How to correctly bathe your dog at home?

Bathing your feisty dog can be an uphill task, especially each time it puts up a fight resisting the event. Also did you know that there are certain steps that need to be observed to offer the right bathing experience to your pet dog? You definitely don’t want your dog to develop complete aversion towards bath. Bathing the dog comes with its own set of advantages such as ridding the hair of filth/mud & stink and the chances of suffering from a tick and flea attack are greatly reduced in a clean coat. On the contrary your pet covered in dirt may feel at its handsome best!
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How to convert the bath-time from being a frightening to a positive experience?

An effective and calm leader works with patience and tries to reinforce a habit through rewards. First and foremost timing does play a role here, acquaint your pet to bathing while it’s still a puppy. Another approach involves the use of delicious dog treats and attention-grabbing dog toys. Use these props to encourage the dog to enter the shower area/ bath tub and once it enters the designated spot continue to offer affection and its favorite treats/toys for it to stay there. Eventually there would be a day when the canine would hop into the dog tub on its own without requiring any form of allurement.

To avoid water going into dogs’ ears, you can insert cotton balls before the bath or clean the ears using Dog Ear Buds after bath. Image Source: www.foxvalleyanimalhospital.com.au

Once the pet is comfortable begin to add water
But first it is important to place cotton balls in its ears, so that water doesn’t enter them. In case the dog isn’t comfortable with the cotton being stuffed, simply take extra care while pouring water so that it doesn’t splash onto the ears. In case water does enter, it can lead to ear infections; hence cleaning the ear using ear-cleaner & dog cotton buds is advisable. Use Luke warm water to bathe your pet, the water should never be too hot as the canine’s skin is as sensitive as a baby’s. Especially large dogs are susceptible to overheating, so always be sure to add water at the right temperature.

Protect not just the eyes but also the mouth from water

Pour water onto the dog using a mug but be sure to avoid the face. The area below the neck can be wetted with water. For cleaning the face use a damp face-cloth.

Pick the right dog shampoo

Never use a shampoo you are using for yourself. Always purchase a mild dog shampoo for bathing the pet dog. A shampoo designed for human use can dry up your dog’s coat by robbing it of natural oils. The end result would be an itchy skin and an irritated pooch. Therefore consult the vet and purchase an appropriate dog shampoo. Rub it onto the pet’s body and work up lather. Wash properly with clean water to remove soap along with the impurities.

Dry the dog

Some dog parents may want to opt for a dog blow dryer. Be careful not to use one developed for humans as it works on a higher temperature not comfortable for the dogs.

However the best way is to towel dry the canine. Once the absorbent towel has soaked up the moisture, let the hair air dry.

Frequent bathing too can lead to dull coat and skin irritation. Image Credit – blog.drbarks.com

Before bath-time dog owners can gently brush their pet’s hair to free it of tangles as water can get stuck in these knots and cause skin irritation.

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How often to bathe the dog?

Bathing too often can dry up the pet’s coat leading to dandruff and knots in the hair. Nevertheless the dog can be given a bath once in a month.

There are certain conditions that influence the number of times/frequency a dog should be bathed. In case you own an outdoorsy pooch who loves to play in mud then you may be compelled to clean or wash it regularly. Also different breeds have different kinds of coats. The texture & make up of the coat is another factor deciding the frequency of baths. For instance beagles do not require regular baths but basset hounds do as they have oily hair.

For a happy ending, reward your dog (with some more love & petting) for obediently undergoing the bathing session. This will be another step in the right direction that will lead the dog to link a bath with something positive along with getting you two closer.

Article Resource:
http://dogtime.com
https://www.cesarsway.com