Kevin And Towels....

[fourofem]

I discovered his dislike of towels early on...whenever it's raining or whatever wet is falling, I always dry mine off as they come back in. The first time I ever tried that with Kev, he went ballistic (ugly ballistic). I just brushed it off as him being too crowded in the utility room with all of the others. Next nasty weather, I tried again with the same result. I was like "okay buddy...you just lay around wet and cold and see how you like it". I was really nervous about our first baths outside last spring. I saved him until last to see how he would do. I used a hand towel wrapped around my hand and he was okay for a few seconds and then went off. I let him dry off outside. Sometime during the summer, he stayed out with me too long while I was cutting grass and all of a sudden I realized he was way overheated. I got him inside and he laid right down on the tile floor and when I tried to put a damp towel over him he just about took my head off. We're having a really wet, yucky snow tonight that almost soaks them when they go out. Last time out, I dried everyone off as they came in. As soon as Kevin saw me with the towel in my hand, he growled and slunk over to his bed. I didn't even try. What in the world would cause him to be so adverse to towels? We've gotten past just about all his little quirks but I can't figure this one out. Anyone have any advice on reintroducing towels? Weren't they ever bathed when they raced? After he was retired, he had a hard time being placed and was bounced around a bit but not sure if that would have anything to do with it. I just hate that he has to go lay down soaking wet (and it's cold outside). Wash cloths maybe?

[Guest Adrianne]

I don't really have any practical advice, just some "here's what I would try." I would probably start with lying towels on the dog beds and gauging his reaction. Maybe if the towel wasn't coming after him........

[LBass]

As a stop gap while you work on the towel monster issue, if he accepts coats or jammies you might try a terry coat to put on when he comes in wet as a way of surreptitiously drying him off.

[cleptogrey]

just leave him in the kitchen w/ a mound of open towels to nest in. greys dry of really fast and let him hang for a while, kitchens clean up really fast as well.

[Guest Lakota]

Is he afraid of the towel if it is lying on the floor, or just when you are coming at him with it? If he's afraid of the towel itself, do some desensitization work with him.

 

Alternatively, if he is really so freaked out by towels, try blow drying him when he's wet. Start slowly, with the blow dryer just running near by as you give him love and treats, let him explore it when it's not turned on. Then slowly introduce it. Most dogs love it once they've been exposed. The short hair on greys means it shouold take very long to blow him dry.

 

Good luck

[TheFullHouse]

Greyhounds are cooled down with a hose or in a dunk tank at the track after racing. They are wiped down also on occasion but for the most part not, so if it were me, I'd just muzzle him, wipe him down and be done with it.

 

Just because I would do this doesn't by any stretch make it right.

Edited January 27, 2011 by JillysFullHouse

[Guest thedozer]

That's very interesting. Dozer seems to have a similar aversion to blankets. We've tried covering him when it gets cold in the house but he runs away whenever we set a blanket near him, he has even growled at us. He's okay if the blanket is already on his bed when he lays down, but is freaked out if you walk up and put it next to him. We've wondered if something happened to him at some point to cause that behavior. Or maybe he just feels the blanket is invading his space. Anyway, he now wears jammies at night and I covered one of his beds with a heated throw to keep him warm.

[Guest TBSFlame]

Greyhounds are cooled down with a hose or in a dunk tank at the track after racing. They are wiped down also on occasion but for the most part not, so if it were me, I'd just muzzle him, wipe him down and be done with it.

 

Just because I would do this doesn't by any stretch make it right.

 

 

I am glad mine all run to be dried. lol. The love it. I agree with Judy, I would muzzle and dry as fast as possible.

[Maddiesmom]

Kevin,

 

MaDdie heer. The Momma laddy is just trying too helps youz so youz don't catches a cold. I hate baths and being cold and wet butts I's let Mommy dry me off, and then I runs around likes a mad woman and rubs up against anything (the couch). Cut yourz Momma laddy a break and let her dry youz off.

 

MaDdie

[fourofem]

Kevin,

 

MaDdie heer. The Momma laddy is just trying too helps youz so youz don't catches a cold. I hate baths and being cold and wet butts I's let Mommy dry me off, and then I runs around likes a mad woman and rubs up against anything (the couch). Cut yourz Momma laddy a break and let her dry youz off.

 

MaDdie

 

MaDdie,

 

I will pass this advice along to him when I get home this afternoon. I'll let him answer!

 

Blair

[Guest Lakota]

That's very interesting. Dozer seems to have a similar aversion to blankets. We've tried covering him when it gets cold in the house but he runs away whenever we set a blanket near him, he has even growled at us. He's okay if the blanket is already on his bed when he lays down, but is freaked out if you walk up and put it next to him. We've wondered if something happened to him at some point to cause that behavior. Or maybe he just feels the blanket is invading his space. Anyway, he now wears jammies at night and I covered one of his beds with a heated throw to keep him warm.

Lakota is the same with blankets. When I first got her she would really freak out if I even picked up a blanket near her, but I was always able to towel her when she was wet. She didn't love it and I never put it over her head as that really scared her. Now she's ok with it, but still doesn't want to be covered with a blanket.

[fourofem]

Kevin,

 

MaDdie heer. The Momma laddy is just trying too helps youz so youz don't catches a cold. I hate baths and being cold and wet butts I's let Mommy dry me off, and then I runs around likes a mad woman and rubs up against anything (the couch). Cut yourz Momma laddy a break and let her dry youz off.

 

MaDdie

 

MaDdie,

 

I will pass this advice along to him when I get home this afternoon. I'll let him answer!

 

Blair

 

 

Yo MaDdie,

 

It's me, Kevin. Thanks for the input. I don't know why I don't like towels or muzzles...they just scare me. When I get scared, I growl and sometimes act bad. I'm trying to do better...Momma tells me I'm doing better. I like baths...they feel good. I don't run around all crazy when I'm wet like my brothers and sisters...I just shake it all off and lay in the dirt. That way, when I'm all dry, Momma uses that rubber thing to get all the dirt off....I love that rubber thing! It was pretty cold last night and it took me a long time to get warm....maybe there is something to that towel business that I'm missing. Momma put a big beach towel on my bed tonight but Stella is laying on it. As soon as she gets up, maybe I'll give it a try...it looks pretty scary...it's pink. I'll let you know.

 

I know you already have a boyfriend but I'll be looking for you in June in case you have second thoughts about hooking up.

 

Hugs and kisses,

Kev

[Guest PhillyPups]

Do you rub him often, just gentle stroking while, say watching TV? Try it with the terry cloth mitts on.

 

Secondly I do not tolerate any of mine trying to play Kujo on me at any time. Mine know it is not game time when I go to do something with them. AnnaBanana hates nails being tone by me - she gets muzzled - I do her nails, she snarks, I firmly tap on her muzzle - dhe no longer snarks. Someday she may realize it is gonna get done might as well suck it up.

[Batmom]

Joseph doesn't mind a blanket/towel being draped over him but he does not like to be rubbed with it -- could be that is Kevin's problem. I think Joseph has ticklish bits. If he gets wet (oh the horror), I just sort of pat as dry as possible.

[Maddiesmom]

Kevin,

 

MaDdie heer. The Momma laddy is just trying too helps youz so youz don't catches a cold. I hate baths and being cold and wet butts I's let Mommy dry me off, and then I runs around likes a mad woman and rubs up against anything (the couch). Cut yourz Momma laddy a break and let her dry youz off.

 

MaDdie

 

MaDdie,

 

I will pass this advice along to him when I get home this afternoon. I'll let him answer!

 

Blair

 

 

Yo MaDdie,

 

It's me, Kevin. Thanks for the input. I don't know why I don't like towels or muzzles...they just scare me. When I get scared, I growl and sometimes act bad. I'm trying to do better...Momma tells me I'm doing better. I like baths...they feel good. I don't run around all crazy when I'm wet like my brothers and sisters...I just shake it all off and lay in the dirt. That way, when I'm all dry, Momma uses that rubber thing to get all the dirt off....I love that rubber thing! It was pretty cold last night and it took me a long time to get warm....maybe there is something to that towel business that I'm missing. Momma put a big beach towel on my bed tonight but Stella is laying on it. As soon as she gets up, maybe I'll give it a try...it looks pretty scary...it's pink. I'll let you know.

 

I know you already have a boyfriend but I'll be looking for you in June in case you have second thoughts about hooking up.

 

Hugs and kisses,

Kev

 

 

 

Kev

 

Mommy and I wills be leading the charity walk in town on friday night through Gatlinburg. Come join us.

 

MaDdie

[GeorgeofNE]

Greyhounds are cooled down with a hose or in a dunk tank at the track after racing. They are wiped down also on occasion but for the most part not, so if it were me, I'd just muzzle him, wipe him down and be done with it.

 

Just because I would do this doesn't by any stretch make it right.

 

 

I'm with Judy here.

[cleptogrey]

Greyhounds are cooled down with a hose or in a dunk tank at the track after racing. They are wiped down also on occasion but for the most part not, so if it were me, I'd just muzzle him, wipe him down and be done with it.

 

Just because I would do this doesn't by any stretch make it right.

 

 

I'm with Judy here.

 

 

me too, just do it! muzzle and do it fast, sorta like ripping a bandaid off a young kid, they scream, carry on and then some...just do it! they forget as soon as you give them a treat..