Pristine Pups: Five Tips for a Better Bath

If you own a dog, you know how hard it is to keep them clean. They love to explore everything and somehow always end up dirty. For most owners, a simple bath does the trick. But what’s the correct way to wash your dog? Is there even a correct way? Every dog is different, but, yes, there is a specific way you should be cleaning or washing your dog.

Here are five simple steps to add to your pet-grooming regime:

1. You should be giving baths a least once a month.

It may seem like a lot, but it’s the truth. Your pet can gather a lot of dirt and grime in that month. Obviously, if he or she takes a romp through the mud, they’ll be getting a bath ahead of schedule, but it’s a good time table to use if you’re unsure how long you should wait between baths. Also, if your dog is a breed that has an oilier or dryer coat, you may want to research what bath schedule is best!

2. Always try to use lukewarm water.

While we humans love a hot shower at the end of the day, dogs don’t enjoy it as much. Their skin is very different than ours and hot water can actually burn their skin. When giving your dog a bath, try to imagine that you’re giving a human baby a bath. If the water is hotter than what you’d wash a child with, then you should most likely change it. For larger dogs, you can run the water a little colder.

3. Dog shampoo is a must.

Yes, there is a major difference between dog shampoo and human shampoo. For one, it’s less drying to their skin. Just like we need specific nutrients to keep our human hair clean, dog shampoo has specific ingredients geared towards what your dog needs for a shiny, healthy coat. Also, here’s another tip: whenever you use the shampoo on your dog, work it into a lather and massage it all over your dog, making sure to keep the soap out of its eyes.

4. Rinse well and air dry!

Leftover shampoo can irritate your dog’s skin to no end, so make sure you rinse, rinse, and rinse. Make sure you rinse until there are no shampoo suds left. If you run your fingers through your dog’s coat, you should be able to tell if the shampoo is completely rinsed out or not. When you dry your dog, it’s best to let its coat air-dry. Feel free to dry them off gently with a towel and then let the air do the rest!

5. Reward them!

Don’t hesitate to give your pup a treat! Baths aren’t always fun for them, so a treat at the end not only rewards them for their patience getting cleaned, but also lets them know that bathing has good rewards, making them a little less averse to it.

Now that you have a few more tips on how to correctly bathe your dog, bath time won’t be such a chore! Hopefully your pet stays away from the mud and the puddles around your neighborhood. Until then, enjoy seeing how clean their coat looks!