Dogs that hate water

If your dogs hates something, anything, then you should practice desensitization unless it’s something that your dog should be scared of. Like if your dog is scared of cars, I may let him stay scared of them unless it causes a big problem (my female is scared of 18wheelers and it’s kind of a hassle but I’ve gotten it where she just sits next to me when she gets nervous rather than trying to run in the opposite direction and crying at the same time like she used to).

Titus is scared of thunder, but not enough to practice desensitization.

How do you desensitize? Present them with the situation any chance you get while doing it in a calm manner. You can’t be excited or nervous while you’re trying to get them to relax around water. You have to be calm and patient because they’ll be freaking out already.

Start out with small things, like doing something besides giving them water while they’re around, like mopping, doing the dishes, etc. Move up to watering plants and perhaps toweling them down with a soaked cloth.

Once they’re okay with those kinds of things, start really touching them with water, be it playing in a pool or with the hose or even in the bathtub, something that’s not necessarily bathing, but fun, relaxing, and that involves water. It would also help if you engage, like if you get wet with the dog.

Last, go ahead and give a bath, often. Some dogs will never enjoy bath time but you can get them to a point where they don’t mind it and they’ll tolerate it and that’s really the most you can ask for. Put them in the bath and sooth them somehow even if it’s by talking mindlessly to them or playing calming music, do something while you give them a bath and then reward them once the bath is over. My dogs’ reward for getting a bath is having me bundle them up in a towel and hold them for a good hour until they’re mostly dry.

All this desensitization should take awhile, like 1-2 months. This thing won’t happen over night.

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