Bathing Your Dog - When and How To Bath Your Canine The Right Way

Different breeds and lifestyles will dictate how often your dog requires a bath and what sort of dog shampoos and conditioners work best. If your dog spends a lot of time playing outdoors, chances are he'll need a bath more frequently. Too much bathing, however, will remove vital oils from your dog's coat, causing his skin to dry out.

Never wash your dog outside if the weather is cold. This is particularly true for puppies, who have trouble regulating their body temperatures. Puppies should be at least four weeks old before they receive their first bath.

Before bathing, comb and brush out all mats. Otherwise, the water will turn the mats into solid masses, which will require clippers to remove.

If you're using a tub, fill the water to the level of your dog's knees. Bring your dog into the tub. If you have a bathing tether, attach one end to his collar and the suction cup to the bathtub. Ladle the warm water over him. If you use a spray, use it on low and hold it gently against his coat so the spraying action doesn't scare him.

When he's thoroughly wet, apply the shampoo on his back and work it gently through the coat. Be careful not to get soap in his face or mouth. Use the washcloth or sponge to clean and rinse his face, and the soft brush to clean the paws, between toes and on nails.

When you're ready to rinse, don't forget to drain the tub first. The rinsing cycle, by the way, is very important. You want to do it twice to make sure all the soap is rinsed off. Leaving soap on the dog can cause an allergic reaction.

If you need to, drain the tub again so your dog isn't standing in water while he dries. Now, you'd better back up; your dog has been waiting to shake off the excess water since you began.

Gently squeeze out excess water and finish drying him with the towels. If you use a hair dryer, keep the heat and blow force on low. Remember to dry the ears with cotton balls to prevent infection.

Your dog’s lifestyle and breed will dictate how often he should be groomed. Smooth coated dog breeds are the easiest to maintain, but shed and require weekly brushing and an occasional bath.

Short-coated dog breeds have dense coats of downy, water resistant hair close to the skin, combined with thick, straight surface hair. This type of coat needs to be brushed several times a week and require an occasional bath.

Curly coated dog breeds do not shed and have extremely waterproof coats. They need to be bathed and clipped approximately every 2 months.

Wiry coated dog breeds have stiff, dense hair that needs daily grooming to prevent matting.

Long coated dog breeds have a long, straight, coarse outer coat and a thick undercoat, which requires daily brushing and regular trimming.

Next article: Good Dog Shampoos and Conditioners Buying Guide And Tips

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