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Dog Bathing Tips

Submitted by Michael Adams on June 11, 2010

Dog baths can be extremely simple affairs or extremely complicated depending on the type of coat, the size of the dog, and most importantly, the dog’s disposition. Bathing a dog is generally easy as compared to bathing a cat which can be a brutal affair of extended claws and gut wrenching wails. There are several dog bathing tips and techniques that can be used to make bath time fun for both you and your dog.

Keep in mind that ‘how not to bathe a dog’ is as important as ‘how to bathe dog’!

A dog that is small with short fur is very easy to bathe and you can do this quite easily even in your kitchen. If your dog is bigger, or tends to want to run around, it would be better to bathe him in your bathtub and make sure that your bathroom door is closed to prevent a half lathered dog from scampering around your house.

The first step is to make sure that you have everything you need at hand and then brush your dog well. It is important to brush your dog before his bath as this will help to get rid of matter fur as well as excess loose fur. It will also help to get rid of tangles and this will make bathing him a lot easier. Once he is well brushed, you can take him into the bathroom and slowly wet him completely but avoid wetting his face and ears. Dogs’ ears are vulnerable to infection if there is any moisture trapped within it they are liable to get a ear infection. Once you have done this, you will need to apply the shampoo to his fur. It would be easier for the shampoo to get into the fur if you dilute it a little bit. You can pour the shampoo into a small bottle and add about half a cup of water to it. Shake it up thoroughly so that the shampoo dissolves in the water and then apply this to his to his hind legs and tail area. Slowly work your way up making sure that the shampoo penetrates his fur and actually gets to his skin. Massage each area carefully before going on to the next. Once he is completely lathered you can carefully wet his face and then shampoo it carefully. You will now have to rinse off the shampoo and it would be best to start off with the facial area that you have shampooed last. This will help to prevent the shampoo from getting into his eyes and ears. Do not use a hose while cleansing his face as this may allow the water to get into his ears. Once his face is completely free of all shampoo, you can slowly work your way down, making sure that you clean his paws and belly well. Dog skin care is very important and so you should make sure that you use a gently shampoo. A dog hair care shampoo that contains a conditioner will help to keep his coat glossy.

Towel-dry your dog and use a hair dryer on low setting, if necessary.

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