HOW does one give a reasonably well-behaved four and a half month GSD pup a bath!

How it went--put the nylon collar on the pup. put the nylon leash on the collar. Load up the treat bag. Try to lure pup into tub (he's been in it with a little water before). Lift pup into tub and feed treat.

Start adding water and feeding treats. Pup shies a little at the puddle and then goes nutz! barking at the water, drinking the water, splashing. Darn dog ran in circles in the tub, banging into the sides, the plumbing, me, whatever. I swear he was playing: tried to pull the plug with his mouth but didn't try to get out of the tub.

After my daughter came in to see if we were alright (she said it sounded like a bowling alley from the other room) and stayed to watch the show, we decided the dog's carrying on was more about high drive playing and not about being freaked out. I called him out of the tub and he came right out and tried to run in more circles, but there is no room to turn around.

End result -- wet dog, wet handler, wet toilet paper, rug, floor etc, and no shampoo ever applied.

It was interesting and no harm done--Otis jumped back into the tub and out and in and so forth--but there has to be a better way.

I can't find a small wading pool in town, of course, or we'd try outside.

Helen

I do this either outside or at a DIY grooming place. No matter how I wash them I end up soaked and soapy....Im not sure how to stay dry during the process.

If I wash them at home I use the leash to secure them to a porch post, tree or bumper and then use the hose to get the job done.

I can do it in a third of the time with the hose vs. trying to do it in the bathroom. There is also less mess to clean up!

Then they have a few minutes of serious zoomies all around the yard as long as they don't start rolling in the grass or mud.

In the winter I highly recommend one of the DIY grooming places, they provide everything you need and clean up the mess when you are done. It costs me about 15 dollars, which is way less then getting a husky groomed by someone else!!

what helps it to do it outside and play with the pup for awhile til he is a bit tired and then start the bath, also make a game of finding his toy in a half full pool

Hum. The bumper, a hose and the concrete slab might work. My stupid small town does not have small wading pools right now so that option is out. My yard is dirt, bunches and bunches of loose, red dirt.

Helen

Petsmart may have some left, Fort Lee PX has three left as of yesterday

oh forgot to add, when I washed the puppers today it was flip flops and swimtrunks, I make no attempt as trying to stay dry, I also upturn a five gallon bucket for a stool

Hourray for shower doors on my bathtub!!! And a removable shower head!

P.S. Sounds like your puppy had a blast. Next time, tie him to the bathtub or have someone hold his leash and distract him with a bully stick or treats, so you can at least get some soap on. And don't plan on staying dry, lol.

 Quote: Angela Burrell

Hourray for shower doors on my bathtub!!! And a removable shower head!

P.S. Sounds like your puppy had a blast. Next time, tie him to the bathtub or have someone hold his leash and distract him with a bully stick or treats, so you can at least get some soap on. And don't plan on staying dry, lol.

You are right in the Hourray for the removable shower head. I bought a nice on/off dog bathing spray attachment for the shower and the blessed shower head won't come off! The water here is so hard everything welds to everything else.

But next time, I'll try it with two people, a heater in the room and few clothes on. It'll still be a fight but we might make it.

Helen

Most of the time I ended up getting into my swim suit, jumping in the shower by my pup sealing off the shower curtain (suction cups work well).....keep the puppy on a leash apply shampoo and get covered in the scent of wet dog....plus side is your already wet so taking your own shower after isn't that hard...


Now however he's been taught a special stand command we started when we went swimming (stand in the water) then slowly moved to the tub where he'll stand for the shower......however the floor still ends up rather lake like....also, teaching him to shake off on command is helpful so you can at least predict the tidal waves of water....

I take my dogs to a DIY grooming place. I make the appointment in the morning when it is a little less busy.

I then bring the dogs out to the lake where we run and throw sticks and swim. If it's winter time and -45, we just play-no swimming for obvious reasons.

Then once everyone is thoroughly tired, we head to the grooming place. They have a lifted tub, so no bending, with a shower head on a long hose so you can reach everywhere. There are bolts in the wall to attach your leash so the dog can't jump out of the tub. They have a ramp for easy tub access and a raised platform for blow drying and clipping. It is quite a sight when I walk in with 2 husky mixes, a Leonberger and a cocker mix! 3 wait while one gets bathed and then we rotate. Voila! 5 hours later I have clean dogs at the low, low cost of $60 to do all four!