How to Give Your Dog a Bath

While dogs don't need as many baths as humans, they still need baths. It is said that a dog should get a bath about once a month. If you put any topical medicine on your dog monthly, a good time to give the dog a bath is the day of or the day before this is done. There are things that are always needed when giving a dog a bath and things that need to be done while giving a dog a bath. Here are the things you need and the things that need to be done in order to give a dog a bath.

Gather All the Equipment Needed

The equipment needed will depend on where the dog is being given a bath. However, in general, the things needed are dog shampoo, a plastic tub big enough to hold the dog, a plastic cup or plastic pitcher, a dog brush or dog comb, a towel, and a drain screen. Put the drain screen in the drain so fur does not go into the pipes and you do not have plumbing problems. You can optionally wear rubber gloves if you do not like touching dog fur.

Prepare the Dog for a Bath

Many dogs do not like to have baths. Make sure the dog is ready for a bath by either getting it outside or into the bathroom, depending on where the bath will be given. Put the dog int he sink, bathtub, or plastic tub into the yard. Another option is keeping the dog on a chain in the yard. If you don't like touching wet dog, wear the rubber gloves.

Rinse the Dog

Start by getting the dog's fur wet. Make sure that every bit of the fur is wet and rinse any loose dust from the fur. This should be done with a hose or a sprayer on the sink or shower. If you do not have a hose or a sprayer, use the plastic cup or pitcher by filling it with water and pouring the water gently over the dog.

Shampoo the Dog

Put shampoo on the dog. Dog shampoo should be used as the pH is correct for a dog. If a dog really needs a bath and there is no dog shampoo available, baby shampoo can be used, but only a small amount should be used. The baby shampoo will be gentle enough for a dog's skin, though. Put the shampoo on starting from the neck and go down towards the tail. This should keep the fleas from running up to the dog's face. If you are doing to wash the dog's face, do this after shampooing the dog and gently rub shampoo on the dog's head and face and then gently rinse it by rinsing your hands and gently wiping the shampoo off of the dog's face.

Rinse the Dog

Once the dog has been fully shampooed, rinse the dog. Start up near the neck and rinse down towards the tail. This should be done with the hose, the sprayer, or by filling the plastic cup or plastic pitcher with water and gently pouring the water over the dog.

Brush or Comb the Dog

At this time, it is a good idea to brush or comb the dog so the fur is not a mess. This can be done in the tub, sink, or plastic tub. Make sure the drain screen is still in the drain.

Dry the Dog

You can dry the dog in the tub or sink or you can remove the dog and then dry it. Of course, a dog should be encouraged to shake while still in the tub or in the sink. Then put the towel over the dog to dry it. A small dog may want to be wrapped in the towel and it may want to cuddle.

Put Equipment Away

Clean the equipment that was used and put it away. Dog fur will need to be cleaned out of the the dog brush or dog comb. It will also need to be cleaned out of the drain screen. Pull the dog fur out of these things and throw it in the trash. This can be done after a dog has dried if it is a dog that likes to cuddle. If any of the equipment needs to be washed before it is put away, make sure that it is washed.

You will now have a clean dog and a clean area where you cleaned the dog.

Source:

Personal Experience