6 Things to Take Care of While Preparing your Dog for a Bath

On average a dog owner spends approximately $73 just on its grooming. You can significantly cut these costs by bathing your dog by yourself. It can also be a fun and bonding activity for you and your dog.

Here are some things to take care of while preparing your dog for a fun bath session:

1. How often to bathe your dog

How often you decide to bathe your dog depends on what your dog needs. Essentially, dogs should only be bathed when necessary. It is generally required when your dog has accumulated dirt/mud on their coat or has an unpleasant odor.

If your dog smells normal and they are not dirty, then bathing is mostly not necessary at that stage. Bathing your dog too frequently will end up drying out their skin and hair coat and may cause problems as the excessive bathing strips out the natural oils on the skin and coat.             

Dogs with some skin problems usually require a different bathing schedule as a part of their treatment plan. Dogs who go swimming require less bathing as swimming functions mostly like bathing.

2. Ideal water condition

Setting the ideal water temperature is a very important step. As dog skin is far more sensitive to heat than we are, a temperature that feels good to you might be hot for him.  Water temperature above 38°C (89°F) can be uncomfortable for dogs as it increases their heart rate significantly.

This is why it is best to keep the temperature lukewarm.

3. Knowing the correct product to use

To give your dog a perfect bath, one should  use the correct products specifically designed for dogs. They have a different pH than people do on their skin. They’re more alkaline. So, if you use products made for humans it can be irritating to their skin.

For dogs with healthy skin and coat, you can go with a mild and gentle hypoallergenic shampoo. You can also apply a mild and gentle hypoallergenic rinse-out conditioner after shampooing to prevent dryness. You can buy similar products at ease from pet shops.

4. Brushing beforehand

Brushing before your dog gets into the water is a great technique to remove all the excess hair, dander, and dirt. This specific step makes the bathing process much cleaner and easier as it prevents annoying and painful hair mats or knots.

While brushing, pick a side, whatever is comfortable to your dog, and make your way through the other. Depending on the breed and coat, pick a brushing method. And make sure to brush all of the coats for the best results.

5. Where to bathe the dog

Deciding on a place to bathe your dog mainly depends on a few factors. Like for some medium large-sized dogs, it is easier and better to bathe them on the lawn. This way is also useful for the dogs who tend to jump out of the tub. For other dogs, a dog tube or a bathtub might work perfectly fine.

Applying a non-slip mat on the floor of the tub to prevent any slipping is also highly suggested.

And in case you need help with it, you can always go to a professional groomer or someone who provides bathing services.

6. Washing Technique

Start with wetting your dog’s hair all the way to the skin starting from the chest to back and sides of your dog towards the tail. Try and avoid wetting the head of your dog as that area is sensitive. Also, avoiding the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth areas. Water in the ear can lead to an infection.

Once the body is wet, apply the shampoo making sure you get the undercoat. And then rinse out the shampoo thoroughly using your fingers making sure not to leave any residue behind. After that, gently apply the conditioner just like the shampoo.

It is advised to leave the conditioner in there for a few minutes before washing thoroughly for best results. Now, all that is left is to dry your dog off and treat them for being good.

I hope these tips make the bathing process fun and easier for you.