With the advice of the Master Dog Groomer Simone Laponi
How, where and when to bathe the dog at home
Bathing the dog at home does not necessarily have to be a stress for us or for our furry friend.
With the right tips and products, we can transform bathing time into a relaxed moment of pampering and cuddling!
Bathing the dog: scenes from everyday life
Anyone who has a dog knows that they do not love to bathe.
Scene 1: “Come on Max, come here!” Max comes happy as a sandboy and with his wagging tail. But he sees the bathtub and his ears go down, his tail gets between his legs and his eyes start to shine.
Scene 2: “Come on Bella, it’s bath time!” Bella puts her ears up and… there we go! Half hour of chasing her around the house, a pursuit that is bit as good as those of the best thrillers.
Scene 3: “Coco? Where are you?” Dead silence… Coco has already hidden under the bed.
Bathe the dog in the bathtub
If the dog is a small size, you can use the bathtub or a large basin. If you decide to use the bathtub, a non-slip mat can be useful to give stability to the dog. The water, the smooth surface of the tub, and (not least) the dog’s fear, will cause it to slip while trying, for example, to climb over the edge of the tub to get out.
Be careful when you wash the dog outside: do it only if it’s hot and remember to dry it well.
Not too much, nor too little: when to bathe the dog
The age-old question is how often to bathe the dog: the frequency with which bathe the dog is different based on the breed, the type of the coat and what the dog does during the day.
A monthly bath is generally recommended.
Overstating with the frequency of baths can stress the dog’s skin and damage the coat. However, some breeds need more frequent baths, even once a week, due to the physiological overproduction of foul-smelling sebum (for example: Bulldog, Shar Pei, Pug, etc.). In these cases, it will be your trusted dog groomer who will tell you how often you have to bathe it.
A weekly bath helps the brushing of those breeds that require more frequent brushing, as in the case of long-coated dogs (such as: Maltese, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire, Cocker, etc.)
Finally, it is better to get the dog used to bathe from puppyhood: it should be a moment of happiness and not of stress!
Bathing the dog: what to keep handy
In addition to the products to bathe the dog, it will be useful for you to have some old towels on hand, which you will have previously decided to reserve only for your pet. You will use them to remove the excess water, but you can also put them on the ground; They will help you when you will get your four-legged friend out of the bathtub.
Fast Fact: Dogs shake, it’s in their DNA. Keep this in mind and dress in comfortable clothing that washes easily.
Some facts about dog shampoo
We will be enticed to bathe our dog with our shampoo, because “it is delicate, it respects the skin, it is natural and has a good perfume, therefore it will also be good for Bella…”
But be careful: the PH of the dog’s skin is approximately 7; it is therefore essential to use products that respect its PH and also the PH of the hands that wash it.
Likewise, the shampoo for humans is created to perform a delicate cleaning of the scalp, which does not have the same dirt of a dog’s, and so is not suitable for our furry friend.
Thereby it is better to choose a quality dog shampoo, specially formulated for the dog, without forgetting to check the list of ingredients and that the shampoo does not contain chemicals that the dog’s skin may not tolerate (such as SLS and SLES, parabens, phthalates , etc.).
If the dog has particularly sensitive skin or suffers from dermatitis, ask your veterinarian for advice.
And dry shampoo?
Dry shampoo does not replace the bath, but dry bathing the dog is a good alternative for daily cleaning of the parts of the dog that get dirty more easily (tummy, legs, etc.) or in case of emergency and where we do not have water by hand.
It is applied evenly on the part to be treated and removed with a damp cloth or brush.
The formulation of this product must also be respectful of the dog’s skin and must not contain potentially dangerous components.
How: is bathing time!
Perfect! You have managed to convince Milo to enter the bathtub. You probably want to finish as soon as possible, hurrying. But if you do it calmly, serenely and step by step, your calmness will also be transmitted to the dog:
- Apply the shampoo previously diluted with water evenly all over the body (it is not necessary to rinse beforehand).
- Massage your friend vigorously and rinse thoroughly, being careful not to leave shampoo residue on the hair.
- Water has to be lukewarm, neither burning nor too hot
- Warning: do not use the comb or brush on wet hair.
- Buffer well and dry the hair by brushing until completely dry.
- During drying, always brush the hair from the roots to the ends. You can use the house dryer at maximum speed but with the medium temperature mode. Don’t get it too close to the skin.
- Especially for large-sized and garden dogs, it is essential to blow-dry, because letting the hair dry naturally could cause malodorous skin, cancelling out the benefits of bathing.
Talk to your dog for the entire bath.
In a reassuring tone of voice, saying things like “Do you see that everything is going well?”, “Now I’ll soak you with warm water”, “Do you want a massage?”, “Umm, what a wonderful perfume this shampoo has!”, “Come on, let’s soak!”, “What a brave and good boy/girl!”. It will seem silly to you, but since the dog does not understand words, it is very sensitive to your tone of voice and your expressions.
