How to bathe a dog is often a question that pet owners struggle with. First of all, dogs are warm animal beings so why would you want to bathe them? Besides they don’t need to be properly groomed, especially since they get dirty very easily anyway. But how do you get started? With a little planning and preparation both you and your dog will have a great time bathing and cleaning together.
First, find out how often your dog needs a bath. It is good to give them a bath once a week, but you can also decide to bathe more often if you feel like it. You can either buy a regular grooming tub or if you prefer, you can soak your dog in a special bathing tub made especially for dogs. There are many kinds to choose from ranging from plastic, wood or metal and there are even options that allow you to control the level of water and soap/shampoo you use. If it’s a small dog, simply put it in the tub and make sure you use a rubber mat on the floor to avoid your dog slipping around | and/or getting wet.
If it’s a larger dog, you’ll want to consider getting a shower enclosure. These enclosures are typically made of plastic and the best ones will hold up to several baths. The best ones allow you to quickly get your pup out without having to worry about him/her sliding around on the floor or getting wet on the floor. An excellent option is a walk-in tub that allows you to keep the dog in a confined space while still allowing him/her to enter and exit the enclosure.
One of the most basic ways to bathe your dog is by using plain old dry dog shampoo and water. However, you may want to try adding a little bit of baby shampoo to the water. It works wonders on shedding that stubborn matted fur and makes a nice, soft lather to get the dog ready for his bath time. Dry dog shampoo tends to strip too much hair off, so if your dog tends to shed a lot, use some of the more expensive varieties of human shampoo to reduce the amount of dry dog shampoo you’ll need to use. Baby shampoo is great because it’s very mild and less harsh than human shampoo, which is helpful because baby shampoo is sometimes used on sick or sensitive puppies.
You may also choose to do an ‘on the spot’ washing. This means that the dog will be placed in a tub and washed thoroughly. Many experts encourage against this because it often results in overheating the dog and could possibly cause skin problems. This method is usually reserved for dogs who have clean skin already because the wash is often so close to the surface of the skin that it isn’t effective. If the pup has any open wounds or any sores from being wet, you’ll want to wash them immediately before washing them again during bathing.
Once the dog has been washed and it’s all dry, you’re probably wondering how to best take care of the dog so he continues to look his best. You can begin with the dog’s bath towel, which should have been prepared beforehand. These towels are similar to the dry dog shampoo and baby shampoo but they aren’t as strong and they shouldn’t be soaked in the tub or sprayed with any kind of cleaning product while the dog is in the tub. Rather than using the towel, use a regular wash cloth and pat the dog dry with it.
One thing that many new dog owners make the mistake with is using dog brush with tangles. Tangles can cause unnecessary damage to your dog’s coat and you should definitely avoid them. A good brush will not cause your dog to have to spend time trying to untangle their coat with it. Instead, just give them a normal brush and let the brush do its job. It’s okay for the dog’s skin to get any tangles out with the brush and the conditioner, it’s just going to cause him to have to spend more time on grooming. A regular brushing session should be enough to remove any tangles and keep the coat healthy.
Next, when your dog is wet you need to make sure that you rinse out the shampoo and conditioner. The best way to rinse these products out is to spray each product on a rag and then allow it to sit on the dog without rinsing it off. After this you can simply rinse the rag out with warm water and then simply pat your dog dry with it’s towels. If the dog ends up with a muddy spot, it’s likely because the product got on there and because of the wet dog hair, it’s very difficult to remove the product without damaging the coat of the dog.