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How Do You Bathe Your Lovely Dog
A dog’s good health depends on its hygiene: the dog bath is when you take care of your animal before applying an antiparasitic. This operation can also be done by a professional who will groom the dog.
How often should a dog be bathed?
Under normal circumstances, it is not necessary to bathe your dog very often. The cases where bathing is necessary are the following:
– If the dog smells bad or has come home dirty from a walk, a bath is necessary. However, if it is only mud, wait for it to dry and brush it; that will be enough.
– Some dogs (especially hunting dogs) have a bad habit of rolling in feces or carrion. They seek to impregnate themselves with these odors on the shoulder blades, the back of the ears, and the rump. In this case, a thorough washing after the walk is necessary.
Caution! Regardless of the breed of the dog, it would help if you don’t bathe your dog too often. Repeated bathing removes the layer of sebum on the skin of the animal. He is more easily subjected to external aggressions and can develop skin problems without it.
Bathing your dog: how to proceed?
Bathing your dog requires a minimum of organization and appropriate gestures before, during, and after the bath.
Preparing the bath
For your dog’s bath to go as smoothly as possible for both you and your dog, it is advisable to follow a few steps:
– Start by untangling your dog’s hair. First, untangle your dog’s hair. Once wet, the knots will tighten and become almost impossible to remove.
– Place a rubber mat at the bottom of the bathtub to prevent your dog from slipping.
– Set up everything you’ll need within easy reach:
◦ shampoo;
◦ ultra-absorbent microfiber mop;
◦ towels.
– Finally, to prevent him from running away, tie your dog with his leash or a rope to the faucet:
◦ This will allow you to have your hands free to soap him.
◦ This will also prevent him from hurting himself trying to escape the shower.
While bathing
To clean your dog, wet him gradually with warm water and shampoo the fur, massaging so that the product penetrates. Finally, rinse well until the water is clear.
Regarding the choice of product, it is strongly recommended to use a dog shampoo:
– Avoid products for humans. Since the canine pH is much less acidic than humans’, human-only cosmetics are generally not suitable for dogs.
– If you don’t have a specific shampoo, you can use baby shampoo or Marseille soap, which is perfectly suitable for dogs.
After the bath: drying
Once the bath is over, remember to dry your dog well:
– Wrap your dog in a large warm towel and rub him until his fur stops dripping.
– Keep him away from drafts until he is completely dry.
– Use a dryer (minimum power) if the noise of this device does not terrorize him or place him in a heated room.
Dog bathing: routine care
Bathing is an opportunity to care for your dog’s teeth, eyes, ears, nails, and coat.
Teeth
Depending on their lifestyle and diet, dogs need more or less dental care:
– In the wild, dogs have all kinds of opportunities to teethe.
– Dogs that eat kibble have few dental problems.
– Dogs that eat only wet food may have tartar problems.
It may be necessary to supplement natural maintenance with regular brushing. So get your puppy used to the toothbrush from the start:
– At first, place the brush on his teeth without moving it.
– Little by little, brush gently, first with water, then with toothpaste.
There are also chewable treats available in pet stores that maintain teeth.
Eyes
Some breeds of dogs have eyes that cry more than others, especially the flat-faced breeds (bulldog, French bulldog, pug). In this case, it is necessary to clean their eyes regularly. To do this, use a compress soaked in warm water or saline to remove mucus and any scabs.
The ears
Dogs with floppy ears (cocker spaniel, setter…) can have ear problems. You can clean the ear’s pavilion with cotton soaked with a cleaning product. But never use a cotton swab because it could push earwax or dirt towards the eardrum. It’s best to use a liquid cleaner that’s suitable for dogs.
Nails
Usually, claws wear out on their own. You must be careful not to cut them too short not to touch the pink pulp that can be seen through. But if they are too long, you can cut them with guillotine pliers (sold in pet shops).
The hair
Taking care of your dog’s hair is a guarantee of good health:
– Regular brushing will prevent most hair and skin problems.
– You should also ensure that your dog is always protected by an anti-parasite product, whether it is a spray, a drop, a collar, or an internal treatment. This is very important because many diseases are carried by parasites (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes…).
Dog bath: cleaning fur soiled by a chemical product
Unfortunately, your dog can be accidentally contaminated by a chemical product during a walk, in your garage, or while working. In this case, here are some excellent reflexes:
– The first thing to do is wrap him in a towel.
– You can also put a collar on him to prevent him from licking, ingesting, and spreading the product on his fur.
– You can try to clean him with the following techniques, but if he doesn’t let go or the product doesn’t go away, take him to the vet quickly to avoid poisoning:
◦ Paint, varnish: wait for the product to harden, then carefully trim the hair. Do not use nail polish remover or thinner as they can be harmful.
◦ Petroleum products: coat the area with cooking oil or hand cleanser. Then clean with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
◦ Tar: cut the dirty hair or fur with cooking oil and treat it the same way as the petroleum products above.
Good to know: it is advisable to rinse your dog after each sea bath: if you do not, the salt can irritate and cause severe skin problems (eczema, allergy …).
Hope this post will help you bathe your lovely dog. Remember to share your experience below.
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