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How to Give a Dog a Bath. Your step-by-step action plan!
Well, I've been bathing dogs now for all but the first decade or so of my life and I've certainly bathed a lot more dogs than babies! I have learned how to give a dog a bath and makethis task as simple, straight-forward and as pleasant as possible for all concerned! Here you can learn how to give a dog a bath with complete confidence that you're doing the right thing. You will discover common sense safety tips to keep your dog out of harm's way and also you will learn how to make this experience as stress free as possible for both of you. So take your time - relax and browse through this step-by-step guide on how to give a dog a bath - this is your first step to having a hygenic and huggable dog. As usual, we’ve done all the research for you on how to give a dog a bath and presented you with all the information you need - after all, knowledge is confidence! And ...... it's not all just theory - you also get to benefit from years and years of our first hand experience. Here you will find answers to questions such as You will also find top tips on
This practical guide includes a pre-bath checklist, a pre-bath routine and finally - 'The Bath' itself! In fact - here you'll find absolutely everything you need to know to approach this entire shenanigans with confidence even if you've never done this before and have NO idea how to give a dog a bath! We're in the process of sourcing the best deals available for you to benefit from - where we will be able to provide you directly with the very latest in innovative, quality products and services at the most competitive price. We're taking our time with this process because only the best will do! Do keep checking back for more details. Don’t forget to bookmark this page so you can come back as often as you need to. You can also subscribe to my Perfect Pets Blog so you have all the newest updates brought directly to you. You can do this simply by clicking on the little orange RSS button in the highlighted light green box along the left margin of this page - and following the directions from there.
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How to give a dog a bath, or more precisely, how often to give a dog a bath depends on the type of dog your have, and the lifestyle your dog leads. Bathing a dog too frequently robs its coat of natural oils and could dry out your dog’s skin, causing flaky skin and itchiness. Ideally, you should look to bathing your dog no more than once every two to three months. “Emergency” baths can sometimes be required – specially if you have a dog like our Scottie, Holly, who likes to find the deepest mud patch just hours after a visit to her groomer, Lyn! The best rule of thumb to follow is that you comb and brush your dog two to three times a week and bath her if her coat becomes rather dirty or she starts to smell “doggy”.
You could pop a small dog into a sink to be bathed, but a large dog will do better in a shower cubicle or bath tub. I am quite happy using our bath tub - however, special dog bath tubs are also available.
When planning how to give a dog a bath, using a ladle or jug to bath your dog is just fine, though I find using the shower head is much easier. A shower head also ensures all soap suds get well and truly rinsed out of your dogs coat, as any residue will cause an allergic reaction and irritate your dog’s skin.
Obviously big dogs are harder to bath than little ones, but you do have to be a lot more careful with the small dogs. There have been a few occasions when I’ve gone from bathing our German Shepherd, Cassie, straight to bathing our little Jack Russell, Lucky, only to suddenly realise she is grunting and puffing as I push her around because I’m using the same amount of force on her as I did on Cassie! After all this time, you’d think I’d know how to give a dog a bath - without sweeping it off its feet!
When planning on how to give a dog a bath, the most important criteria to ensure a stress-free bath time, is preparation. Have everything in place before you bring your dog to the bath - no point in stressing her out in advance! PRE-BATH CHECK LIST:
There is a huge variety of Shampoos, conditioners, finishing sprays, de-tanglers and deodorants to choose from – click here for help and advice in choosing the best shampoo dog wash and other products for your dog – you’ll be surprised at the difference the right choice makes!
PRE-BATH ROUTINE: When planning on how to give a dog a bath, first brush her out thoroughly, using a de-tangle spray if necessary. Try to get rid of mats and tangles at this stage, otherwise the water will simply turn them into solid masses, which will need to be clipped out. If your dog has managed to get something like tar or other sticky stuff on his coat, your may need to trim these out with clippers. Soaking the area with vegetable or mineral oil for a day could also help. The only problem with this is that your dog could try licking this off – which, combined with the sticky substance, would be dangerous for him. You may want to just clip the offending bits out – or speak with a professional groomer – she may have an answer to your dog’s bad hair day! IT'S FINALLY BATH TIME! Now we get down to the nitty gritty of how to give a dog a bath! STEP 1: Put a drop of mineral oil in your dog’s eyes to protect them from suds. I stopped doing this after I found a non-sting variety of shampoo. My dogs were much happier as they didn’t really like the eye drops either. In fact, if you’re careful enough, you can ensure you don’t get any suds in your dog’s eyes – so you don’t have to use the eye drops. I’ll leave you to decide. STEP 2: Some people use cotton balls in dog’s the ears. If you use cotton balls, make sure they're the right size for your dog's ears; if they're too small, they may slip down the ear canal. Also do ensure you don’t push the cotton balls too far down your dog’s ear canal - and of course ALWAYS remember to remove them after the bath! Here again, I would recommend using these the first few times you bath your dog. Once you’re comfortable with the process, and you’re confident you won’t get water down your dog’s ears, you can stop using the cotton balls too.
If you’re using a shower, better still. Just ensure the temperature is regulated correctly by running the water on your hands BEFORE you run it on your dog’s coat. Place a non-slip rubber bath mat in the bottom of the bath. This will reduce the chances of your dog slipping and hurting himself in the bath. She will panic less if she doesn't keep slipping in the bath.
With our German Shepherds, I’d climb into the tub first and they’d happily follow me in! If you have a bathing tether, attach one end to yur dog's collar and the suction cup to the bathtub. I've never needed to use these - our GSDs were very obendient and our smaller dogs couldn't jump out the tub even if they wanted to. Pour the warm water gently over your dog, talking to him in a soothing voice all the time. If you use a spray, use it on a low setting and hold it gently against his coat as he may not like the feel of the spray if he is unaccustomed to it. STEP 5: When he's thoroughly wet, apply the shampoo on his back and work it gently through the coat for about 10 minutes. I always find the shampoo easier to use if I first dilute a portion of it in a jug containing warm water. It is then easier to pour evenly over my dogs and work up a good lather.
Don’t go anywhere near your dog’s face or mouth at this stage. Not only will this keep them calmer, but they will not get the irrisistible urge to shake uncontrollably, soaking you and everything else around them in the process! STEP 6: Time to rinse. This is where the shower comes into its own. Remember to use it on low and hold it gently against his coat as he may not like the feel of the spray if he is unaccustomed to it. Rinse, rinse and rinse again. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that all soapy residue is rinsed out of your dog’s coat. If you are using a bath, drain all the water out and refill with water of the right temperature – this can be a bit tricky if your dog is standing in it, unless you have a mixer tap. If you don’t have a mixer tap, the safest way is to place a largish bowl in the tub, let both taps run into it till it overflows – the overflow will be properly mixed, so you will get an even temperature all the way through. Rinse your dog thoroughly – then drain the tub and repeat the process at least a couple more times. It is tedious work – but well worth the effort as it will save your dog from an uncomfortable allergic reaction to any soapiness left back in his coat - not to mention the expense of trying to get it sorted later. STEP 7: Ahhhh – now for the bit your dog least likes! Dampen the face cloth or sponge and clean and rinse his face, paying special attention to his eyes and ears. You dog will not like this so get ready for some fidgityness and fuss! Just be gentle but firm and get the job done. This is another reason why it is well worth starting this entire process fairly early in your dog’s life (but not before 4 weeks at least) – he’ll just be that much more accustomed to it. STEP 8: Gently run your hands over your dog’s coat and squeeze out as much excess water as you can. Then step back and let him shake himself as much as he wants to! This process is so funny to watch – and it always amazes me how they can appear to shake each part of their body on demand! Remove the cotton from your dog’s ears and give him a quick rub down. As an aside, if your dog is stressed by this experience, he will probably need to relieve himself immediately after his bath. Give him a quick wipe down, let him into your garden or yard where you will see the relief on his face as he does what he's been bursting to do all through his bath! - but bring him in out of the draught just as soon as you can. I just wish someone had told me this at the beginning of my doggie caring days - it would have saved me so much stress - never mind carpet cleaning bills! Then finish drying him with the towels. If you use a hair dryer, keep the heat and blow force on low. Remember to dry his ears with cotton balls or a soft clean cloth. Do not use a hair dryer on your dog’s ears – you could do him a severe damage. I always lay out a couple of large fluffy sheets or towels for them to roll on and wipe themselves. There will be a burst of pent-up energy at this stage – so I always keep my dogs confined to a particular room, thus saving our beds, sofas and carpets in the other rooms from all being used as doggie drying aids! When your dog has finally quietened down again, brush his coat once more – and you’ll have a happy, healthy, shiny dog! Keep your dog away from any drafts until his coat is completely dry. There you go - a step-by-step guide to How to Give a Dog a Bath - and keep calm and in control all the while.
Once you know how to give a dog a bath, you will discover the many benefits of keeping your dog well groomed. Of course there is the great health advantage to your dog - he will be kept parasite free and you will notice changes to his skin or coat condition long before they become serious.
Click here to learn all about picking the right toileteries for your dog. Click here for the best advice on eliminating Dog Ear Mites and keeping your dog's ears clean Click here for practical help and advice on clipping dog nails and caring for your dog's feet Click here to return from How to Give a Dog a Bath to our Home Page
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