Beyond affection and hours of play our pets require several care procedures to stay healthy, one of which is being bathed, but this should not be too often because otherwise it could affect their fur and skin. Many people prefer to do it at home instead of going to a dog groomer or vet, so in OneHowTo.com we share some tips so you know how to bathe your dog at home.
First ,always use shampoo especially developed for dogs and never products for humans or any other kind of soaps. Remember that the fur of these animals have certain needs.
To bathe your dog at home it is necessary to have an appropriate space for this task such as a terrace, garden or a bathroom large enough to do so, otherwise it is best that you take your pet to a professional to perform this work.
Prepare the shampoo and have many towels close by so your dog doesn't leave all the room drenched.
It is important that water does not go into the dog's ears or this may cause discomfort and inflammation, so it is advisable to block the ears with cotton wool to keep them dry.
Brush the dog's hair before putting him/her in the bath to make sure it hasn't got any tangled hair.
The water temperature should be nice and warm for the animal to feel as comfortable as possible. After wetting the dog, apply the shampoo to on its back and start rubbing gently but with some energy to remove accumulated dirt in his/her hair.
Then wash its legs, these are usually very dirty but in theory if you periodically brush your dog's hair with care you should be able to remove the accumulated mud from this area. If this is not the case then you must devote the necessary time to remove all the dirt.
Finally you must shampoo the head, taking care not to let any shampoo into the ears or eyes.
To rinse you must take your dog by its snout and, preferably using a small bucket, pour water down from its head backwards towards so it extends through its back. You must repeat this process as many times as necessary, making sure that there is no residue shampoo in its hair that may later cause irritations and allergies.
Once you are sure you have removed all shampoo you can proceed to thoroughly drying the dog so to prevent moisture staying in your pet, possibly causing skin problems. Start by passing a towel over the fur to remove excess water and also gently clean the ears.
It is best that your dog becomes familiar with the dryer from when it is a puppy as this is an effective way to dry its fur. In specialist shops you can get ones for dogs that make less noise than normal and do not have such a high a temperature.
Then you should brush the hair carefully, removing any knots that may have been created and helping your pet maintain a shiny coat. Remember that brushing in this way should be frequent so to make the effect of the bath last longer and so that your dog loses less hair.
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- If your pet is too nervous or anxious it is best to leave the bath in hands of professionals as you could accidentally harm the animal.
- You should bathe your dog only once every week or two weeks.