OT: Why don't dogs like bathes? Sandy help me here

[Smiley]

Maybe it's the Shar Pei breed. I would have thought that cool water helps them feel good and the shampoo apres les bathe makes their skin feel good. Any dog Whispers out there. Is it just my breed or does this apply to all?

[Pete Serotta]

My 2 labs love baths,,,,,, can't figure it out :)

[dvancleve]

My family has 3 dogs, a Canaan Dog, a Greyhound and an Akita. The Canaan Dog, Jasher, hides when it is is bath time but doesn't seem to mind it once bathing begins. The Greyhound, Connor, loves his baths. The Akita, Yume, isn't keen on them. We think maybe she was sprayed with a hose as punishment in her previous life. The Dachshund I had as a teenager through my early 30s LOVED water, got into the shower with me once. It seems to just vary by individual dog...

Doug

[William]

Bruno Boxer is not crazy about them, Rhea Basset loves them.

http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/dog-bath-.jpg

http://www.campbowwow.com/us/fl/tampa/Portals/140/Images/User/dog-bath-clothes.jpg

http://www.otisandlouie.com/images_site/3_features_photos/720944.jpg

http://www.smalldogbigdogpictures.com/dog-picture-small-dog-bath-caterina.jpg

http://www.dogguide.net/images/tube-time2.jpg

http://media.newsadvance.com/newsadvance/images/snap/379838130211_0_ALB_medium.jpg

http://www.thefourleggedsocialite.com/springimages/clearance/froggydoggy.jpg

[Blue Jays]

How many of those dogs are yours? Wow!

[thejen12]

Dogs have a higher body temperature than people - warmer water and a warmer ambiant environment while drying might help.

Jenn

[Ray]

Our dog doesn't mind them. I wouldn't say she loves them, but she's ok with it. Except for the part where you have to pour water over her face very briefly to rinse her off. But who would like that - its sort of like getting waterboarded for a couple of seconds. We try to cover her nose and mouth but she still doesn't like that part.

-Ray

[Kevan]

he hates baths too. Please...don't ask me how I know.

[dvs cycles]

Maybe it's the Shar Pei breed. I would have thought that cool water helps them feel good and the shampoo apres les bathe makes their skin feel good. Any dog Whispers out there. Is it just my breed or does this apply to all?
Definitely the breed. Neither of our 2 Shar Pei liked being bathed.
I had to get them into the tub and close the glass door and fight them under the stream of water.
My first male died at almost 6 but had finally submitted to jumping in the tub at least.
His mate fought me all 13 years of her life. Neighbors probably thought I was waterboarding them from all the noise.
I did see a Shar Pei at HB dog beach many years ago when I was riding by.
One and only time.

[RPS]

Is it just my breed or does this apply to all?Definitely not all IMO.

My first dog, an English Mastiff, liked baths and would play in the sprinklers when he got a chance. After that we had a Pug that also loved baths and would run to the tub all excited.

Our last two mixed-breed dogs (one part Cairn terrier and the other Border Collie) both hate(d) baths. How the owner goes about it may have some influence on the dog, but IMHO it’s mostly about the dog’s nature. Some like it and others don’t.

[Sandy]

I would think that there are lots of factors involved here, but I don't really know that much about dogs- just really love the critters.

Breed- I would think that the breed would make a difference- Labs go out and retrieve birds and often have to swim in the water to fetch the bird. President Obama's dog is a Portuguese Water Dog which was bred as a water/fisherman's dog and had tasks they performed by swimming. I would tend to think that breeds like the Lab and the Portuguese Water Dog would have more affinity to water and would not mind baths as much as other dogs.

Variability within a breed- Dogs of a specific breed share many breed characteristics but also vary greatly within the breed. My daughter adopted a wonderful Black Lab/Retriever mix. My daughter could never get him to swim in a lake. He wouldn't step in. The only way it happened is that one day he followed another lab into the water. At the end of the swim season in our area, dogs are allowed to to swim in a local indoor pool before it is closed for the season. The only way my daughter could get her dog in was to push him in. He is quite gentle and listens well until it is time to bathe him, and then he pulls away and trys very hard to avoid it.

Dog's experiences- I would think that would be critical- His socialization with people and his comfort with them. Was the dog handled all over at an early age? Most importantly, what type of experience did the dog have with water and baths in the past? An ordeal? Fun? I have an adpoted rescued American Pit Bull Terrier. He runs from a hose with water, and will not get near the area in which he is to receive a bath. I must pick him up and place him in the tub. He will stay there while I bathe him but he does not like it. He even goes to another room or floor if he sees me with an ointment or the flea and tick application. He hunkers down low to the ground and lets me put the substance on him, but not happily. Probably a function of past experience, I would assume.

Person giving the bath- I think who gives the dog a bath, and how, must also be important. If the person giving the bath becomes frustrated and upset acts accordingly, the dog will read that and will react not only to the bath but to the person giving the bath.

So I would guess the breed, variability within the breed, past experience with baths and water, and the person giving the bath would all be factors.


Shower Sandy

[Sandy]

he hates baths too. Please...don't ask me how I know.

If you promise not to tell about my baths, I won't tell about your showers! :)


Softly Scrubing Showering Sandy

[sw3759]

fwiw,i have had 2 shar pei's(which i dearly miss)and one hated baths/water and the other one didn't mind baths and loved the water.go figure.

Scott

[Dekonick]

If you promise not to tell about my baths, I won't tell about your showers! :)


Softly Scrubing Showering Sandy

Thats golden!

[dvs cycles]

fwiw,i have had 2 shar pei's(which i dearly miss)and one hated baths/water and the other one didn't mind baths and loved the water.go figure.

Scott
We always figured it was a boyency issue with Shar Pei based on a story the owners of our first Pei's father told us.
When he was fairly young they had him on a surfboard in their pool.
He was fine until he decided to walk off the board, sank to the bottom and just stood there stiff looking around until they dove in and pulled him out.
Would never go near the pool again.