Having a dog might be fun, but it’s also a big responsibility. If you want to take care of your pet the right way, you have to feed them, walk them, brush them, and bathe them. Dogs are pretty relaxed and love most of these activities, which makes taking care of them much easier. Still, one of the biggest enemies of dogs is bathing. Not all pups like being washed even if they do like swimming.
Bathing your dog at home is always a good idea. Of course, you have to set the environment and teach your dog that bathing is not a bad thing. Keeping your pup clean ensures they stay healthy and
No matter how difficult bathing your dog may seem, you have to do it for them and for you. Don’t worry, there are some tips to help both you and your pup with the process.
1. Start young
It’s much easier to teach a pup to take a bath than it is to teach an older dog. Puppies are still learning, so this is the perfect time to instill a new habit that you’ll both benefit from. Your dog’s first bath should happen when they’re still very young. It’s also imperative that the first experience is positive. This way, your dog will associate bathing with positive emotions and won’t have any problems entering the tub when they need to.
Talk your dog through the process, even if you don’t think they’ll understand what’s happening. Tell them when you’re going to turn on the water, when you’re going to shampoo them, and when you’re going to rinse them. As well as that, encourage them by telling them they’re a good girl or boy and generally be gentle and soothing. Even though your dog won’t rationally understand what you’re saying, they’ll feel more comfortable because of your voice. This is a completely new scenario to your pup and they’re very scared. In times of need, they’re going to look to you to help them feel safe again.
If you approach the subject this way and are there for your pup while also making sure they’re comfortable, they’re bound to have a positive experience and like taking baths in the future. Of course, the first time isn’t the only one that matters. If you want your dog to really like bathing from a young age, repeat the process for the first few times you bathe them until they get used to things.
2. Don’t bathe them too often
Dogs aren’t like humans and don’t need to be bathed often. In fact, bathing your dog daily or weekly can mess with their fur and will wash away all the natural grease they need to stay healthy. The matter of the fact is that dogs maintain hygiene perfectly well by themselves, but that they do need help from time to time. This is especially true if you keep your pup indoors.
Give them a bath every few months. You’ll know exactly by the way they smell when the time to fully bathe them is. When it comes to bathing just some parts of your dog, you should do that when need be. In other words, do it when they get dirty.
So, if it was rainy and muddy outside, you’ll need to wash their paws after your walk. Also, a good idea is to check your dog after every walk to make sure they haven’t rolled into anything they’re not supposed to. If they did, you can wash that part or bathe the dog fully, depending on how dirty they are. Generally, the paws and the stomach are most exposed to the outside elements. You’re probably going to wash them the most often.
3. The proper bathing technique
Bathing your dog isn’t that hard, but you should definitely pay attention to the technique. The most important thing to pay attention to is how you apply the shampoo. Instead of washing their fur by rubbing the soap down their body, rub it against the fur. This way, you’ll really be getting the shampoo in there and you’ll get to the undercoat easily. That’s the perfect way to bathe your dog as thoroughly as it needs to be bathed.
When you’re done shampooing them, it’s also important to get the soap out of their fur. You can use the same technique for this, as it will once again allow you to get to the undercoat and wash your dog without any issues. After you’re done bathing, you should put a towel over them and dry them off. Of course, you’ll need to let your dog shake off excess water too. No matter how much you dry them off with a towel, they’ll still shake off after you’re done but if you dry them off you’ll at least get to keep your bathroom clean.
4. Make the environment safe
The issue with bathrooms is that they’re often slippery due to all the tiles. That’s why most of them have little bathroom mats so that you don’t slip and fall when you leave the shower. The thing is, when you’re bathing your dog, you don’t want your dog to ruin your mat accidentally. As well as that, there’s a high chance they’ll splash around which will just get the whole bathroom wet. It’s much easier to clean the space when only the tiles are wet and dirty, right?
This is, of course, true, but it does raise another question. How do you keep your dog safe in such an environment? They probably won’t be able to wait to get out of the tub, which means they’ll be rather reckless and jump and run straight away. In that state, your dog can easily slip and break something.
The best solution to this issue is to fund quality non-slip mats. You can always take a look at places like Mat Shop if you want a wide variety of choice. This way, you can choose the perfect quality mat and even choose a quirky design that’s close to your heat. You won’t have to worry about your dog slipping and hurting themselves and you’ll be able to easily dry them off. All of that and your dog’s safety won’t even cost you a lot of money.
5. Don’t forget to brush them
Brushing is as important as bathing. The way you brush the hair of your dog can greatly influence the way they look after you’re done with grooming. Brushing shouldn’t be done only after bathing, though. How often you brush your dog greatly depends on how long their fur is. If you have a fluffy dog, brushing them daily may be necessary. Otherwise, you can brush them every other day or a few times a week.
Brushing is especially important in Autumn and Spring when your dog is changing their coat. These are the times of the year where they’ll shed most so if you want to keep a hair-free home, brush your dog daily. As well as all of this, regular brushing ensures that your dog’s hair doesn’t tangle. This helps your dog stay clean for longer.
Conclusion
As you can see, bathing your dog is nothing impossible. It will be more or less challenging in the beginning, depending on the personality of your dog, but in the end, you’ll manage to teach your pup that bathing is a positive experience. They’ll be happy (or at least cooperative) and they’ll let you bathe them every time they need it. We’re confident your pup’s fur will once again shine and that they’ll be as soft to the touch as ever.