Dog Grooming Tips – Bath and Drying

How to Give your Dog A Bath without to much splashing around

If you are comfortable enough to give your dog a bath, then here are some tips for you. First make sure your pooch is tethered in the tub so he doesn’t jump out or get away. As with children, never leave your dog tethered to a bathtub unattended.

• After your dog is tethered, turn the water on making sure it’s the right temperature. It should be warm to the touch. Begin at the dogs head and neck and start to move down and under the belly. Never get water in their ears and avoid his eyes.

• When your dog is soaked, turn the water off and begin to shampoo in the same manner. Start at the head and work your way back and under. Massage the shampoo into a nice lather making sure to pay special attention to areas that get the dirtiest – the paws, the legs and the rear end.
• Once you are satisfied, turn the water back on again making sure the temperate is warm. Rinse starting at the head and moving back. Be careful of getting shampoo and water in his eyes and ears.
• Always work from the top down making sure you are moving your hand through the coat to feel for any shampoo residue. Once the shampoo is completely off you are ready to dry!

So your pooch is feeling all pampered. She’s shampooed and rinsed and waiting for what’s next. While your dog is still in the tub, get a dry towel and remove any excess moisture from her coat. While the doggie day spa’s have fancy equipment, chances are you don’t have a professional drying station in your bathroom.

How to Dry Your Dog

• Take your blow-dryer and attach an air concentrator to it. It looks like a sort of triangular shaped nozzle that attaches to the part where the air comes out.
• Set the air temperature on warm instead of hot and focus the air from the neck down sweeping the moisture off and out of the coat.
• Work top to bottom, front to back. When the coat is nearly dry, begin to brush her coat wherever you are focusing the air.
• If you want a fluffier look, you can brush the dog’s coat upwards and out to create volume.

Bath time should be a pleasant bonding time for you and your dog. If you are riddled with anxiety then bathing your dog at home might not be right for you. You can still brush your dog’s coat and teeth often and leave the grooming to a professional.

Tags: dog grooming