Chihuahuas are probably the most notorious dogs available. They are like mini tigers who aren’t afraid of any animal whether big or small.
However, there is one thing that makes them take a U-turn instantly, and that is taking a bath.
Like many other dog breeds, Chihuahua too is scared of taking showers. They hate water so much that they would do literally anything to not do it.
Some even have noticed them faking an injury or appearing sick just to avoid getting wet.
Though most Chihuahuas don’t like bathing, there is still a way that can help you in cleaning up your Chihuahua.
In this post, we are going to discover some techniques you can apply to encourage your small companion to take the bath.
How to Make Them Bath?
The first and the only way to make it possible is to make bath time fun for your puppy. Directly splashing water at your puppy might scare him and make him more afraid of water.
Try to use his favorite snack to attract him towards the bathing area. You can hold his favorite snack in your hand while bathing; however, remember, first your puppy will analyze the situation and probably calculate the risk before coming near you.
Once he feels safe, he will slowly take his step toward that snack. Make sure to have more than one piece of that snack so that your puppy can stay with you longer.
Once your puppy starts to chew the snack, slowly rub him with a little bit of water. Don’t splash!
Throwing a high amount of water at him could make him run away and never come back to you again when you are bathing. So keep that in mind.
Food is the only way to teach your dog anything. No toy, no love, and no high voice. Only food.
Why Remaining Calm While Teaching Your Puppy Is So Important?
Dogs are not human; they don’t understand your language. They only understand positive and negative feelings. When you raise your voice or beat your puppy, it makes your puppy feel defensive. The more defensive your dog gets, the more aggressive he is going to turn.
People who think that beating or forcing an animal into doing things works are wrong not just morally but also scientifically.
This mindset unfortunately was prevalent among people of the Stone Age. But science has come a long way now, especially psychology. We now understand animals more than ever before.
There are in fact tons of books and research papers on this topic. Some people use it to control bigger and stronger animals such as a lion, elephant, and rhino.
So basically what I am trying to say is, you must not get upset and start shouting at your dog just because it is taking a longer time to learn. You need to, foremost, relax and stay calm.
Becoming aggressive towards your dog can only make things worse.
I hope you understand.