when bathing..how do you restrain them?

[YorkieSpirit1]

Do you put on their harness, then hold the harness while you're trying
to soap them up??...how else do you keep them from jumping up your arm with their nails??..I'm talking about a 18 week old, not a mature experienced yorkie...I'm talking about a yorkie that hasn't had a bath yet!!..I can't hold her with one arm and do all the soaping, conditioning and rinsing with one arm and expect her to just stand there....not my jumping bean Emy!!...She needs a bath, and I don't know how to go about it.....our bathtub is a jacuzzi type...real deep, I can't kneel on the floor and do it..my arms are to short, out kitchen sink is stainless and a double one and I'm afraid somehow she'll get out of my grasp and fall onto floor...don't know what to do.....

[Teresa Ford]

LOL Been there too. Hop in the shower with her. It takes time and practice for her to feel safe around water. Seriously you can strip down and get in the tub with her too. You can put a bath mat or towel on the bottom of the sink or tub.

[kamax60]

Shower - so much easier.

[MikaTallulah]

Family bathtime in the tub.

I use the kitchen sink, tub sink, or bathtub for mine. The first few bath always take more time but once she is used to it- It will get easier.

[Coton Momma]

I have this and I LOVE it.
Pet Gear Blue Pup-Tub at PETCO

I got a good price on it but I can't remember where. Right now Petco is having a good sale. It has clips on BOTH sides so they can't go over either way. Drains well. Margaux is doing well with it. I can put it on the kitchen counter. Angel on the other hand, not so much. I have worked with her but she still goes crazy. For her, I put it in the bathtub but on a large plastic storage bin turned upside down. Works great. Also good for doing nails or clipping when you really need them NOT to move. I have a grooming table but that they can wiggle around on.

[shelimcallister]

It is definitely a challenge to bathe pups. It sounds like you got some great advice. Once Emy is on a routine with bathing she will know what to expect. Good luck!

[YorkieSpirit1]

I have a pet gear puptub also, and after I posted I couldn't stand it anymore, I filled it about an inch with lukewarm water and put it on the
kitchen floor, and used a wet washcloth and put her in it, held her with
one hand the soaked the washcloth and attempted to wash her, didn't get
to use shampoo, cause I only had one arm, she looked like a little drowned
rat, LOL, and she started to whine and got up on her hind legs, so I just wet her down, then wrapped her in a big towel and held on to her on the floor for a while, then I put her and the towel down on the floor and she went crazy like a bullet around the kitchen floor and into the towel!! It took a while before I could even catch her but I finally did and brushed her while she chewed on a bully stick, even though I didn't get shampoo on her this time, she is alot fluffier and even smells better. I think she feels better too by the way she zoomed around the kitchen. Hopefully next time I can get maybe some soap and conditioner on her...

[bamawife]

No kidding you have to work fast when they're puppies! If you have to put her in the shower or bathtub with you then go for it! Been there done that before!

[Coton Momma]

Oh another thing I found that helped was a big bath sponge. You can control where it goes better and only trickle it on their face. My two do NOT like to be sprayed and Angel doesn't even like a cup poured over her body. She is a real pill when it comes to a bath.

[Harrysmum]

It also helps enormously if there are 2 of you doing the bathing, for the first few times anyway, just until she gets used to it - one doing the holding, the other doing the showering and shampooing etc.

When Harry was little, I did him in the kitchen sink, in an old-fashioned washing up bowl, so he wouldn't slither around on the stainless steel.

Now he's older, he goes in the bath on 'his' bathmat, and just stands there while I shower him. It does get easier as they get older, and more used to it Good luck! Sally + Harry x

[gracielove]

I have always been able to enlist and extra pair of hands. I use the kitchen sink and the Rinse Ace pet sprayer to get the job done quickly. You can also buy a mat to in the bottom of your sink/tub to keep the puppy's feet stable and not slipping. They tend not to panic as much if their feet have a nice surface to stand on so they don't slip around. You can also just fold a towel and put it in the sink or tub for them to stand on.

Start out slow and try not to run the water at full speed. You want to try to keep the puppy calm as possible. Be prepared to get wet!

[ironmike86]

I open the shampoo and conditioner. Have everything near me. I can hold my pup with one hand. He's getting use to it. Just they need a routine and they get use to it. I usually don't wash the head yet. I use a towel and wash his wash everyday. Don't want to hurt them then they will hate it. Go figure he jumps in the pool everyday??? Almost the same as a bath..just no shampoo

[Joyce Adams]

I have been blessed with Miss Priss, she has always just stood there and I would bath and condition her hair in the kitchen sink. I started bathing her as a really little thing and she is 10 months old and still just stands there...Good luck, your baby will get used to it..some take longer than others.

[LoALAnna]

I'm very lucky to have a nice mop sink in my utility room. This is actually referred to as the "dog spa" since we've had the Boys, and it is the just the right height for me to wash the little buggers. The washing machine is right next to it and is very convenient for drying and brushing afterward.

[Judyest]

Bailee is bathed in our kitchen sink. Bath time is a two man job for my 5 1/2 Bailee.