Quote Originally Posted by Throbert McGee View Post
Thanks for the correction, Zocus! The truth is, I know that от requires the genitive, not the accusative! But I first wrote собака избегает ванну, but I wasn't sure if that was correct to use the accusative with избегать, so I changed the verb to убегает and added the от, but forgot to change the case of the object noun.
Well, lets decline the words ванна and ванная (комната)
Nom - ванна/ванная
Gen - ванны/ванной
Dat - ванне/ ванной
Acc - ванну/ванную
Instr - ванной/ванной
Prep - ванне/ванной

I told you that the word is tricky

You can use the verb 'избегать' (avoid) with 'ванна' in genitive case (собака избегает ваннЫ) or in accusative case (собака избегает ванну). the meaning will be practically the same.

But anyway, when speaking about washing a dog, is there a better noun to use than ванна? I don't mean that the dog is afraid of the bathtub or the bathroom; I mean that the dog does not like to be washed with soap and water!
Well, in the case of washing dogs you may translate word to word

the dog runs away from a bath - собака убегает из ванны
the dog doesn't like to be washed - собаке не нравится мыться
the dog is afraid of washing - собака боится мыться

But if you construct something like 'My dog is afraid of washing with soap and water in a bathtub which is standing in my bathroom' it sounds really strange both in English and Russian. 'Ванна (принять ванну)' is a perfect word to describe this whole procedure, unless dogs aren't taking bath, they're being washed, I hope . Nevertheless you may use the word 'ванна' in the meaning of this procedure or in the meaning of a bathroom or bathtub where the washing is taking place. You did it fine, there's no need to invent a bicycle (anoter Russian proverb). And if you're about to use the proverb just keep in mind how the actions of a dog are corresponding with chorts and incense. You use it to emphasize the first part of the sentence and if chort runs away from a frankincense like a monkey or just afraids of it like a hell (oh... no... it's living there, may be like a heaven ) so should be the dog too.

My dog likes soap ... - Моей собаке нравится мыло, как черту ладан (Absolutely correct phrase. Without the proverb everyone knows that your dog is obsessed with soap, washing etc., but when you add the proverb the meaning reverses cardinally. You even show that the dog actually hates soap)
My dog runs away from water... - Моя собака бежит от воды, как черт от ладана (Everything is fine except the dog is strange, isn't it? Never saw the dog with hydrophobia)
My dog hates shampoo... - Моя собака ненавидит шампунь, как черт ладан (Correct, but rarely used)
My dog avoids bathing... - Моя собака избегает ванны (купания, мытья в ванне), как черт ладан (Possible, but I would use another verb)
My dog afraids of washing... - Моя собака боится мыться..., как черт ладана (You may say so, but in this case the verb 'мыться' doesn't correlate with the noun 'ладан'. The phrase is... awkward)
My dog doesn't like washing... - Моей собакe не нравится мыться..., как черту ладан (I know you aren't from Russia )

PS.
Don't hesitate to correct my mistakes in English