When you have a dog, they sometimes get dirty, and need a bath. It’s hard to know where to start when you are new to owning a dog or have never given a dog a bath before. Hopefully, this article will be successful in teaching how to give your dog a bath.

 The first step before giving your dog a bath is to brush out your dog’s hair coat, so you get all the snarls out. It is important to brush out their hair, especially if it is a longer hair coat because more debris tends to get stuck in the hair. If you find matts in the hair, you can try to brush them out or you can very carefully cut them out with sharp scissors. You can also use a grooming clipper to shave out the matts.

To start, find a shower or bathtub to put your dog in.  If you have a professional grooming station, be sure to use that. If your dog does not like bathes, it is nice to have another person there to help while you are bathing the dog to help assure the dog does not jump out. You can also purchase adjustable straps with little clips on the end. The clips hook to the dog’s collar and on the other end there are suction cups to stick on the wall of the shower.  This just helps to keep the dog in the bathtub or shower if you are bathing them by yourself.

The second step to bathe your dog is to get the dog wet. Just run water all over the dog’s coat, and be sure to get everywhere, but avoid the dogs face. We want to avoid the face because the dogs will pull away if we start to spray them there. You then can start putting the shampoo on your dog. There is a special kind of shampoo to use on your dog that is specifically designed for dogs. A few good brands to use are EARTHBATH all natural pet shampoo, WAHL 100% natural pet shampoo, BARKLOGIC shampoo, and 4-Legger Certified Organic Dog Shampoo – All Natural – Hypoallergenic. When applying the soap, spread it all over the body and rub it around everywhere. Eventually the soap will start to turn a darker color if you are getting all of the dirt off. If you have a brush that is meant for rubbing the dirt off while the dog is wet, be sure to use that so you really get all the dirt and grime off. Once you see the soap is dirty, turn the water back on to rinse your dog. Make sure you get all the soap off because if you don’t, their skin could get irritated and itchy. Remember to rinse between their toes and rinse out their tail. Make sure you don’t spray any water in their ears because it can cause an ear infection. Again, it is very important that you get all the soap out. If your dog is still dirty after the first time you shampooed them, you can go ahead a do another round of soap to help get the excess dirt off.

Once you have gotten all the soap off, your dog is ready to come out of the shower. To help get some of the water off your dog, you can run your hands down your dog’s back and legs. Apply a little pressure so you get most of the water off. It works best to get most of the water off  your dog when they are still standing in the shower, so when they step out, they don’t get water all over the floor. Make sure you have a few old towels next to you, that you are willing to use, to dry your dog of the rest of the way. If your dog has a short hair coat, the towels will be enough to get the water off, but if your dog has a longer hair coat, it is nice to have a blow dryer meant for dogs. The blow dryer specifically designed for dogs blows air at a higher force, to get all the water out of their hair. I recommend blow drying your dog in the shower. Hair tends to get everywhere, and it is easier to clean up if it is in the shower.

After you are done blow drying your dog, make sure they are completely dry before you send them outside. If it is winter, their hair could possibly freeze. You can apply some show sheen. Show sheen is a spray used on horses and cows to make their hair look soft and shiny, and you can spray it on your dog’s hair coat for the same effect. It is safe to use on dogs, but don’t spray it on their face.

Your dog should be looking and feeling clean after all this is done. Give your dog a bath once every month to help them stay happy and healthy.  I hope this was helpful in teaching you how to give your dog a bath.