# Ceylon's first home 'grooming/bath' (pics!)



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

We've been brushing Ceylon almost every day but only casually while he is laying in our laps, and clipping his nails when he is almost asleep (he squirms less that way!). Today we decided to officially start introducing him to a grooming table (-like) situation and a bath. (You will laugh when you see my 'grooming table', it's a towel on our coffee table with Cey's leash hooked gently around him and to a chair!) We just started clicker training him, and with plenty of praise and clicks/treats, he did just fine with the 'grooming table' for a quick brush and handling each of his paws (and even clipping an occasional nail or two!):


















The bath was another story. Here he is pre-watering-down, looking decidedly uncomfortable (and quite obviously trying to measure his chances of jumping out):









We were able to wet him down and kept praising and click/treat-ing him, but he got progressively uncomfortable until he reached the point where he stopped being interested in the treats after a click - at which point I decided that he had had enough (despite my considerable desire to give him a full bath with the shampoo and conditioner I had for him!). Although he was not soaped and I was unable to get a good picture of him standing, here is a pic I did manage to take of his front legs, something I have been wanting to do for a while - yes, I know he should be soaped, and standing, not sitting, and his right leg is slightly forward which probably even further invalidates the quality of this image insofar as evaluating his legs, but I am now pretty confident that his legs are in fact straight (any 'bumps' you see are because his legs weren't really soaped, so his fur wouldn't really lie completely flat):









And simply for your viewing pleasure, here are a couple of full-body wet dog pics! SOOOO cute! He looks so TINY without all of his fur sticking out everywhere! 


















He VERY much didn't like the hair dryer, so we only did it for a couple of minutes. His hair is not long yet, and the entire purpose of this first grooming/bath was to start getting him used to being groomed and bathed, so we weren't too worried about getting everything done completely this first time. Here he is partially dry, accepting love from my daughter (and being glad to be away from the evil hair dryer!):









The most important thing IMO was that he didn't lose confidence either in himself or in us after this experience, and in that sense I think his first grooming/bath session was a complete success. Within a couple of minutes he was happily playing with Elissa with his toy. It's almost impossible for me to get a good picture of him when he is moving with my current equipment, so you will have to accept that the brown ball of fur that you see is really a very happy Ceylon playing contentedly, even if he is still a little bit wet!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

COngratulations!! Sounds like a BIG day for the little guy!!! and yes, his legs do look straight to me too!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Those are great shots of him. Ceylon looks like he has good chest and muscles along with his strait legs


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

TilliesMom said:


> COngratulations!! Sounds like a BIG day for the little guy!!! and yes, his legs do look straight to me too!





Suzi said:


> Those are great shots of him. Ceylon looks like he has good chest and muscles along with his strait legs


Aw thanks Tammy and Suzi! I got him without soaped-down pics even though I knew they were supposed to be sort of important... I didn't realize how important they were until after I got him, when I joined this forum and read about the problems that havs can have with their legs, so I have been anxious to get a good picture of his legs since then. So far, he seems ok!

And yes, I consider this a huge day for him, and even though he didn't last long enough to get a real bath, I think he did GREAT! And, isn't he SO cute all watered down?!


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

very cute pictures.Yes, the key is to start them early. Whimsy still isn't crazy about getting a bath, but she tolerates it. Now when it comes brushing and combing, I think she actually enjoys it!
Ceylon looks like a happy little pup wet or dry!


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

Good job! He's a happy boy!!!


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## Kirby (Mar 7, 2011)

This little guy is so loved! Thanks for sharing these darling pictures and the entire story behind them. I so enjoyed reading this! Ceylon is a darling pup.


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## lkwilson (Mar 6, 2011)

I haven't been able to get a sip of wine down yet, all these threads are hilarious....

Soaking Cey, oh my


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