Lilly the Dog Trainer: Teaching Your Dog to Bathe

In this article, dog trainer Lilly Norfeldt shares her tips for teaching dogs to enjoy bathing. Lilly is an H-certified dog instructor and behaviourist.

Does your dog hate water? Don't worry, you can often teach them to enjoy bathing! Here are a few things I've found really help:

• Take a doggy friend who loves water to the beach! It can be great inspiration.

• Never force your dog, but encourage small steps in the right direction.

• Don't try to trick them either – it usually has the opposite effect.

• Make water less daunting! Play fun games, hang out by the water's edge, and keep it relaxed and pressure-free.

• Keep expectations realistic. Your dog might not be doing cannonballs this summer, but if they dare to dip their paws and wade in a little, that's a huge win!

• Don't make it a massive deal. Treat water like any other surface your dog needs to get used to. Whether it's a grate or a puddle, you probably already know what helps them tackle new challenges – use that same approach here!

You can also use classic shaping techniques, like clicker training!Here's a video where I teach my dog to enter a crate. You can use the exact same principles for water. Reward tiny steps, like just looking at the water, and then gradually increase the difficulty (with plenty of breaks in between).

If your dog loves swimming (perhaps a bit too much!), a life jacket is a brilliant idea. It helps them use their muscles correctly and is also handy for reeling them in, whether with a lead or even a boat hook!

Here are a couple of other issues that can sometimes happen after swimming:

• Limber tail (or 'cold tail'): This is a temporary paralysis of the tail. You'll notice it because the tail will just hang! Be sure to keep the base of the tail dry after swimming to help prevent this.

• Hot spots: These look like eczema and can be very itchy. They can also occur if the dog stays damp and often need treatment.

I'm feeling inspired to go for a swim myself now! I'm off to pack my swimsuit and my dog's life jacket for a trip to the sea. Have a wonderful summer, and remember, if anything happens, FirstVet is here for you when you're a Lassie customer. It's so reassuring to have expert advice if an accident occurs!