Bathing a dog.....seems like a no brainer. Get the dog wet. Shampoo the dog. Rinse the dog. But there is a little more than just those steps!
Here are a few tips in how to properly bathe your dog.
1. Consider their size. Seems obvious, but in some instances the size of your dog can really inhibit how well you can bathe them. For example, our Chorkie weighs in at a whopping 11 pounds. Bathing him is pretty easy in the kitchen sink. It takes very little time to get him cleaned up and dried. But, our Newfoundland is a different story. In the warmer weather it is easy to bathe him outside with the hose, but in cold weather it takes a lot of work getting him clean including one of us climbing in the tub with him! So you need to think through where you will bathe your dog.
2. How often to bathe them. If your dog has no allergies, healthy skin and you brush them regularly you don't have to bathe them very often. Brushing them helps remove dirt and grime and keeps the oils in their coats spread out over their fur. As a general rule, we bathe our guys at least every 2 months. One reason is our Newfoundland is a water dog and we do not want to hamper the natural oil in his coat that helps him swim! A healthy dog does not chew all the time, does not dig and scratch at their skin all the time and although they will smell doggy, they won't stink! Use those as an indication for caring for their skin and fur.
3. What kind of shampoo do we use? This can be very important. You need to know if your pet has any skin conditions that some shampoos can irritate. It's also important to know about allergies! More pets are allergic to things than you realize and some shampoos can irritate those allergies. It's a good idea to check with your vet.
4. Rinse, rinse, rinse! And after you finish rinsing, do it some more! Soap can cause irritations on their skin as well as dry out their skin. So make sure you rinse them really well!
5. Wring out as much water as possible before towel drying. With some short haired breeds this won't be as necessary, but with longer hair and thick coats you need to do this. It's less rough on their skin and hair and saves you from having to wash every towel in your house! If you choose to use a hair dryer please do not use one with a heat setting! The heat can seriously irritate their skin. But air drying is preferable!
6. Stay calm and reassuring! This is something you need to do throughout the whole process, from brushing them before the bath to drying them off. If you start doing this with them from the time you first bring them home, bath time can really become a fun thing for them. Our Newfie runs and gets in the tub now when I ask him if he wants a bath! Bath time with your dog does not have to be a tortuous thing for you or your dog!
7. Play with them after the bath! This is something I can not emphasize enough. After bath time it is really good to play with them and give them a treat. It helps reinforce that baths are good and fun, plus it continues the bonding you are doing with your dog.
One thing to really consider is the shampoo you use! OmegaPet has a wonderful shampoo for dogs with dry itchy skin. Their Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo is wonderful. It smells great and it really does clean their fur and skin well. In the case of our Newfie it does not strip out the natural oils he has and needs, yet it makes his furs super soft and much easier to brush! He also smells great after his bath now, that is if you like the smell of oatmeal cookies!
Our Chorkie has a much coarser coat of fur, but with the Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo his coat is much softer and smoother, a lot easier to care for. I can say this has been one shampoo we have really enjoyed using on our dogs!
You can buys your own OmegaPet Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo HERE!
We received samples of the products for the purpose of review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed here are those of the author.
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