Blow Dryer Issues

[Starlette]

Today, I gave Julie a bath before her surgery (spay) tomorrow.
This approximately the fourth (maybe third)time I bathed her.
She runs from and bites the blow dryer.
Do you have any other comments to add. I want her to enjoy bath time without having to be terrified of what will happen next.

Starlette

I read this thread: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ing-world.html

[MandiesMom]

The only recommendation I have is to make sure the dryer is on low and if it is a loud one, look around for one meant for pets as they are usually a bit quieter. Put the dryer on a stand so you have both hands free.

Then, you can use both hands to comb thru her hair and pet her and sooth her. Give little treats along the way. Build up to how long you have the dryer blowing on her. Just a few seconds at first - break - comb and treat - talking calm and soothing. Then repeat - building how long you keep the dryer on as you go.

Soon, she will associate the dryer with treats

[ilovejoel]

For Joel it just took time for him to get used to it. At first he didn't like it but I just ignore it and he likes it now. That's how I get him used to everything, lol

[Ldyrev1]

Princess Sophie doesn't really like the blow dryer either but she likes being cold less. LOL I make sure I use the lowest setting which is still warm and keep moving the head of the dryer over her body that way she doesn't get too much warm air on any one part of her body. I should probably film it because I'm sure I look pretty funny trying to keep a hold of her and get her dry. LOL

[Cha0t1c]

My oldest female (Star) HATED the blow dryer when we first brought her and her sister (Shadow) home. Star now LOVES the blow dryer. She will try to push any other dog out of the way so she can be in front of it and she will start burrowing in the towel so she can get comfortable for you to make her all pretty and dry. She starts barking every time I pull it out lol its hilarious

[MyTrixie143]

Originally Posted by Cha0t1c

My oldest female (Star) HATED the blow dryer when we first brought her and her sister (Shadow) home. Star now LOVES the blow dryer. She will try to push any other dog out of the way so she can be in front of it and she will start burrowing in the towel so she can get comfortable for you to make her all pretty and dry. She starts barking every time I pull it out lol its hilarious

That is so funny because my Destiny is just like that. As soon as she hears the blow dryer she comes running. So anytime I'm trying to dry my own hair or another dog's hair, she's there hogging it all, lol.

Honestly it just takes some awhile to get use to it. The more you do it they more they will get comfortable with it. I've always had puppies that hated the hair dryer in the beginning but as time went on they accepted it and even started enjoying it. For some it took many baths for them to get use to while others only needed a couple baths before they got use to it.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Don't soothe her or speak to her when she is shaking fearfully as that tends only to reinforce her fear and make her think you are agreeing with her fear reaction and shaking. When she stops shaking, praise her.

Desensitize her to the dryer a little every hour. Have her sit beside you, turn it on about 3 feet away from you and give her a treat. Turn it off. Turn it on and give her a treat. Turn it off. Turn i on and give her a treat. Turn it off. Do this 5 or 6 times and then release her to go about her day but leave the hair dryer lying around - on the couch, the floor, outside - wherever she is just have it there physically present so she will grow accustomed to its being around. But every hour that you are home, put it on one end of the couch, set her beside you and turn it on, treat her. Repeat until you have done this 5 or 6 times in a row and then release her to go about her day again with that hair dryer being placed near.

Get the picture? You are slowly but surely taking the power it has over her away by making it part of her day and its sound part of each hour. Believe me, if you will keep it up, she will grow quite used to that sound to the point that she barely reacts to it. When that happens, move it half way closer and continue with the 5 or 6 turning on/treating sessions and release her, remembering to keep that dryer near her as she goes about her day.

In time, turn it on and blow her with it, put it right down and treat her. Repeat a time or two and release her. You just want to do 3 blowing sessions but keep the sessions up hourly.

Before long, you can increase the amount of time that you are blowing her with the dryer and the times you turn it on and blow her hair and treat each time. Before long, she will allow you to dry her a long, long time and will be used to the whole process.

Slowly working up to and repetitively doing things often and over and over and associating them with delicious food treats will allow her to associate the dryer with food, which is good to her and will in time understand that it never does hurt her and she'll lose her fear of it and when that happens, she won't try to bite it or be scared of it.

But keep each training session very short so even when she feels fear, she will understand that it's over very quickly in only about 5 or 6 times and then she's free to go on with her life. And the fact that that drying(turned off) is everywhere she goes and everywhere she plays and even beside her food bowl will soon cause her to realize that mostly it is quiet and doesn't do anything and she'll learn it's not the bugger she thinks it is now

[Starlette]

@yorkietalkjilly

Thank you. Understood. I'll start training tomorrow

[mimimomo]

They're afraid (or don't like) of the swooshing sounds made by the dryer. What you can do is hold the dryer w/out moving your wrist & just move it slowly up & down w/your arm. Avoid the head area if they don't like it. It helps if you have a nozzle @ the end to direct air flow & always use a cool or low setting.
I have one that hates the dryer (Mimi) & she'll make this weird cat like cries & yawns like cwazzie, it makes me laugh every time, poor girl loll.

[DBlain]

I think a lot of dogs are afraid of the blow dryer because in general most don't like to be cold, wet, and bathed, so they are already a bit scared by the time the dryer starts.

What I do is I use an adjustable stand for the dryer, I bought it for myself to use when I had hand surgery and 5 years later use it almost daily for myself and for grooming Lola. I place Lola on a towel in a laundry basket on the counter and then alternate between brushing, petting, and kissing her while it is running, this way she can't move much and I have both hands free to attend to her.

[DBlain]

I bought mine at the drug store, but have not seen it there again, I just did a search and found the exact one I use and boy it is cheap, in fact I am going to have one sent to NY to my folks house, when I visit there I really hate not having a hands free blow dryer to use. If anyone buys it just make sure you have it secure when you adjust it, a few times when I was not careful the pole slid down, the last thing you would want is to have it clunk your dog on the head, that would surely not help with curing a fear of the hair dryer

Hands Free Hair Dryer Stand :: adjustable height

[DBlain]

this is weird, not long after I posted on this thread, I was using the hair dryer thinking about these posts and how much I like the stand, well the darn blow dryer just about blew up in my face, it started making a horrific noise and then sparks started flying and there was bad burning smell all I could think about was thankfully I was not using it on Lola. So I just added new hair dryer to my list of things to get at the store today, I swear me bragging about my dryer stand jinxed me

[MandiesMom]

Originally Posted by DBlain

this is weird, not long after I posted on this thread, I was using the hair dryer thinking about these posts and how much I like the stand, well the darn blow dryer just about blew up in my face, it started making a horrific noise and then sparks started flying and there was bad burning smell all I could think about was thankfully I was not using it on Lola. So I just added new hair dryer to my list of things to get at the store today, I swear me bragging about my dryer stand jinxed me

Oh my gosh!! Scary!!!

[Starlette]

Thank you all for your suggestions. You all have given me some great tools to integrate to desensitize Julie's negative reactions towards blow dryers. I will order the adjustable stand for the blow dryer and purchase a small blow dryer today to begin with. I love her sooo much.

@DBlain: I’m glad you’re ok.

Thank you all.
Starlette

[DBlain]

for the adjustable dryer one with a longer nozzle works a bit better. Good luck hope everything works out for you.