Washing Your Dog Properly

Washing your dog is very important for his or her health. Making sure you keep up with regular bathing is just as important. It will help your dog's skin and odor problems and I will bring owner and pet closer, here is how to do it.

Where to wash your dog:

If you want to skip the process of washing your dog yourself you could then take it to a dog bather and get the job done. Depending on the size of your dog or the length of it's coat the price could differ. You might want to get your dog groomed as well while he or she is there depending on the length of hair, but we will discuss more of this later.

If you wash your dog yourself there are a few ways you could do this. If it is a puppy or a very small dog you may want to use the bathtub or the sink. You may want to have a stable flooring for your dog so it feels more secure and doesn't slip. Make sure to use warm water and not hot or cold water, this will be more pleasurable for your dog.

As your dog gets bigger it is acceptable to wash it outside in a large tub, or even to take it to a local slow moving car wash, me and my dog have great fun with that!

What you need to wash your dog correctly:

Make sure that you use dog shampoo. Human shampoo is for humans and it is not safe for dogs to use. I myself prefer organic pet shampoo's bought online or from special stores.

You need a doggie brush and hopefully you already have one of these as it is an essential item for any haired dog. Make sure to brush your dog before it gets wet as it will be easier to get the tangles out.

Cotton balls would also be useful to help clean the inside of your pet's ears. If the inside of your dog's ears get wet it will be prone to a bad infection, so keep them dry.

You might want to ask your vet about an ear cleaner to use regularly.

Finishing up the wash:

After having lathered and rinsed a couple of times, brushed, paid special attention to the ears, and used a loving touch, the next thing to do is to dry your dog off.

For this you could use a towel or a hair dryer. I personally prefer a towel.

Make sure not to let your dog outside in the grass or mud until he or she is thoroughly dried off, and to never to let your dog catch a chill from the cold air.

If this is one of your dog's first time's using a bath he may have been a bit reluctant. Offer him a treat and a good behind the ear scratch or belly rub for a job well done. Then go treat yourself, you're a good dog owner taking this time out to make sure your pet is healthy and happy and both of you have a good relationship.