Do dogs love bath time

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Why Do Dogs Love Water But Hate Baths? (With Tips To Make Your Dog Like Baths!)

Do you have a dog that loves water but hates baths? What I mean about love water is the love of swimming in the pool or hanging out in the rain. So, do you have a dog that loves to swim or hang out in the middle of the street while raining but hates it when you take them to the bathroom for baths? Do you know the reason why? Here is the reason why!

Why do dogs love water but hate baths? The reason why your dog hates baths is not because of the water since your dog loves to swim or hang out in the rain. In this case, your dog hates baths because of the shampoo you use. Maybe because it smells bad, or they feel itchy after applying it to them.

Below are the ten tips you can steal to make your dog love bath time and not just swimming or hanging out in the rain. Let us check them out!

How To Get Your Dog To Like Bath Time

It is essential not to get serious during bath time because if you are too serious, your dog will find it not fun and will most likely not love bath time.

Below are the several tips you can do to make your dog like bath time and find it a fun experience of their lives!

Take A Nice Long Walk

Before going inside the bathroom, it is a good idea to take a nice long walk or exercise first. Dogs love to take a bath when they feel hot and exhausted after a tiring walk.

Taking your dog outside for a walk is also a great way to bond with your dog. When you often bond with your dog, it will trust you more, which is essential if you want your dog to follow your bath schedule and rules.

After a tiring walk or run, your dog will enjoy the lukewarm or cold water!

Bring Their Favorite Toy Always

To make bath time more exciting, it is a good idea to bring some of your dogs favorite toys to the bathtub or shower area.

Let your dog play a little bit before you turn on the water. By doing this, you are ensuring if your dog is in a good mood. If your dog seems to be in a good mood, turn on the water and show your dog the brush and soap your dog will be using.

Use The Power Of Treats

Treats are powerful stuff to make your pets love, trust, and follow you!

When you take your dog inside the shower room, make sure you bring some of his/her favorite treats too. Put the treats on the table where your dog can see them but not reach them.

If your dog does something you like inside the bathroom, give him/her a treat so that your dog will know that doing such a thing will get him/her some treats. Otherwise, ignore your dog until he/she does what you commanded them to do.

Make The Water Temperature Comfortable

Every dog is different. Some dogs love lukewarm water, while some love cold water. The best way to know what temperature of water your dog wants is to test it.

Introduce lukewarm and cold water to your dog. If your dog seems not to like the current temperature, adjust it until your dog likes it.

Also, never spray the shower on your dog from the beginning of the bathing session. Start by putting some water to the bottom of the tub. If you dont have a tub, try pouring the feet of your dog first. When you do this, your dog will not get shocked and know what will happen next.

Use The Right Shampoo And Brush

The reason why dogs love water but hate baths is because of the wrong shampoo and brush owners use! Many dogs will not go inside the tub because the shampoo is smelly or the brush hurts them.

It is essential to pick the right shampoo your dogs love. However, it is hard to choose the right one. You have to test different shampoos to see what your dogs like. The brush you use must also be comfortable for your dog. That is why it is also essential to test different brushes and see what your dogs love.

Start Them Young

The best way to make your dog like bath time is to start them young. Plenty of dog owners never execute this.

Some dog owners assume that their puppies are adjusting well to bath time when their puppy is just standing and shaking in fear during bath time. If your puppy is not relaxed during bath time, you might have problems when your puppy grows up.

Start making bath time happy while your dog is still a puppy. They will instill inside their head that bath time means fun time, and they will bring that mindset until they grow up!

Let Your Dog See You Taking Bath

You should not shower with your dog because it will become a total mess when you try it. You might slip on the floor because your dog and your dog needs other types of soap and shampoo than you.

However, you can take your dog inside the bathroom with you while you are in the tub or shower area. When your dog sees you taking a bath, your dog will realize that it is not a scary idea to take a bath. You can also give your dog some treats while you are inside the shower to let them know what is happening inside the room.

Never Rush

It is where most dog owners get stuck. They schedule the bath time of their dog along with their busy schedule that causes them to rush their dog to take a bath. It is not a good thing to execute.

You need to schedule your dogs bath time on the day where you are free. Find the right time where you can relax and focus on your dog solely. Rushing your dog to take a bath might cause injuries and trauma to your dog.

Never Bathe Your Dog If You Have No Energy

You should never bathe your dog if you have no energy at the moment. It is essential that you do it at a time where you have enough energy to make it until the end of the bath time.

You need to have lots of patience during your dogs bath time, and you cant get that patience if you are exhausted. Dogs are like kids, and they can sense your mood. They know if you are pissed off or not. It will be easier to handle your dog if you are in a good mood.

Make Sure The Tub Is Not Slippery

Another reason why your dog loves water but hates baths is because of the sensory experience. Dogs hate bathing in a tub, shower stall, or sink because they feel unsteady because it is slippery and wet.

Before you begin the bathing session of your dog, put a mat or towel on the floor of your bathtub to prevent your dog from slipping side to side. Your dog will feel more secure if you execute this strategy.

Final Thoughts

Your dog does not hate baths, but your dog hates the process of taking a bath! They hate the shampoos, brush, and soap, not the water. If your dog loves water but hates baths, there is something wrong with what you are doing or the product you bought.

To prevent this from happening, make sure that you follow my tips listed above and buy the right shampoos and tools for your dog. Make sure to test everything to know what your dog likes. Test the shampoo, soap, and brush. If it seems they are not liking the bath because of one of these things, change it immediately.

However, if your dog is also afraid of the water, it is a different topic. The reason why your dog hates water is that they are not used to it. If your dog hates water, it will be hard for them to love baths. Because usually dogs that love water, love baths but may also hate it because of some reasons I have told you above.

Source: petmd.com, animalhow.com

Most Dogs Feel Better After a Bath Once It Is All Over!

To be honest, bathing is not high on a dogs list of priorities; they would rather be rolling in something disgusting, playing in a muddy puddle, or digging a deep hole in the garden preferably on a wet day!

They like being dirty, and they rather like their pungent smell even though it makes you gag.

But even your dog will admit bathing has its advantages

Most dogs dont want to have a bath, but they do feel better afterward as:

It is warm and relaxing
The massage is good
They get lots of attention
It soothes their skin
Bathing gets rid of their knots
Gets rid of their loose hair
And they get tasty rewards for doing it

Most dogs accept bathing as one of those things their human insists they do, and most dogs if they could talk would admit that they do feel better afterward. The excited bout of zoomies after a bath and towel dry proves it.

They Dislike the Process, Not the Bathing Itself

It is not so much that your dog dislikes having a bath, but it is often the PROCESS of having a bath that they shy away from.

The trick is to set up the bathing area to make the process fun!

To make it a fun process for your dog:

Put non-slip mats down on the bathroom floor and in the tub.
Fill the bathtub with warm water that is not too deep.
Choose a gentle, lightly perfumed shampoo and soap.
Add a few toys to the bath.
Add your dog gently, dont just drop them in.
Allow them to get their balance before you start washing them.
Talk to them and play games as you clean.
Use a soft bristle brush (not hard), and be gentle with it.
Keep soap away from their eyes.
Dont pour water in their ears.
Use a portable shower attachment its easier to wash the suds away.
Have some music playing.
Keep the bathtime short to begin with let them learn to love it.
Use a big fluffy towel to dry them.
And this is very important give them a super-duper treat!!

The trick is to make bathing your dog a fun activity. If you can do everything in your power to make bath time enjoyable, your dog will love having a bath and will feel great after a bath.

Your Dog Will Feel Better After Bathing.

The best place to bathe your dog is either in a bath or the shower, as you have hot and cold water at hand.

And although your dog may not be over the moon when they realize its bath time, they will enjoy the pampering and that clean feeling afterward.

Getting rid of the ingrained dirt, working those knots in their fur out, and generally enjoying a good massage really can make a dog feel like a million dollars!

Make bathing fun so that as they get used to the ritual. A good start is to ensure that where you bathe them has a good rubber non-slip mat to prevent them from sliding around the bathtub. This can be unsettling for a dog.

Get a rubber mat with suction pads underneath to put on the floor of the shower, bath, or basin. It will give your dog the stability to stand steady while you are washing them. This is important for your dog and will give them confidence.

Bathing your dog is also a good time for bonding. Treat them gently.

Remember when you use the scrubbing brush that you are cleaning your dog, not scrubbing your kitchen floor. Dogs have tender skin, and rough treatment will put them off having a bath.

This applies to making sure you dont get soap in their eyes. You dont like it, so why would you expect them to?

Slipping around, stinging soaps, and rough treatment are not the way to your dogs heart. If you want hassle-free dog bathing, be gentle, and they will be happy to come back for more next time.

Dogs Like More It if They Are Pampered

Dogs do love being pampered, and they love having all your attention. It makes them feel good.

Once the washing part is over, let the water out of the bath and wrap your dog in a big fluffy towel.

The worst is over for your dog, they can relax now.

But first, what about that treat you promised them? Although it is technically bribing them to take a bath, it is worth it. They will remember the reward and wont be so reluctant to submit to the bathing process again.

Hot air from a human blow dryer can be too hot for them, so either let them air dry in a sunny spot or use a blow dryer designed for dogs. They have lower temperatures and wont burn them.

Brush your dog as they dry to remove all those itchy loose hairs that have come out during bath time.

After the bath is also a good time to gently dry inside their ears and around their eyes with a soft cloth, taking note of the condition of both. Give them the once-over check to ensure they dont have any strange lumps, cuts, or parasites clinging to their fur.

By now they will be ready to play. Your dog may burst into zoomie mode, and race around and around the house like a lunatic. That is normal, it is just joy after all the attention and the freedom to move around again.

A Dog Can Have a Specific Bathing Related Fear

Some dogs are scared of being bathed, and thats ok. You just need to use a different approach. Often it is a perceived fear of something different that they shy away from. They love the feeling once it is over, responding with energetic games of tug of war or hide the treat games.

But fear is to be respected. And there are many reasons that your dog cant explain that they may be reluctant to have a bath.

The reasons they may be scared could be;

They may have had a bad experience before.
If you are stressed, they will get upset too.
The noise of the running water and soapy smells of the bath are scary.
The tiled floor is slippery to walk on they may feel insecure.
The water is too deep for them.
The water is too hot/cold neither is fun.
You are holding them too firmly as the water rises.
You may be a bit rough washing them.
They may feel constrained when you hold them.
They may be a timid dog who takes time to adjust to new things.

If your dog is a new pet, keep the bath short and sweet. Allow them time to become more confident in their new home before bathing them if you can.

Mats are my secret weapon when it comes to bathing my dog. It allows them to keep their footing which is important to a pooch.

Holding your dog too firmly (as in pushing them downwards) can scare your dog, especially if they are small.

They can become fearful of the water going over their head and not being able to breathe. Let some water out to reassure them that they wont drown.

Be calm, dont use force or try to push them under the water. Keep the water level low, and use a portable spray head so you can gently spray the soap off and keep it away from their eyes.

In Summary.

Dogs do feel better after a bath. All the attention, the treats, that clean feeling, and no tangles it makes it worth having a bath.

But they arent so keen on the PROCESS of having a bath

From your dogs point of view, it can be scary what with all that water and the unfamiliar bath surface that is slippery causing them to lose their footing it can make it a nightmare.

Then add in their normally patient human growling at them, and suddenly the bathing practice becomes a bit of a chore.

But if you keep your cool and make the experience a positive occasion, your dog will come to love their bath

If you can change the process to a fun routine, then you are onto a winning streak.

Once you make bathing a normal, happy routine, full of fun with a few treats and cuddles, then the only problem you will have is getting them to get out of the bath at the end!!

Beware of overdoing the bathing of your dog though, as too much can strip the natural oils from their skin, causing irritating skin problems and making their coat prone to matting.

Once or twice a month for the average dog who does not get into too much of a mess is fine. The dog who excels getting dirty and smelly, well, you will need to do it more often unless they live outside!

Writer: Jean Brewer

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