If your dog is muddy or smelly, you will need to give him a bath. However, there are also other reasons to give a dog bath, such as skin sensitivity or flea and tick infestations. Although you can have a professional dog groomer or your local veterinary clinic give your dog a bath, you can save quite a lot of money and stress by doing your own dog bathing.
You should begin to accustom your dog to bathing when he is a puppy, especially if he is a large breed dog. However, do not bathe your dog too frequently, since his skin could dry out.
Check with your veterinarian or local dog breed association to see if your dog should have a regular bath. Before you begin to give your dog a bath for the first time, make sure you gather the proper dog bath supplies and equipmenticon. The supplies you will need are a specialized dog shampoo, conditioner, towels, and cotton balls.
The first piece of equipment you will need is a dog bath tub. A dog bath tub is ideal, since the sides are at a height that allow you to easily bend over the tub to wash your dog. A good tub will also have a way for you to hook up water and drain hoses. If you use your bathtub to bathe your dog, you should consider using a flexible handheld showerhead. Otherwise, you may have trouble thoroughly rinsing the soap from your dog's coat. Also, you will need a slip proof mat for the bottom of your bathtub.
After you bathe your dog, you may need another important piece of equipment. A hair dryer is a necessity for some breeds, such as the standard poodle. If you do not use a hair dryer made especially for dogs, please use caution. The dryer can burn your dog's skin if you do not keep it far enough away from him or if you leave it blowing on one part of his body for too long. Ideally, you should let his coat air dry if you do not have a dog hair dryer.
Before you give your dog or puppy a bath, you will need to be sure you protect his ear canals from water. You can use cotton balls to keep his ears dry. Once you have done this, position your dog in the tub so that he feels secure. Thoroughly wet down his coat before you apply the shampoo to his body. When you soap his face, be careful to keep the shampoo out of his eyes. Pay special attention to the hair near his mouth.
Once the shampoo is worked into your dog's coat, it is time for the most important part of bathing your dog. Completely wash the shampoo out. If you leave any residue, his skin could become irritated. Once he is clean, you can apply conditioner and then rinse it out.
When you turn off the water, your dog will want to shake. Cover him with a towel to prevent him from spattering the walls with water. Now that you are finished bathing your dog, you can either rub him down with a towel or use your dog hair dryer to dry his coat.
Now, your dog smells great and he won't get the sofa dirty the next time he sneaks onto it behind your back.