How to Properly Bathe Your Family Dog a Bath
Giving your dog a proper bath is not only a part of your responsibility as a pet owner, but it’s also necessary to keep your canine companion clean and healthy. Unfortunately, bath time isn’t exactly a walk in the park for pet owners, as many dogs take off running when they hear the word “bath.” In most cases, pet parents end up struggling just to get their pups into their bathrooms, much less keep them still during the bathing process.
Attention to detail is needed if you want to give your dog a thorough bath while keeping them as comfortable as possible.
But how, exactly, do you go about it? To help you get started, here are a few tips on how to properly bathe your family dog:
1.Secure Your Dog on a Leash
Not all dogs find bath time exciting, and these pups will do their best to escape the situation if given the chance. If you find it challenging to bathe your dog, or if you’re thinking about bathing them outdoors, it might be a good idea to invest in durable custom dog leashes and collars to secure them so they won’t run off.
2.Brush Your Dog’s Fur Before Bathtime
It’s normal for your dog’s hair to get tangled now and then. Unfortunately, their hair can be difficult to untangle once it gets wet. So, it’s best to undo these tangles before bathing your pup.
All you have to do is give your dog’s fur a quick brush to remove loose fur and untangle any matted hair.
3.Use Cotton Balls to Protect Your Dog’s Ears
Moisture in the ear can predispose your dog to infections. Thus, it’s important to keep their ears dry, especially during bath time. To do this, place a cotton ball in each of your dog’s ears to prevent water from getting into them.
If having cotton balls in their ears seems to irritate your dog, you can opt to skip this step. Just make sure to thoroughly dry their ears after their bath instead.
That said, even if you do choose to protect their ears with cotton balls, it’s still a good idea to dry your pup’s ears after you’re done bathing them. It’s better to be safe than sorry, after all.
4.Use Lukewarm Water
When bathing your dog, it’s best to use lukewarm water. Because a dog’s body temperature runs higher than that of humans, hot water can easily burn their skin and cause it to dry out.
On the other hand, cold water can make your dog feel uncomfortably chilly and cause them to avoid baths. So, unless it’s a really hot day, you can’t go wrong with using lukewarm water to bathe your pup.
5.Dry Your Dog Properly
In general, it’s not advisable to air-dry your pup’s fur, even if it may seem more convenient than using a towel or hairdryer to dry them off.
Not only does air drying take a long time, but it also won’t guarantee that your pup will become completely dry. If your pup’s paw pads stay wet for extended periods, this moisture can serve as a breeding ground for fungus, leading to skin infections.
To avoid this, gently dry your dog using a clean and thick bath towel once you’re done bathing them. This will not only help remove excess moisture from their fur, but will also make their fur much fluffier.
Afterward, use a hairdryer on a low heat setting to speed up the drying process. The warm air from the hairdryer will also keep your dog from shivering due to the cold water that’s left on their skin. Lastly, brush your dog’s fur well to prevent it from matting.
6.Give Them a Treat After the Bath
If you condition your dog to like baths, it will be much easier for you to bring them to the sink or tub when it’s that time of the month. A great way to do this is by using treats, as receiving rewards make dogs happy.
If they know that bath times are always followed by treats, they will be more willing to tolerate getting wet. So, after each bath, reward your dog with treats, praises, and lots of cuddles to help them see bath time as a positive experience.
Don’t Give Your Dog Too Many Baths
On average, dogs only need to be bathed once a month to keep them healthy , unless they get really visibly dirty while playing outside. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule.
For one, if you have a long-coated or curly-haired dog, you’ll need to put in more effort to maintain your pup’s coat.
If your dog has skin problems, such as a skin allergy or a flea infestation, then you definitely should give them more frequent baths to resolve these issues.
So, there you have it! With the right products, some treats, and a lot of patience, bathing your dog can be a fun bonding activity. Practice these tips and give it a bit of time, and your dog will slowly come to tolerate, if not appreciate, this essential grooming activity.
Final Tip
Finally, giving your dog a bath should be a fun time for both of you, you should be relaxed so that your dog will learn to love bathing and avoid the scenes you often see on youtube in which poor dogs refuse to get into the bathtub just because their parents have not known how to twist their intention and make this bath a joyful and playful time with their dog and not just to clean it.
