That thing that dogs do...

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GirlFriday

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... You know, the pose where they have their nose towards their back legs...

Has anyone ever successfully taught an adult male dog to wash himself? And if so how?!?

He licks others (human & dog) for affection but seems to never wash himself much at all/very definitely not there.

No real idea of his history.

Currently managing the issue through washing/towelling/brushing etc but will probably clip too... and if there is anything (albeit probably stupid!) that means I don't have to do that stupid thing long term...
 
I took my lady dog to the vet fairly regularly to have the anal glands emptied , but I would be changing over to raw if he is dirty behind., and cut off any long hairs as well.
 
Ah, he is clean enough behind (although fluffy) it is specifically his boy bits (penis worse than balls!) that are yucky I'm afraid! Have acquired some clippers though...

At present he is on about half and half dried food (dinner) and tinned/packeted (breakfast). As organic as I can afford but not exclusively. I do know at least one raw place that delivers near here frozen though. Is that considered as useful as fresh raw? (Not for the cleanliness, just in general).
 
Oram said:
Maybe you just can't see when he's cleaning. It's kind of natural for dog to do that...
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He is with me close to 24/7 4 days/week so alas not. With respect to it being natural I was wondering if it might be something they learnt off their mums and maybe he didn't? E.g. if taken away too young/she was a non-licky canine too? One of his parents was something curly and I wondered if perhaps poodles etc didn't groom themselves as much?

It is certainly usually natural - never come across one that didn't before, hence no idea what to do!
 
Clipping did it!

I think he just couldn't manage with so much fur and gave up. Day or so after I took most of the tummy (and etc) fur off he started washing more of less normally.

I bathed and groomed in prep for clipping him but I'd done those things before without the same effect until the clip. Think short well slicker-brushed fur gave him enough hope to get started!
 
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