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It's that time again...your dog needs a bath. Maybe you usually take them to the groomer to be cleaned, but it's very easy to bathe your dog by yourself. You can give your dog a bath at home, just by following a few simple steps. It's important to bathe your dog with causing the least amount of stress...to them and to the owner.
There are some dogs that actually like getting a bath, but many do not. They can get anxious and scared and you don't want to do anything to make the experience any worse than it has to be. You definitely don't want to traumatize your dog by making a bath a scary thing.
Some dogs get very dirty and will need a bath once every couple of weeks, and some only need a bath every couple of months. In general, it isn't a good idea to give your dog a bath more than once every couple of weeks because it can dry their skin out. You should ask your vet how often your particular breed of dog should be bathed, since some types of dogs are more prone to dry skin than others.
Before you actually put them in the bath, there are several steps you should take. First, brush their fur completely. Take the time to patiently get out any knots or matting they may have. If you don't the water will only make it worse. It might be necessary to cut a knot out. If you do, be extremely careful not to cut too close the the dogs skin. Brushing your dog on a consistant basis, every day or every other day, will help to prevent matting.
You should then clean out your dogs eyes. Dogs tend to get a lot of gook in their eyes and it can impede their vision. One way to clean their eyes, is to soak a cotton ball in lukewarm water and gently press it over the eye area. This will loosen all their dirt so you can wipe it away. Do not use a q-tip to clean your dogs eyes, because dogs often get nervous and can move suddenly when you're cleaning them.
Depending on how big your dog is, fill the bathtub with the appropriate amount of water. The water should come up almost to the top of your dogs legs. Be sure that the water is not to hot. It should be lukewarm.
There are several shampoos made especially for dogs. There are shampoos for light colored dogs, dogs with sensitive skin, dogs with fleas, etc. Your local pet store will have a variety of shampoos to chose from. Do not use shampoo meant for humans on you dog. It can be harmful to them if it gets in their eyes or they ingest it buy drinking the bathwater. The only other kind of shampoo you should use is baby shampoo. Again, shampoo formulated specifically for dogs is best, but the baby shampoo will suffice if you're in a jam.
After you put your dog into the tub, it's a good idea to have a large cup or bowl to gently pour water over their entire body. For their face, it's best to just use your hands to wet their face.
After their body is totally wet, lather them up with shampoo. Let it soak in for a minute or two before washing it off. Pay special attention to the feet, which tend to get especially dirty. The bottom of the feet are an especially tender area on dogs, so be especially gentle when washing them.
Wash off the shampoo using the same cup you used to wet the dog. Be sure to get all the shampoo out After the shampoo is washed out, you can follow with a conditioner if so needed. Follow the same process for shampooing. Dogs don't usually need a conditioner every time they are bathed, but every few months it's a good idea.
When you are finished bathing your dog, take them out of the bathtub and wrap them in a warm towel. Dogs often shake after a bath, due to a combination of fear and being cold.
After you towel dry them for a couple of minutes, you can use the blow dryer to complete the process. Do not use a high heat setting on the hair dryer. What feels ok to you may be too hot for your dog. Keep the heat cool or slightly warm. Brush your dog as you blow dry them, to keep any knots from forming.
When they are totally dry, you can spray them with a doggie perfume. Again, your local pet store will have a variety of fresh smelling sprays for your dog.
After that, all that's left to do is give your dog a treat. This way, they will begin to associate getting a bath with the treat and will see it as something to look forward to, not to fear.
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