathtub on cue so your dog knows what cue it should be responding to.
As always, have fun!
Remember: Today I am releasing two posts! So, keep an eye out for The Training Lab version of this post! If you are not a member, check out our Online Memberships and become a member today to get access to The Training Lab blog posts where you can get step-by-step instructions on how to train behaviors!
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