Zoe had a bath before she goes home tonight. She's not crazy about the bath. Some dogs are not. This is how we accomplished it and you can duplicate it if you have a dog that hasn't been slowly conditioned to this bath business or reacts for a different reason.
Use 2 people, 1 to hold gently but firmly and the other to wash, rinse and condition. If a dog has a fear about the bath, it could hurt themselves by trying to escape. I believe in slow conditioning in a positive way. You talk and calm the dog down, you give massages and you actually wash more frequently. You might say why would you force the dog to do what it fears more frequently? If you do it right, the more you do it the more slow conditioning it receives and the more it realizes this can be fun. Arm yourself with treats. If it is too upset, it won't take them but as he/she calms down, it will. The idea is to associate good things with the experience slowly making the good outweigh the fear till it disappears. It does work - this slow conditioning stuff and we have helped MANY dogs with this. As someone who has helped a rescue or two or three or more through their fears, we don't believe in flooding but slow conditioning done right changes their coping skills and allows the fears to be minimal or completely fade.
No one and nothing should have to live in fear. Fear can make you react and keep you away from being productive and it can even interfere with living a full and good life. Fear can actually destroy on many levels. As someone who is an advocate for achieving a well balanced dog in each canine, if we can, if allowed, we will still offer tips and rah rah support to those in need to help you achieve this with your own. Fears are complicated but given time, patience and a desire from you - well you too can make a difference no matter how small the fear is or how large.
There's nothing better in life knowing you have made a difference in another. It warms the heart in a very unique way. Be good to your dawgs!!
The rest of the crew is saying what the hey - another rainy day off and on. What's that about?