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How to Bath Your Dog

Bathing your dog is a necessity every four weeks or so and for some dogs who like to play in the mud and the great outdoors perhaps even more often. Bathtubs for humans are not the most convenient set ups for dog baths. Dogs don�t like to slip so make sure that there is a rubber mat or non slip stickers on the bottom of the tub. Place towels on the floor next to the tub so you have something soft to kneel on. If the tub has a hand held shower attachment that reaches the dog, bath time will be easier. If not you can buy a shower attachment and use that. The least effective method is using a small bucket that you fill with water and then pour on the dog. Article continues below

Standing under the shower to bathe the dog may seem like a good idea, but the odds are the dog won't like the water coming down on him and try to leave. The other problem is that it's difficult to rinse the underneath of the dog in the shower. Start by wetting down your puppy pal with warm but not hot water. Keep the water out of his eyes and ears. Dog ear canals have a bend that can easily trap water. Use a shampoo formulated for dogs. Human shampoo can be irritating to dog skin. Pour the shampoo in your hand, add water, then lather up the dog. Push the lather into the dog's skin rather than just letting it stay on top of his fur. You want to cleanse his skin as well as his fur. Rinse the dog thoroughly, as much time should be spent rinsing as lathering. If your dog is very dirty repeat the lathering and rinsing. There are cream rinses and de-tanglers made for dogs. If yours has a long coat that tends to mat, the cream rinse may be worth it. Again rinse thoroughly. Any shampoo or cream rinse left on his skin can lead to rashes. Use your hands to squeegee the excess water from the dog's back, tail, and legs. Remove the dog from the tub and dry with a towel. Some dogs will stand for using a hair dryer and some fight it. If you do use a hair dryer, hold it in one hand and use your other hand to fluff the hair as you dry it. Fluffing the hair will help it dry faster and since your hand is in the path of the hair dryer you can feel whether the air is getting too hot. Use a sterile saline solution, or over the counter eye drops for dogs to flush the eyes. Over the counter ear cleanser can be used to flush the ears after his bath. Give your dog a treat and enjoy a nice clean fresh smelling buddy.