My dog hates water. How can I get her to like baths and conquer her fear?

Question

Hi there! We got my dog when she was 4 months old, and since then she's never liked water. We can't bathe her, and she refuses to sit in even a sink full of water, even if there's no running water. Any advice on how to help her conquer her fears? Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | unspayed | 6 months and 16 days old

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Great question! One important thing to do is to stay calm and don't show stress. Maisy will pick up on your stress, and will react accordingly. I would make bath time fun for her, and make is a positive place for her to be in. You can bring food into the tub, such as small treats, to feed her. Reward her when she stays still and tries not to get out the tub. You can also give her toys to play with, which will make it more fun to be in the tub. Be careful about the water temperature. I would keep it lukewarm, as warm water may be a shock to her. There is step by step training you can do to help her get used to a bath, and I will put a link to a website below that details this for you: http://pets.thenest.com/make-dog-like-taking-baths-4303.html

My dog hates water. How can I get her to like baths and conquer her fear?

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