question about baths.......

fldiver97

OK, this may be a really dumb question as I I've had my furball Rain for over 7 years now.......Best way to give a mal a bath. And I mean a total bath.......not the partial mess in the backyard that is more like a wrestling match resulting in my near-drowning, soap ingesting eventual mud bath for dog&me.........Rain is not exactly fond of baths and I really am not one to bathe my dogs regularly, more as needed - but she is sooooooooo hard to bathe. Guess I am a bit spoled as greyhound bathing/grooming is childs play compared to a mal :huh:
also posted this in another section before it dawned on me that this may be the best way to get some help.....having another senior moment here...

leo02098

I'm not sure that there is an EASY way to bath a Mal lol I did it in my bathtub once....swore never again...it was a horrendous experience all around! Since then he's had the outdoors bath that you described....quite well actually lol
I was super excited when a new groomer opened up in my town who actually took in large dogs...she did an incredible job! I will gladly pay her to wash and trim all the necessary spots from now on! So I guess that's my answer to the problem lol find a good groomer! (if you're willing to pay someone to do it :P)

Keiko385

I get in the tub with mine, close the shower curtain and use the hose on him to wet him down, once I started scrubbing him he is usually pretty good about staying put and letting me just scrub him down Summer time can be a bit easier as I take a short leash and hook him to the deck where he cant get too far or end up muddier than when I started

fldiver97

ok, a strong short leash on a deck/patio may be the best way to go......I can't get her in the tub or let's say keep her in the tub. She is a pretty big gal and any attempt for a bath indoors have been futile (and messy). My old house had a raised wooden deck and it was a bit 'cleaner' to try the bath thing. I thought about a groomer but I am worried about Rain freaking out. She was abused for at least the first year of her life and she may not let a stranger' give her a bath......She can get very anxious and it makes it hard to keep her from squirming like a maniac. So far I have to resort to partial baths until I feels she is washed up enough, may try the short leash on the patio again and then take a for a long walk after to help dry. Otherwise she rolls in the grass and dirt like crazy as soon as she is half cleaned up. Some days I wish I'd have a dog that I have raised from a puppy so I would not have to overcome so many bahavior and sometimes medical issues but all my four-legged pals are rescues.........

Keiko385

You might try getting one of those toddlers hard plastic pools and put it where she can walk in and out of on her own to get her use to idea that water is fun and not something to be feared. Mine can be very stubborn about bathtime and will hunker down when he hears water running in the tub, good luck trying to get his butt across the room and into the tub, amounts to a full weeks worth of cardio in one afternoon lol

fldiver97

You might try getting one of those toddlers hard plastic pools and put it where she can walk in and out of on her own to get her use to idea that water is fun and not something to be feared. Mine can be very stubborn about bathtime and will hunker down when he hears water running in the tub, good luck trying to get his butt across the room and into the tub, amounts to a full weeks worth of cardio in one afternoon lol

Oh, she'll walk through deep muddy puddles and the creek anyday....No luck with a kiddie pool, she uses it as a gigantic water dish!!!! I guess I can actually log her baths/attempted baths/partial baths as major workouts....Great idea, LOL!!!!. Yup, I can see you dragging a big husky towards the tub - been there :noway:

spangey13

We do both - the hose on the deck, or in the tub. Although our husky is not huge, so you can lift her in and out. The hose us much easier though!

We take her for a run at the beach, and she'll go in and out of the water all day (it's so freaking cute)... but then trying to wash the salt off her - a nightmare.

In winter I will fill a few buckets with warm water and slowly pour on her, soap her up and then pour more and more buckets of water on her to rinse out. Summertime, she gets the hose.

jerbear1962

The next time you're out and about look at your local car wash, many of the newer ones have a dog bath room. There should be a tub with a ramp up to a large sink, I'm thinking of taking Shadow up to one. I tried to get him into my tub but we have an old cast iron tub and he wants nothing to do with it. Good luck

fldiver97

The next time you're out and about look at your local car wash, many of the newer ones have a dog bath room. There should be a tub with a ramp up to a large sink, I'm thinking of taking Shadow up to one. I tried to get him into my tub but we have an old cast iron tub and he wants nothing to do with it. Good luck

I have to check that out!!!!!! If all else fails I'll just have to take her through the actual carwash......JUST KIDDING!!!!!! :bigsmile:
Thanks!!

jerbear1962

You can do that through the car wash but you know you will have to go too...so plan on wearing swim suit..LOL

fldiver97

You can do that through the car wash but you know you will have to go too...so plan on wearing swim suit..LOL

Haha.....getting a tad too cold for swimsuit here in WI!!!! Note to self - get wetsuit out for any attempts of bathing rain!!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Keiko385

Its a good thing Huskies are not smelly dogs unless they have rolled in something rotting. Have you thought about the waterless shampoos they have at the pet stores, spray it on and wipe her down with a wet wash cloth, its enough to freshen them up and loosen up the clumps of undercoat and makes brushing them out a little easier