Bathing is one of the least fun, but the important thing for the genuine health and care of the dog. Many dogs do not like to swim, so if you do not have this habit will surely run out of the tub in the middle of a bath. Or will be so nervous that you will not succeed either to force them into the tub.
Bear in mind that bathing dog too often is not recommended, because excessive bathing removes the natural oils in the skin and makes skin dry, which leads to creation of dandruff, and significantly reduces skins protective role. By removing the protective layer of the skin, favorable conditions for microorganisms for smooth penetration into the skin are made, which might lead in greater emergence of infections. Frequency of bathing depends on the length and density of the hair of the dog. Besides this factor, you have to take into consideration that dogs that habitat in houses have to be bathe somewhat more often than the outside dogs. It is advised to bathe a dog maximum 4 times a year.
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In order to make this process less painful, we present you few advices that could come in handy while bating your dog.
Get used to bathing a dog while still young
Regardless of the dog breed you have, a smart thing to do is start with a bathing while still young, so that the dog could become accustomed to this activity at time. There isn’t exactly the right age for first puppies bathing, optional time to start is around 2.5 months, but if there is not extreme dirt or the puppy has no specific smell, bathing can be put off for later. When it comes to the first puppy bathing, be extremely careful to avoid scaring the dog. One negative experience with water can terrify the dog and make further bathing a nightmare. Therefore, be patient while bathing your puppy and make sure to take the time for the process. Trust me, you will make it easier for you to bathe your dog.
Brush the dog
Whether the dog has short or long hair, make sure to brush well him before bathing, in order to remove dirt from the growing hair. Besides, the dogs that have long and curly hair, the brushing process will remove eventual lumps from the hair and the dirt will fall off more easily.
Prepare the requisites
Before you put a dog in a bath, prepare all the requisites you need. Fill the tub with warm water, and eventually put a rubber pad or towel under the dog, to avoid dogs sliding on the bath. Prepare shampoo for bathing, brush, towels … Do not leave your dog alone in the bath because the dog will use the situation and run out of the tub.
The bathing process
Wet the dog with warm water, starting from the rear part of the head to make sure the water doesn’t enter the ears. Apply the shampoo. The types of shampoo is very important and certainly keep in mind that dogs cannot be bathe with shampoo for humans, because of the different skin pH levels in dogs and people. Apply the shampoo first to the back, then the stomach, legs and tail. Make sure to avoid shampoo getting in contact with dogs eyes and ears. Shampoo and rinse the dog twice. The thorough rinse is very important, so that the shampoo does not irritate the skin of the dog, nor creates the irritation.
Dry the dog
After washing, wipe the remaining of water with dry towels. Alternatively, you can dry the hair with a hair dryer turned on a low temperature. During and after hair drying, make sure to brush the dog’s hair, in order to gain that healthy hair shine. After the process is finally done, leave the dog in the warm room for a while, for at least 2 hours. This is especially advised in the winter period.