Giving a dog a bath is simpler that it seems and messier than it sounds.With some dogs it’s easier to use a professional. Here in Nashville, one of my previous dogs, Peace, a Chow/Cocker mix, went to Miss Kitty’s Bed and Bath and loved it there. Some of my clients use Doogie Doos.
My current dog Said, takes his baths at home. This is easy in the summer time. I put a leash on him, get out the shampoo bottle and put several towels well out of water distance and just use the hose to bath him. He’s not a use fan of water being sprayed on him but he loves having it rubbed in.
Be sure to use the right kind of shampoo for your dog. Not human shampoo, not even human shampoo for babies, use dog shampoo. I look for a gentle soothing shampoo like an oatmeal based one. I’m also looking for scent. I once had a poor guy at the Bellevue Nashville Pet Products work patiently with me for about 20 minutes while I tested bottles to get the one that didn’t stink too much, or too little, but smelled just right!
The process I follow is to wet my dog a bit, pour that shampoo on and then slather it all around. I then add a bit more water and slather some more, getting all the nooks and crannies. As I said, Said likes this part; he just doesn’t like the rinsing.
While I am rinsing, I am stepping on the leash to keep my dog next to me and I’m spraying with one hand and using my other hand to run the water through his hair. This speeds up the rinsing process.
The process for an indoor bath is much the same, though a bit messier. Said happily hops into the tub but that happiness diminishes when the water begins to run. I use a large cup to facilitate rinsing. Sprayers are nice too and if your tub doesn’t have one you can buy a kind that attaches.
Pre bath procedures often include removing a dog’s collar (might as well wash it at the same time), putting cotton balls in your dogs ears to prevent ear infections and a solution to coat the eyes so water will just roll off. I also keep a container of treats at the side of the tub to help make the experience more pleasurable.
This inside bathing method can be messy depending on your dog, which is why some people prefer using a "do it yourself" service such as Dizzy’s Dog Wash. They have everything set up for you to give your dog a bath using their facilities. It’s an economical solution in between paying a groomer and doing it yourself.
Which ever method you choose make the experience as positive as possible, your dog will be taking a lot of baths in his life. The AVMA suggests bathing no more than once every two months. I don’t know what the "no less than" amount of baths is, all I can tell you is you’ll know it when you smell it.
