As much as humans need to take a bath, dogs too to maintain their hygiene and cleanliness especially if you are keeping your dog inside your home or sleeps with you in bed. You may have your pet for quite some time and still don't have any idea how often to do it, what the proper ways are to do it, and how you can make your pet comfortable about it. With all these stakes, you always end up going to a grooming station randomly just when you feel the need to.
Bathing your dog at home should be simple and it doesn't have to cost that much. First thing first, you don’t have to worry about struggling to bathe your dog every day. Why? Because it’s not recommended to wash your dog daily. Doing it often would cause skin issues and irritations and can also affect the natural qualities of their coat.
In order to do it correctly, consult with your dog’s vet on how frequently you could wash them since it will depend on their breed, the weather, and other factors. Every dog has its own differences and needs, which is why a vet’s opinion is valuable.
After consulting your vet about your dog’s bath time, you can now proceed to wash your dog. Here are some simple steps to do it:
1. Brush dog’s hair
Before wetting your dog's fur, it’s always better to brush their hair first to remove tangles that can cause dirt buildup and skin irritation when they trap water. To make this step even much simpler and easier, brushing your dog's hair regularly should be done so you don't have spend a lot of time untangling the hair if you avoided it in the first place.
2. Perfect water temperature
Find the best water temperature for your dog—it should not be too hot nor too cold. Hot water can easily damage and irritate their skin while freezing water can make dogs, mostly small breeds, uncomfortable and shiver uncontrollably. Dog’s skin is more sensitive than human’s, so you should always use lukewarm water.
You should take note at which temperature your dog will be most comfortable in to know the perfect temperature for them, and you should always wash them at this temperature in the future. Remember that it is not just about the temperature of the water that's important but also that of the room because they easily lose their body heat after taking them out of the warm water. With that, you also have to keep the room you're bathing your dog in warm. Turn off any fans, close the windows and turn on the heater if you need to.
3. Use the best dog shampoo
Human shampoo, even if they also clean, is always not good for your dog. You have to choose the shampoo that specifically address their needs to prevent dry and irritated skin and damaged coat. Some dog breeds require specific shampoo formulations, so be sure to buy the right one for your pet.
Massage the shampoo evenly and gently on your dog, and avoid getting the shampoo into your dog’s eyes!
4. Rinse well
After putting shampoo into your dog, rinse well with same lukewarm water. When you leave the soap unrised, it can cause damage on your dog’s coat once it dries, so be sure to rinse thoroughly.
5. Be careful when washing your dog’s face
If it is your first time to give your dog a personal bath, you have to take note that they never like shampoo or water getting into any part of their face such as ears, nose, and eyes. Health complications could arise if they get too much water in those areas.
6. Dry your dog
This is a given step as well. If you think you can just let your dog wet and shake themselves dry, you're definitely wrong! You may keep them in a warm room and dry them with a towel, but best if you have a blow dryer to keep them warm and to dry them faster. Leaving your dog wet after bathing, especially if your dog has a heavier coat, will cause skin problems that can leave a foul odor.
7. Reward your dog and always be patient
Don't forget the last step! Reward your dog by giving him a treat after bathing so he will remember next time that he will be rewarded after doing so, and so he would be patient on your next bath.
Cleaning shouldn't be a hassle at all if you will know correctly how to do it and if you understand its importance for your pet. One of the benefits of doing such is that you and your dog will create a great bond. And as your dog gets used to it, taking a bath will be more manageable. It can be a handful at first, but both of you will get the hang of it.