Bathing WITH your Dog

sadie06

Yes, you read that correctly. On a breed specific page I am a member of on FB, one of the core members proudly boasts that she takes a bath with her dog regularly and it has become their 'thing'.

I personally think this is going too far. No matter how clean you think your dog is, would you like to sit in water that has God knows what floating in it?

The reason I am asking here, is because as of this morning none of the other members batted an eyelid at this…there was lots of LOLing and 'OMG..so cute' comments, and not one person said they thought it was bizarre.

Is it just me?

seamus

Wouldn't really bother me that much. In reality aside from the hair sticking to everything, there's not much on a dog that can do any harm to a person.

Have to question how clean anyone could get though. Neither party can use the same shampoo.

Some people find it easier to stick some swimming gear on and jump in the bath when giving the dog a wash, rather than trying lean over the bath and keep their clothes dry.

beertons

My dog is probably cleaner than me, even though she gets a wash every 2 weeks. But no, I wouldn't put her in the bath with me. Thought about putting her in with the kids though, just for the photo.

ShaShaBear

Opie has really long hair. It sticks to literally everything, and even more so when he and the object of transfer is wet. If I got into the bath with him I'd probably come back out hairier than him! :pac:

In saying that, I did have to get into the bath with my last collie. He was a runner and felt safer if someone joined him. I'd usually just hunker down in my underwear. When we lived in a flat that didn't have a bath, I'd stand in the shower with him. But that was more practical for his own sake, not because I enjoyed the aquatic bonding experience :pac:

pawrick

Having it as their thing is the weird bit for me and sounds creepy.

From a practical point of view it might be easier to manage it but I definitely would feel manky afterwards and can't see how it would be hygienic. A shower would be a better option of the two though as the water is running.

awanderer

sadie06 wrote: »

Yes, you read that correctly. On a breed specific page I am a member of on FB, one of the core members proudly boasts that she takes a bath with her dog regularly and it has become their 'thing'.

I personally think this is going too far. No matter how clean you think your dog is, would you like to sit in water that has God knows what floating in it?

The reason I am asking here, is because as of this morning none of the other members batted an eyelid at this…there was lots of LOLing and 'OMG..so cute' comments, and not one person said they thought it was bizarre.

Is it just me?

I wouldn't do it myself for the same reason that I don't let my dog lick plates but surely if that person enjoys doing it and so does the dog, then they are right to do it. They aren't harming anyone so what right do we have to decide what is wrong or right for them?

SmartinMartin

Sick puppy.

tk123

What breed is it - something small?! There wouldn't be enough room in our bath for one of the dogs and me - not that I'd want to bathe with them because the only time they're washed is if they've rolled or swam in something putrid!

borderlinemeath

The bath is hated by all our dogs, they will not willingly get in and I won't force the issue so if they need cleaning it's outdoors with the hose which they're far more tolerant of, or down to the beach for a swim. So no I wouldn't get into the bath with mine, it wouldn't be fun for either of us!

Edited to add: The bath is so hated by our dogs that when we were doing renovations and I had to move all their food and treats out of the kitchen, I stored all of it in the bath. I had nowhere else secure as we were really tight for space and as the builders were everywhere I couldn't rely on them keeping doors closed behind them. Sure enough the association with having a bath meant that nobody went near any of it!

tk123

borderlinemeath wrote: »

The bath is hated by all our dogs, they will not willingly get in and I won't force the issue so if they need cleaning it's outdoors with the hose which they're far more tolerant of, or down to the beach for a swim.

This would be my approach too tbh - I'd only use the bath if I thought it was too cold to hose them. I use the water butt water to wash them lol! :pac: Lucy hates being hosed for a wash but barks for us to spray the hose at her so she can play with the water :pac:

sadie06

A medium sized breed…

I agree it is harming nobody, but I would never dream of luxuriating in water that my dog is also seeping in, and that's what is described…not a quick dip for convenience. :-)

It takes all sorts I suppose!

tk123

Their nails would scrob you to bits?!

teggers5

My pitbull x absolutely hates being washed. It terrifies her and she's very very strong so impossible to hold when wet. I very seldom need to wash her but when I do I get in the shower with her and it's so much easier. I close the door so she can't escape.
I have someone on standby outside the bathroom to take her when she's done. I have my shower then

sillysmiles

tk123 wrote: »

Their nails would scrob you to bits?!

This.
This is the first thing I thought of.

Getting into the bath to hold/wash your dog is one thing, but bathing with you dog seems a little too sexual or something to me.

The Dogs Bollix

At my parents house, we don't have a shower door but a shower curtain.

When the dog was a puppy, it used to whine if you left it alone so i thought what harm having it lying on the bathroom floor. No, in she comes into the shower and stands there with me. It was funny, but never again.

chanelfreak

I generally have to get into the bath with them in my undies/swimmers, because the splashing and messing that goes on is unreal - they have water literally EVERYWHERE!

I dont even put the stopper in the bath anymore, as Phoebe just loves water and drives us demented pootling up and down the tub instead of staying still (ish!) and letting us clean her and Izzy is a bit scared of water.

I cannot for the life of me imagine how anyone would enjoy sitting in the bath with their pups, but maybe their dogs are just more well-behaved than mine

Dr.Internet

No, he's a very unwillingly participant when it comes to being washed. I might trick him in the first time but the second time he's have to be found and carried! the nails and just in general eurgh, no!!

A_Sober_Paddy

Dr.Internet wrote: »

No, he's a very unwillingly participant when it comes to being washed. I might trick him in the first time but the second time he's have to be found and carried! the nails and just in general eurgh, no!!

My fella is the same I put his lead on amd walk him into the shower, and he just stands there frozen with fear...once is washed and dried he runs out to the back garden and runs around and sulks for hours...the big baby

piperh

Urghh no not for me but each to their own.

On a side note I have 2 who both love a bath and stand quite happily having a wash. The big one I say head up so I can wash his face and his nose goes in the air so I can get his chin and chest. They have a rubber duck they still haven't figured out its undrownable and spend ages pushing it under the water ;-)

magicmushroom

I'd get in with them if it calmed them or made it somehow easier to bathe them. Or just because they enjoyed it.

But it wouldn't be counted as my bath for the day - I'd have my own bath or shower as normal after it!

Could be a nice bonding thing - I have 3 cats and one of them regularly sits on the side of the bath whilst I'm there, dipping her paw in the bubbles etc and playing. She loves it. So I imagine if I had a dog that wanted to get in with me because it was fun, then yeah I'd let them but I'd just clean myself again afterwards.

Bandana boy

I have never bathed my dog , he goes for a swim at least once a week and that does him . if something gets on his coat in between swims its the hose which he hates.

vagazzled

My bath is my time. Full of MY nice lotions & potions.
Do they bathe in "White 'n' Brite'?
I have a JRT of ample girth and she wouldn't like it at all. Neither would I. She's pretty strong and has very 'scrabbly' paws.
Personally I think its a bit odd, to me its bordering on something sexual.