One of the most “agonizing” chores for a Shiba inu puppy owner is Dog Bath Time. Let’s face it; most dogs don’t really enjoy getting wet. So, how can you give your dog a bath without making him mad at you?

Fun Fact: Do you know that dogs often prefer showers to baths? That’s because they can get sprinkled rather than immersed.

5 Quick Tips to help you get a better result in Dog Bath Time.

Tip One: Encourage your dog to swim. If you’re a swimming pool or you can take your dog to the beach (not the best option for young dogs), encourage him to get into the water. You could toss in his favorite toy to coax him to swim. Once he gets over the fear, he will enjoy being wet. Then, the bath will not be so challenging. Of course, you should never “throw” your dog into the water and should never be forced into any of these situations.

Tip Two: Action begins in the bathtub. Start with just a few inches of water in the bathtub. Remember the level of water doesn’t go beyond his chest or he may be too afraid to get in especially the tub is slippery and may not get a secure footing. It would be wiser to have a rubber mat line at the bottom of the tub to give him a sense of security; otherwise, a bath towel will do just fine too.

Tip Three: Your behavior matters. If you are trying to give your dog a bath and he is fighting with you and if you begin to ruffle and fight with him, he is not going to cooperate with you at all. Instead, talk soothingly and calmly to your pet. Encourage him to relax by say reassuring things like “good boy”, “clever girl” and “good job” as these will show him that he is not being harmed as well as that he is behaving right. Once you begin to settle your dog through soothing language, he is likely to stay and relax while you begin to lather him with dog shampoo.

Tip Four: Make it fun. Once he begins enjoys the comfortable surrounding water, you may want to increase the water level to a few more inches. Take a floating toy and push it to the bottom. Hold it there for a few seconds then release your hand. Your dog will be very excited to see the instant appearance of his favorite toy. Now do it again, but hold it much longer. He may duck his head into the water to retrieve it. If not, don’t despair. Not all dogs are born retrievers. Just don’t give up, he will soon learn to fun in water after a few more tries.

Tip Five: Make it relaxing. Your dog bath time should be comfortable, if not fun for him. Be gentle to scrub his coat and slowly work your way to his skin. Give him the best massage that you can offer. Gently wash his coat down to the skin and rinse him off. It’s not possible to keep the water out of his eyes, but what you could avoid is to flash water (either through showerhead or water bucket) directly onto his face and eyes. Instead, you could rinse from the head down as you work the lather off his muzzle, jaws, and ears. Dogs enjoy being massaged and petted so make those hard-to-get-by areas pleasurable. This is what it will feel like in a proper bath.

What’s the Best Way to get Young Puppy to Enjoy his Bathing Routine?

In any event, should you found yourself with a very young puppy (under 8 weeks) by unforeseen situations; then the above dog bathing tips are not advisable, to begin with.

The golden tip I’d advise for novice dog owners is to get the puppy to enjoy his bath time is sponge bath using no lather dog shampoo. Your primary goal is to get him accustomed to water, so try not to fuss over the “cleanliness” of heavy lather from regular dog shampoo. Make the first couple experiences as short as possible. Ten minutes at most. As your puppy progresses with the bathing routine, take this opportunity to play with him through massages and petting, as you work on those often neglected areas like “armpits”, groins, underneath and in-between paw pads.

During my early days in dog breeding, I started training my puppies for a bath when they were about a week old. I’d soak a cotton pad in lukewarm water, squeeze it semi-dry then gently wipe their entire bodies with it like their mother would do (lick) to facilitate them in their excretions. The best method is to go in the same direction as hair growth. This is especially so when you are working on your puppy face, in order to make it as pleasurable and soothing as possible.

Once your dog enjoys the bath time routine, he will beg you to wash him once he got himself dirty at plays. There are some clever dogs will join in with you when you are having your shower.

Dog bath time doesn’t have to be a chore. And if you still having difficulties getting him to corporate with you then take him to the professional dog groomers. It would be good if you stay to watch how they get your dog to listen and behave during a bath. Bathing is a necessary thing to do to your dog, but it doesn’t have to be a battle.