Dog and Puppy Bathing Tips
May 03
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There are many options for having your dog or puppy groomed. One option is to have a professional groomer take care of this for you. There are many benefits to this. For one thing, it can save on time to be able to just drop off and pick up your dog for service. Some people also worry about doing it right, especially if your dog requires a haircut, nail trim, or trimming in sensitive areas like the legs, tail, or between the paw pads. Many pet stores offer grooming services, as well as there being special places that are just for dog grooming. In addition, if you shop around, you might even be able to find a grooming service that comes right to your home, so that you don’t even have to leave the house, which is convenient for you as well as being beneficial if your dog doesn’t do well with car rides or being in strange places. Some people are better off with a professional service if they have a particularly large dog or one that does not cooperate for bathing.
On the other hand if you are willing and able to do the grooming yourself there are a number of benefits. The most obvious is that it can save a lot of money to do it yourself. But in addition to that it can be a great way to have some extra bonding time with your dog. If you are able to start regularly bathing your dog as a young puppy, they will be less likely to have issues with it as an adult dog.
Before bathing any age dog, make sure to brush them thoroughly first to dislodge and get rid of excess loose hair, dirt, mats, or anything else stuck in the fur. Next, wet the dog to the skin with warm, but not hot water. Scrub well with an age appropriate shampoo. Try and keep them from licking it off during the washing process. Rinse well. Shampoo residue can be harmful if ingested, and it can make the hair sticky or matted when it dries. Towel dry any excess water and let air dry. If it’s particularly cold, you may want to use a hair drier, but keep it set to cool or warm, never hot. For a particularly thin coated dog, even in winter, they might be better off, and happier, with a vigorous toweling off and some time wrapped in a dry towel on your lap.
While they sell dog “conditioners” this isn’t something that you should need to use on your dog. It might be helpful in getting out tangles, but regular brushing and a diet with enough fats and proteins, will encourage your dog to produce sufficient oils to keep the hair soft and shiny. Keep in mind that some dogs just don’t have soft coats, so their hair should be stiff or wiry.
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