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How Do You Bath Your Large Dog?


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I have border collies and used to do them in the bathtub and then blow dry with a normal drier or when possible would go to a friends place and borrow her setup. Then I got a shoulder injury and just couldn't cope with the bath at home anymore - too much reaching and stretching. So I would use the frieds set up which does a great job and also helped eliminate some of the grooming by lifting so much coat out with the force drier.

It was so good and that I have now invested in my own :laugh: The hydrobath got it's second use today. My dad had thought I was mad spending so much on a bath but he was here when I was using it and was amazed at how much quicker and easier it was. And the huge bonus for me is that I can actually bath and groom the dogs again without ending up in agony.

So if you can access a hydrobath and drier or get your own I would highly recommend it. And it just seems to give a better end result.

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May I suggest to all that bath the dog in the shower or bath. :rofl::rofl: :p That you be prepared for the enevitable drain blockage!!! :rofl::rofl: Been there done that :rofl: Good idea to have one of those hand held extension claws available from hardware or auto stores as they will go down a plug hole to the "S"bend and clear it. :(

Love some of the prices you get your dogs done for but I have noticed it really depends on where you live basically as to how much it costs. I often get people say it only cost say $20 in sydney why is it say $35 here. Well the climate is different and it takes longer to dry the dog. More effort or more expensive equipment needs to be used etc.

I actually got told I was a rip-off by the mother-inlaw of a groomer down here. Funny that as their prices wound up more than mine and now they have closed up. :)

Chris

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($10 per dog per week - for a basic wash and towel dry).

Weekly washes???? Why? I always thought dogs' skins were better off with more brushing and very little soap . . . which strips out the oils. I own a hydrobath, but only bathe the dogs every few months, or when they find something delightful to roll in, or before shows.

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($10 per dog per week - for a basic wash and towel dry).

Weekly washes???? Why? I always thought dogs' skins were better off with more brushing and very little soap . . . which strips out the oils. I own a hydrobath, but only bathe the dogs every few months, or when they find something delightful to roll in, or before shows.

Our boys work and they get really dirty from laying on concrete, bitumen, rolling in dirty etc. If they aren't washed weekly then they get a build up of black grime on their skin which leads to skin problems. They don't get washed with shampoo but a conditioning rinse and the pressure of the hydrobath ... which gets their skin and coat clean.

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I sooo want a hydrobath. I used to have a mobile grooming business and having to go back to washing in the tub is a total pain. I also have a bath with a shower over it, with glass doors, picture me holding a border collie and trying to get it in the bath as it holds on to the glass door for dear life! :(

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May I suggest to all that bath the dog in the shower or bath. That you be prepared for the enevitable drain blockage!!! Been there done that Good idea to have one of those hand held extension claws available from hardware or auto stores as they will go down a plug hole to the "S"bend and clear it.

Good tip

After reading this post on Friday I thought I'd give the shower a go (instead of the cold bath on the lawn)... Sable was so well behaved in the shower, only one big shake afterwards. He hated the hairdryer, nearly went through our glass window when I turned it on, so he got to dry the slow way... snoozing in front of the heater.

My OH thought I was possessed even attempting it but in true Sable style he aced it!

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ill say i took my fluffy boy toby lhasa aspo x cav yesterday to the groomers and while he did a great job, it stung me $60.00 :rofl: no clip either,, just tidy up face and under legs wash blowdry and brush.. it only cost me $30.00 at hairdressers to get my hair done..lol foils cut..

Whoo, stung alright. $60.00 is what I charge for everything plus a full clip. But others are getting more than a fair deal.

For yours ReXy I would've charged around $35.00 for a wash, blow dry, ears cleaned and plucked if needed, nails trimmed and a tidy around face, bum and belly etc.

For a standard poodle, depending on the length of the hair it would be from $40.00 to $50.00 for everything but a clip.

Hope this gives you an idea :rofl:

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I bathed my medium sized rescue girl in the shower but with her weight it was quite risky getting in and out safely as there is a high step up.

I also paid the vet to bath her once. Subsequently I went to a local dog bath place and was really impressed. Everything supplied, spotlessly clean.

My only problem was my girl was around 20 kilos and I had to lift her in to the bath and then up onto a table to dry her. I hadn't expected to have to lift her as I have a bad back but I managed and she enjoyed the whole experience. I was then considering a mobile dogwash so I wouldn't have to lift her again but sadly she died a few weeks later unexpectedly. I think it's easier for me to stick with the littlies now.

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i just bathed the 3 greys in the bath. i have an extension on the tap that makes it like a flexible shower head. killed my back thou! normally i bath them in a hydrobath which takes about 2 seconds!

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I trained my new GSD pup ( 5 months now) to go into the shower (we don't shower together :rofl: ) I have a hand held hose.

Lay some towels outside and inside the shower to prevent slipping.

Have the dry towel or towels handy so that when your dog is out of the shower, put the towel over them immediately so that the water doesn't flick everywhere when they shake.

Only let them out when they have been towel dry to your satisfaction.

Trick is not to make too much fuss about going into the shower. Let them go in themselves. They see you as the pack leader and will follow you if they see that you also shower in there and it looks fun. If you pull or drag them in, they will resist and they will associate this with being a bad experience. Same when using hairdryer, don't make a fuss. Use low settings and heat and don't stand the dryer on one spot for too long.

If you behave calmly and cool your pet will too (or soon learn too).

Edited by zoepuppy
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I live near newcastle and get my mally...hydro bathed ears cleaned nails trimmed and blow dryed the lady usually spends about 2hrs on him and all i pay is $25.00 which i think is an absolute bargain :rofl:

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Definately the hydrobath. Standard poodles in the bath are way too hasrd on your back. I have had to resort to bathing in the bath the last two weeks while the hydrobath is temporarily out of action, and its killing me!

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