So the first few times I gave Hannah a bath, it was unpleasant, for both of us... I had no idea how to bathe an 8 month old dog and she spent most of her days prior, outside as a stray, carefree with none of this soapy business.

Nevertheless, it's gotten better over the months, but she still hates the word BATH. The moment I speak of it she knows.. She sees me inside the bathroom, filling up the tub, she knows what's coming.

One time I jokingly pointed to her crate and the bathroom and said would you rather be incarserated or have the freedom of cleanliness?? She looked at the crate then the bathroom then at me... then walked happily into her crate... I was like


Maybe it's time for a new word, lol.

Wash? tub?

Why do you need to use a word? Why tell her what's coming?

This is the very reason I don't put a word to bath time for my dogs. When it's time for their bath I will discreetly get my supplies ready (lead, shampoo, towels, etc) without them in the room. I don't fill a tub so no water runs before they get into the tub and I use a spray head to wet/rinse them.

So when I'm ready to put them in the tub they have no idea what's coming and I don't say a word, I act as normal as possible. My chi girls I just pick up and carry into the tub (I bathe them in the utility sink which we put a sprayer head on just for them). But for my sibe, whom I bathe in our walk-in shower or outside sometimes if it's warm enough, I just put a slip lead on, take off his collar and lead him into the bathroom. Of course as we enter the bathroom he knows what is coming and tries putting on the brakes but that's why I have a slip lead on him so he can't get out.

So no stressing over the bath in advance, they only get upset when they are brought into the bathroom and there are no word triggers.

Do you shower with him in the bathroom with you? After 2 bad bath experiences with Nova he would dart away when we opened the door. But since I couldn't leave him alone for very long in the mornings I would put him in the bathroom with me while I showered. He would get curious and peep through the curtain - now he stands up on the ledge of the tub. The other day the curtain was pulled back and no water was in it but he wanted to get in. We put him in the dry tub he stayed in it for a minute we praised then he jumped out. Anyway my point is - try just putting her in there without the water with a treat. Or praise her when she is curious about the tub it might help.

i agree just don't say anything because if you name it something else sooner or later she will learn what the new word means. then you will have to come up with another word and rinse and repeat over and over again....

You could just do like us and use the Bathtub as a Punishment / Timeout location

I mean they hate being bathed to begin with and already think they are being punished for it, so you might as well just do it when they're bad to begin with

Whats really fun is Bad and Dirty tend to go hand in hand more often then not anyways

~Chris~