Loki hasn't had too many baths in his life maybe 6 in 4 years , he just doesn't need them very often and usually a damp cloth does the trick.

But we have been cooped up inside for two weeks, and they were a little smelly. Plus Nico was getting a bath so I figured he might as well have one too while I was at it.

I put a rubber backed rug in the tub to keep them from slipping around and Nico climbed right in and let me wash her like a champ.

Loki however had to be dragged into the bathroom and refused to get in the tub no matter what treat I offered, even when I was standing in the tub too. He had gone limp like a toddler so I ended up picking him up and plopping him into the tub against his wishes. He is 80 lbs so I'm sure it would have been entertaining to watch

He stood fairly still while I was washing him other than shaking like a leaf and trying to lay down, and the whole thing was over in about 5 minutes.

I sort of felt bad about it afterward. I usually try to use the clicker or at least motivational methods to teach them to do new things. I also wonder if it is going to be even harder to get him in the tub next time.

How do you decide when it is time to just do something and get it over with vs spending the time to train them to do new things?

I have a suggestion if you are looking for advice...
Bring him into the bathroom when you shower a few times a week. Once he gets comfortable with that, offer him treats from around the shower curtain, until he starts to reach into the tub area to get them, then he might be more comfortable when an actual bath comes later on.

I usually try to train in any situation unless I'm at my parents house! They give me so much grief about how it is "cruel to train the dog" that it isn't worth it to try to do anything productive there! :P

That is a good idea I will try the treats from behind the shower curtain.

Normally he wouldn't have a problem in the bathroom, but he had just seen Nico get a bath and knew what was coming LOL.

I have trained my dog when I go in the bathroom that the tub is her climb (place). Next (and any other) time you go to the bathroom try and take him with you. Bring your clicker and treats. He will slowly not mind going to the bathroom with you.

I guess I am just wondering where the line is drawn. These aren't things that are really scary or a big deal, just things he does not like.

He needed a bath, didn't want to take one and I didn't want to wait a month to convince him that he wanted to have one.

We have the same issue with nail clipping, I have touched and clicked a million times, but as soon as I go to actually cut a nail he stiffens up and pulls away and the whole thing goes to hell in a hand basket.

I don't bother anymore, I just take him in and have the groomer or a vet techs do it every so often. Otherwise I would either hurt him by cutting wrong or his nails would get all long and out of control again.

It takes me and at least one other person to be able to hold him still enough, but it gets done and is over with a couple of minutes.

I do still much prefer to train them to do new things, but at some point a line has to be drawn....I'm just not sure where the best place to draw it would be.

I'll share my experiences here, although I'm not saying it's necessarily the "correct" way or that it would work with all dogs. I adopted the "pick 'em up and plop 'em in" attitude.

Like you, my dogs need very little bathing, maybe once every two to three months. When they were puppies, it was easy. Just put them in the tub. They don't have much choice. When they got bigger, there were a couple of occasions of resistance, and I too must have been quite a sight as I accomplished the task of physically putting an 80+ pound dog into the tub against his will.

That much physical coercion was only necessary once that I can recall, and in my case, it did not result in any lingering fear. In fact, it got easier each time, and now both dogs now go into the tub without any fuss.

Again, I'm just sharing what worked for me. Each dog is an individual and I guess you have to figure out what's going to work for that particular dog.

if there is nobody else around, no distractions whatsoever, all we have to do is say place, point at the tub, and our pup will jump in... as long there is a treat waiting for her of course

Jennifer,

If I think about it in advance I'd train but since thinking ahead isn't a regular occurrence ....there is a heck of a lot of the just get it over with going on.

I'm with Cheri on this one I just dropped Thor in first time ignored his pathetic little face and low slung tail and got him squeaky clean. No residual effects and it did get easier every time; he climbs in willingly. The face is still pathetic and the head is held low but the tail is relaxed and he has a grand time shaking off the water.

I wouldn't suggest this method with a dog who has not bonded with you or trusts you because I think that is when you could run into some issues of breaking down the trust even more. In that case I would opt for smelly and training and bonding.

Have you considered maybe going to one of those doggy wash kind of places? That way he will not start to associate your bathroom negatively. Personally, my GSDs get baths usually once in the summer...regular brushing and using a spray works fine for us the rest of the time.

We do use the self serve doggy wash quite a bit, but Nico has a hard time getting in and out of the car so I've been doing her at home lately. I was also worried about taking them outside wet with it so cold. The dryer sends him right over the edge, and being so short haired I don't bother with it.

I really don't have to worry too much about him and baths, it might be 6 months before he gets another one.

But he does have an overall tendency to go limp when he doesn't want to do something. Frankly it is obnoxious and frustrating.

I'm not talking about scary stuff either, he has done it when I am trying to leave my parents house, or getting out of the car.