Dog baths are a pretty essential part of any well cared for dog. But you may have some questions on the best way to bathe your dog. In this dog article, I will give you some helpful tips in giving your dog a good dog bath. Of course I reached out to some professional dog groomers as well for their ideas.
How often should you give your dog a bath? When I asked this question to professional dog groomer Donna Berggren, her reply was " As long as the pH matches the dogs skin, you can bathe as often as you like. Dogs with allergies from dust, grass, etc., can really benefit from this. Try for a hypo-allergenic shampoo if you can....no dyes, fragrances." So that response led to a follow up conversation on pH & dogs. The take home message from our conversation is that a dogs pH is not the same as a human so use a dog shampoo.
Prepping the dog bath area. There are a few tools to make giving your dog a bath much easier on him & you. First is a hair catcher for your tub. The last thing you want is a bunch of dog hair clogging up your drain. Next is a non-skid bath mat. If your dog has a secure place to stand, your bathing will go much smoother. Finally you will want a hand held shower hose with an extra long hose. Believe me when I tell you without one, it can be quite challenging to give your dog a bath.
Tools for dog bathing. You will want to have your dogs shampoo & dog conditioner or any other dog bathing products handy & ready to go. A nice dog drying jacket can come in handy if you are going to air dry, or a pet dryer if you are going to hand dry. A few absorbent dog towels & one for yourself would be a good idea. And dont forget the high value dog treats for rewards! You can read our reviews of dog grooming tools (towels, shampoos etc) here.
Personally I review EWGs Skin Deep Cosmetic Database to check out the ingredients in the products I use for Dexter The Dog. This gives me an idea about their toxicology & any side effect concerns.
Prepping yourself for your dogs bath. You arent going to wear good cloths are you? Make sure you are dressed for movement & you do not care what happens to your cloths, hair, or face. Sometimes dogs can get pretty silly in the bathtub. They do make grooming aprons too.
Prepping your dog for his bath. Before giving your dog a bath, run a brush through his fur to loosen the hair & remove any tangles. If you are going to trim your dogs nails now is a good time. The same for cleaning the inside of your dogs ears. Place a cotton ball inside each ear (organic cotton balls are available). Having a good artificial tears gel like Genteal gel is a great idea to protect your dogs eyes. Remove his collar and/or harness.
The dog bath. Now is the time. Youve prepped yourself, your tub & your dog for the dog bath. When I spoke with professional dog groomer Sheri May Myers on the best way to start bathing your dog, she gave me these tips. "The wet down and the rinse are most important. Use warm water, not cold or hose water because this will not rinse well. Start by wetting the dogs head and work your way down. When you think your dog is wet, continue wetting more. Make sure you get the feet, face & privates. This starts to loosen the dirt. After the dog is thoroughly wet, shampoo the dog, but leave the head for last. When rinsing, start with the dogs head to minimize potential shampoo contact with the eyes."
Thats it. Those are a few tips to make your dogs next bath more enjoyable. If you have any problems, or are unsure, visit your local dog groomer or pet salon for help.
Check out our dog shampoo, dog towel & dog grooming reviews here.
A big thank you to Sheri at Sheri May Meyers Pet Styling Salon in Holland, Ohio for the use of your grooming tub. -601 S. McCord Rd Holland, OH 43528 419-868-6887 Or 5529 Harroun Rd Sylvania, OH
And thank you to Donna Berggren at Dog Designs By Donna in Charlestown Indiana for your dog grooming tips.
