Bathing Your Dog

There is controversy regarding bathing your dog when you are going to clip it. Some groomers claim that you should bath the dog first and then groom it. Others say that you should cut the dog’s hair first and then bath it.

Sometimes I get a bath and then get my hair cut and other times I get my hair cut and then I get my bath. It all depends on the groomer. If my hair is cut before my bath, the clippers and scissors are dulled more than if I get my bath first. However, by cutting my hair first, the bath and drying time are shortened.

Both clipping and bathing cause me stress, so from that point it doesn’t seem to matter which is done first. However, my recommendation is to bath me first and then cut my hair. It is easier on the clippers and scissors and if my hair is left a little damp (damp not wet), it saves some drying time and the groomer has an easier time cutting my hair which makes it more comfortable for me.

Essential equipment for bath time is of course a high quality dog shampoo. Do not use people shampoo on your dog. Dog skin has a different ph than human skin. If you use people shampoo on your dog you will damage its skin and you may cause it to develop skin allergies. Dog shampoo is formulated with a ph compatible to a dog’s skin. I recommend that you put a rubber mat in your bathtub, hook a shower spray to your bathtub faucet (if you don’t have a shower in your tub) and wash your dog in the bathtub. Also put a fine strainer in the bathtub drain to catch the dog hair so you don’t plug up the bathtub drain pipe.

Never leave your dog unattended on a grooming table or in the bathtub.

Wet the dog thoroughly before applying shampoo. Lift long hair to be certain you get down to the roots. Be sure the water drains away as it runs off your dog. You do not want your dog standing in dirty water. If water starts to accumulate, turn off the spray attachment and clean the dog hair out of the strainer in the bathtub drain. Temperature of the water should be warm, never hot or cold. Put some cotton in your dog's ears to prevent water getting into them. Water in the ears from bathing can cause ear infections.

Start with the head and wet down the neck, along the back and down the left side including the legs. Repeat on the right side. You may want to avoid turning the dog at this stage. Turning the dog at this stage could encourage it to jump out. Wet the tail last.

If the dog is sensitive about having its head wet, you can take your free hand and place it over the dogs eyes before you start to spray the dog’s head. Or if that doesn’t work or is too awkward start with the tail and work up the body, wetting the head last.

After the dog is soaked, you can use a hound glove to remove dead hair from your dog’s coat. After doing this, clean any accumulated hair out of the bathtub so that it doesn’t clog the drain.
Soak the dog again to be sure that it is wet down to the skin and then work the shampoo into the coat thoroughly. Do not overlook the area underneath the chest and stomach, the anal area and the dog's feet (especially on the bottom of the feet). Be sure the shampoo gets down to the skin and is well lathered. Add water if needed.

Always use a tearless shampoo for the head and face. You still need to be careful not to get shampoo in the dog's eyes. Rinse immediately if the shampoo gets into the dog's eyes. Do not put shampoo in the dog's ears.

Rinse off the shampoo and use a second application if required. If your dog's coat is clean - it will "squeak" like human hair does. Clean your dog's coat until you hear the "squeak." Rinsing should be very thorough. Any shampoo left in the coat can cause intense itching and it will dry out the dog’s skin. If your dog has very sensitive skin, use a dog shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin. If you notice itching right after your dog's bath, discontinue the brand of shampoo that you used and try another brand next time. You should always use a dog hair conditioner after the shampoo has been rinsed out because it makes the hair more manageable and it seems to shorten the drying time and the brushing time. Always thoroughly wash the conditioner out of your dog’s hair before removing the dog from the bath.

If you would like to prevent yeast and fungus ear infections you can use Betadine Scrub (you can get this from your vet) inside the ears each time you bath your dog. Just pour a little straight from the bottle into each ear after the bath. Let it sit in the ear for a couple of minutes and then take a clean dry cloth and wipe any moisture and debris out of the ear. Keep the hair pulled out of your dog's ears so that ear wax and dirt don’t accumulate in them. (I don’t like this much as I have sensitive ears, but I’m also prone to ear infections, so my ears have to be kept clean).

When you are finished rinsing your dog's coat, squeeze out the excess moisture with cotton towels or super absorbent towels to cut down on drying time.

Most breeds of dogs need to be blow dried after a bath. Use a low temperature on your hair dryer. Be careful not to have the air blow directly onto the skin. Blow the hair away from the skin, but do not blow the skin itself. Most dogs hate the blower on their faces. If your dog objects to the hair blower then turn the blower down to low speed and the dog may not object as much.

Do not wash your dog more than once every two weeks as you will cause it to develop skin problems that could become difficult to treat. Most dogs only need a bath once a month. If you are in doubt, check with your veterinarian.

Until next time,

Teia