Never again! Never, never, never again! Giving Max a bath....

[NYboy]

Talk to your vet about a sedative. Will make it much easier for the both of you.

 

[bock]

Today, I am going to wash the dogs. It is getting cold, so I will probably do it in the bathroom, it is always a disaster afterwards. Sabrina is only 10 pounds, so she just suffers through it without much of a struggle.

She looks so pathetic, but it's adorable. Plus she loves being carried around in a towel afterwards. Sugar, however, is another story. She is 70lbs and hates baths with a passion. In summer time, we just tie her up to a post and wash her down with the hose. But getting her into the bathtub takes a while. Then, you have to tie her up inside the tub, or she hops out and runs around the house. It takes a long time to wash her. I have to give her some credit though, the more positive encouragement you give her and the less you have to force her, the better things go. Treats work well for getting her into the bathroom, then you have to pick her up and set her in the tub. After Sugar is all clean and dried off, every square inch of the bathroom is usually covered in water. Then I get to clean that up too.

It isn't that bad though, better than what some of you described.

 

[canesisters]

Both my boys are under 50lbs. so not as much of an issue as your big guy...
The schan/poo/JRT takes it pretty well.... or rather, he goes stiff so it's like washing and drying a stuffed animal.
The sheltie/beagle is another story. I used to suffer through the whole thing bending over the edge of the tub, taking it slow to soothe them, using a cup to pour water over them, killing my back, getting shook-off hair/water/dirt everywhere... then it dawned on me one day that the other bathroom has one of those molded showers with 2 little 'seats' and a DOOR! DUH!

Now I take them in (one at a time of course) and the closed door seems to take away the idea of escape. They just stand there and look pitiful. They get toweled off REAL GOOD before I open the door which means that cleanup is a simple matter of hosing down the shower walls when I'm done.

Easy-Peesy

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I only buy dog shampoos that specify that they're a tearless formula. Not all are. That was a good thing to bring up.