Source: wikiHow
- 1 Put a rubber mat down in your bathtub. Bathtubs are slippery surfaces for dogs, so lay down an inexpensive rubber bath mat to help your dog feel more secure. Some dogs aren’t scared of the water itself, but don’t feel comfortable in bathtubs.[1]
- Cut your dog’s nails before bath time to help your dog have a more steady footing on the slippery surface.
- You can place a towel on the bottom of the tub if you don’t have a rubber mat.
- 2 Practice having your dog in the tub with no water. Place your dog in the bathtub without turning on the faucet or shower head. Pet your dog and say “good dog” while it stays in the tub.[2]
- Don’t let your dog jump out of the tub and run away. You can use a leash to help keep your dog in place if it keeps trying to run away.
- 3 Reward your dog for staying calm in the tub with treats. Keep telling your dog it is a “good dog” while it remains in the tub. Give the dog a treat when it calms down and stops trying to get out of the tub.[3]
- You can start out with short sessions of 3-5 minutes in the tub with no water to get your dog used to being in the tub. Keep practicing this until the dog has no problem being in the tub.[4]
- Have a friend or helper distract the dog with treats or peanut butter while you bathe your dog so it stays more calm.
- 4 Pour small amounts of water over your dog until you can give it a full bath. Gently pour warm water with a container over your dog’s legs and back once it is comfortable in the tub. Use a washcloth to clean the dog’s face instead of pouring water on it.[5]
- You can do this in multiple short sessions of 3-5 minutes, gradually increasing the amount of time your dog is in the tub and how much water you pour on it.
- Hold your dog’s chin and nose up as you pour water over the back of its neck and head to prevent water from getting in the dog’s eyes or nose.[6]
- 5 Give your dog a long-lasting chew toy or treat after bathtime is over. Get your dog to associate a completed bath with a reward by giving it something like a rawhide or bone to chew on afterward. Your dog will learn to tolerate a bath because it expects a tasty reward when bath time is over.[7]
- Once your dog is comfortable with you pouring water over it to give it a bath, you can try using a pet spray attachment for your shower. These attachments reduce the pressure of the water and let you gently spray water over your dog so you don’t…
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