Baths. Part V. Counter Conditioning and Desensitization

In our last post on baths, we talked about how we might make the process a bit less daunting for our pets.  If after applying those remedies, your dog still hates baths, you might need to work on desensitization and counter conditioning.

Baths. Part IV. Dogs Who Hate Baths

So far we have discussed not bathing our dogs, alternatives to pet shampoos, and what might cause our pets to be stinky.
Today begins our discussion on dogs who hate baths. Before we start talking about counter conditioning (in a later post), lets look some aspects of the bathing process that might be scary or uncomfortable for our pets.

Baths - Shampoo Alternatives

Dog shampoos can strip natural oils from our pets' coats. Some shampoos are heavy with unnecessary perfumes and chemicals. If you like to use pet shampoos, ask your vet to help you pick out a brand that has as few harmful ingredients as possible.

Stinky Dogs

Does your dog stink even though he or she gets bathed often?  Consider some of these causes of stinky dogs

It's Been a Year Since My Dogs Have Had a Bath

It's not because of neglect.  I have made a conscious decision to not bathe them. (maybe not never but definitely less often).  It wasn't a decision that I came up with all at once. I just sort of evolved into it: