Smart Ways to Help Your Dog Enjoy Bath Time

​Guest Post by Brittany Wolf
 
I am pleased to welcome a guest blogger this week!  With the hotter weather, dirt, bugs, and such that summer brings, bathing our pets (especially dogs) may be of greater necessity. Brittany Wolf gives us advice regarding this activity, an adventure some dogs just don’t like. I hope you enjoy her post this week! 
 
If your four-legged kid hates to take a bath, it’s likely you don’t enjoy bathing him or her either. We understand how hard it is to convince your dog to take a bath, but it is possible! Yes, you read right. There are several ways which will make dog bathing time wonderful and enticing for both of you.
 
The irony is, your dog will love playing in the water while splashing all around the home, but when it comes to scrubbing and adding soap, he will find every nook and cranny in which to hide. Here are some tips that will help your dog enjoy his bathing time with little fear or discomfort.

Take A Walk With Your Dog Now, you must be thinking how taking him for a walk will work. Well, it might not wear your pup out enough to take a bath of his own free will, but a walk will heat the body enough entice him into water. If the day is hot, postpone the walk and bath until evening or plan ahead for a morning adventure – dogs can get heat exhaustion and heat stroke during hotter days, especially summer afternoons, just like people.

Make It Fun We understand how hard it is to stay positive when everything about dog bathing makes both of you cringe. But, your dog needs to bathe no matter how much you both dislike the idea – bathing and grooming keeps your dog’s skin and coat healthy. Therefore, flip bath time into play time. While rubbing his body with the soap, play with him as well. This could be practical and helpful as your dog may love his pool or tub filled with toys. You can also provide treats to get a desired behavior out of your dog.

Bathing With Friends Even your little furry kid loves the idea of enjoying a bath with his companions. Always remember, dogs learn more from their own kind. If your dog loves to get social and is very extroverted, then give him a bath with another dog. Seeing his friend enjoy the bathing time will lure him to love the water and body soaps as well.

Check the Water Temperature It might also happen that your dog doesn't actually hate the bathing. It is the water which is causing a problem: too warm or too cold water, which can be a shock to your dog. Therefore, check the temperature and make it lukewarm before your dog jumps into the tub.

Bring A Positive Attitude If you are seeing your pet standing rigidly or shaking in fear when you turn on the water faucet, then you really need to fix this. You cannot let your kid hate some of the soothing experiences of life. Before you help your dog with its fear, bring positivity into yourself. Dogs sense feelings and vibes. If you are loving the process, he will also try his best to sync with you.
 
Conclusion
It is important for your dog to enjoy the bathing process. The ideas given can be effective to let your dog get comfortable with the sound of running water. Plus, when you take him to the bathtub, start with small steps. First, get just his feet wet, and then his legs. This will help alleviate any sudden panic attack. It is really okay if you aren’t completely successful the first time because the goal is to make your pooch comfortable with bathing and continue building upon success each time.
 
Bio:  
Brittany Wolf is a content writer & blogger at Red Dash Media. Apart from blogging frequently at work, she enjoys reading and writing poems in the comfortable space of her home. She also likes trekking with friends when in the mood to explore nature and then post pictures from her adventures on Instagram. 
 
For additional help regarding dogs and bathing, check out these helpful sites:

Veterinarian and pet writer Dr. Marty Becker provides additional hints to successful bath time here:
http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/simple-tricks-to-make-dogs-bath-time-easier-faster-and-neater
 
Find a YouTube video from PetCo about bathing a dog here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORhh45Mv02I