Dogs are great to have around: excited when you walk through the door, always keen for walks and playing ball. But in winter weather, those walks can leave us with a dirty pet – mud caked on paws and in fur.
In this article we give some basic tips on how to bathe a dog and the all important clean up afterwards.
How often should you wash your dog?
If you ask a few different people ‘how often should you bathe a dog?’ you may get a few different answers. Some people argue you should do it once a month, but others feel this is too much and that you should simply do it as required.
For some general advice, you should always wash if your dog:
- Smells bad
- Has stepped or fallen in something dirty
- Has an infection
- Has visible dirt caked into his or her coat
If you’re still not sure, don’t hesitate to ask your vet how often should you wash a dog and simply follow their advice.
How to wash a dog?
There are a few different steps to washing a dog. Here is our go-to guide:
- Make sure you have a space big enough to wash the dog. Many people use the kitchen sink for small dogs and the bath for large ones.
- Use treats to incentivise good behaviour. If your dog gets stressed in water, try having one particular toy that they use only before having a bath. This will help them associate positive feelings with bathing and calm down.
- Fill up the sink or tub slowly using warm water that’s cool enough to touch. Always be careful not to burn your dog. Speak to them soothingly throughout and stroke their fur.
- Apply shampoo designed for dogs and lather up the fur. Wash your dog’s face, but make sure not to get shampoo in their eyes or ears. Once fully covered, rinse off.
When you’re done washing a dog, the next task is to get them dry. Pat your dog dry, but never rub as this can cause matting. If you use a hair dryer always make sure it’s not too hot and never blow it directly into your dog’s face.
How to clean your bathroom post-wash
Once your dog is clean your final task is to clean up any left-over mess. Use a powerful and effective cleaning cream like Cif. Their classic lemon cleaner is effective at getting rid of all types of dirty water marks and stains. As always when using a new cleaning product read the directions on the label, test in a small area first and take any necessary safety precautions.
And there you have it: one happy, sweet-smelling canine and one clean home. Perfect.