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kionini · 02-13-2011, 10:02 AM

Mine were afraid too

But it's gotten way better. They still run and hide, they don't like showers, but they actually come back after the shower to get blow dried

. Nicky loves blow dry (he takes a nap while I'm drying him off).
Here's what I did: I would start singing a shower song I made up every time I was getting ready for my shower (happy, upbeat attitute type of singing). Since they nap on my bed while waiting for me to be done in the shower, I leave the door open and let them watch me using the blow dryer. All the while I'm smiling and saying things like, oooh, nice dry-dry

They hide when they hear the water from the bathtub because they now know it's their turn, but when I finally get Nicky, which is always the first to get showered, I give him a treat and start singing the shower song again.
I'm very careful with his face, since their eyes are so delicate and they hate water near their nose and ears.
I dry him off with the towel--carefully, because it can be painful to rub their skin and hair, and let him go on the floor to shake off the rest for a bit, he comes back, I use another smaller towel, and he goes off again. Then I do the same with Nini.

This helped, along with a dog shower hose I bought at Petsmart and a mat so that they don't slip all over the tub. I also make sure my feet are inside the tub so that I can feel the temperature of the water. I test the temperature in the sensitive areas (behind my knees and ankle area), just like testing a baby bottle for an infant's feeding

. Niky likes it a little warmer and Nini prefers it a bit cooler.

I have the feeling that the blow dryer made the biggest difference, though

. I bought "Infinity Pro by Conair" $35 and I gotta tell you, I love it for them (I don't make a dime on this endorsement in any way shape or form).
I tested it at the store to see if the warm air temperature changed on this dryer like it does on my other dryers at home. It did not

and that's why I bought it, thinking of my babies and their fear at drying time after a bath. I can even use the high setting on the "cool" section, but the air is NOT cold, it's warm, unless I keep my finger on the blue button for 'cold'.

I can get very close to the skin and not worry about burning my babies

.
At the groomer's the air they use to dry them IS COLD. I tried it on myself (cold air) while my hair was wet and I did not enjoy that at all. That's why my babies would shake uncontrollably when taken out of the groomer's "drying kennels" they were freezing

I also tried warm air on my wet hair, but after a few seconds, it would get too hot.
Warm is good, BUT on wet hair it feels like someone turned on the AC.

So, I use the warm setting at about 8" away from the babies and move it vigorously and constantly, so it doesn't feel too warm. If I notice that they're shaking, I go with the cool setting and move close to the skin so that it doesn't feel too cold on the wet hair and skin.

I play it by ear now that I know that they were afraid of the temperature changes on my old dryers and different taste in water temperature of my fur-butts

02-13-2011, 10:02 AM	#7
kionini YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Stroudsburg, PA. USA Posts: 514	Mine were afraid too But it's gotten way better. They still run and hide, they don't like showers, but they actually come back after the shower to get blow dried . Nicky loves blow dry (he takes a nap while I'm drying him off). Here's what I did: I would start singing a shower song I made up every time I was getting ready for my shower (happy, upbeat attitute type of singing). Since they nap on my bed while waiting for me to be done in the shower, I leave the door open and let them watch me using the blow dryer. All the while I'm smiling and saying things like, oooh, nice dry-dry They hide when they hear the water from the bathtub because they now know it's their turn, but when I finally get Nicky, which is always the first to get showered, I give him a treat and start singing the shower song again. I'm very careful with his face, since their eyes are so delicate and they hate water near their nose and ears. I dry him off with the towel--carefully, because it can be painful to rub their skin and hair, and let him go on the floor to shake off the rest for a bit, he comes back, I use another smaller towel, and he goes off again. Then I do the same with Nini. This helped, along with a dog shower hose I bought at Petsmart and a mat so that they don't slip all over the tub. I also make sure my feet are inside the tub so that I can feel the temperature of the water. I test the temperature in the sensitive areas (behind my knees and ankle area), just like testing a baby bottle for an infant's feeding . Niky likes it a little warmer and Nini prefers it a bit cooler. I have the feeling that the blow dryer made the biggest difference, though . I bought "Infinity Pro by Conair" $35 and I gotta tell you, I love it for them (I don't make a dime on this endorsement in any way shape or form). I tested it at the store to see if the warm air temperature changed on this dryer like it does on my other dryers at home. It did not and that's why I bought it, thinking of my babies and their fear at drying time after a bath. I can even use the high setting on the "cool" section, but the air is NOT cold, it's warm, unless I keep my finger on the blue button for 'cold'. I can get very close to the skin and not worry about burning my babies . At the groomer's the air they use to dry them IS COLD. I tried it on myself (cold air) while my hair was wet and I did not enjoy that at all. That's why my babies would shake uncontrollably when taken out of the groomer's "drying kennels" they were freezing I also tried warm air on my wet hair, but after a few seconds, it would get too hot. Warm is good, BUT on wet hair it feels like someone turned on the AC. So, I use the warm setting at about 8" away from the babies and move it vigorously and constantly, so it doesn't feel too warm. If I notice that they're shaking, I go with the cool setting and move close to the skin so that it doesn't feel too cold on the wet hair and skin. I play it by ear now that I know that they were afraid of the temperature changes on my old dryers and different taste in water temperature of my fur-butts __________________ Nini & Nicky (kids) Katt (mommy)