It’s bath time for Carmen!

Dog bathing is one tedious task for owners, the struggling and the resistance would make you want to pull your hair out of frustration. It is like forcing a 3 year old energetic toddler to bathe, only make it thrice the pain. But if done properly, bath time can be a good bonding activity for you and your pets.

Regular and proper bathing will not only make your dogs happy and clean, this will also help maintain their good health and alertness. Frequent bathing is not advisable though as this can remove the natural oils of their skin and may cause drying and itchiness, bathing them once every two weeks will do.

Before you prepare your dog for bathing, prepare yourself first. Whether you like it or not you will surely get messed up and be wet, not to mention the mess that you will have to clean up afterwards.

So are you prepared yet? Good. Next thing that you have to prepare are the stuff that you will need to make dog bathing easier.  You should have a brush, tub/hose, pail, shampoo, and several towels.

Now that you and the things that you are going to need are ready, it’s bath time for your pet! Call your pet and slowly lead it to the shower, by this time your pet’s already got an idea that you are going to bathe him. To lessen the resistance, talk to your pet in a mellow voice, make him feel that what you are about to do will not harm him. 

It is advisable to brush your dog’s hair first before getting him wet to avoid tangles.

The bath tub is the best place for you to clean your dogs. You could bathe your pet in your regular bath tub or if your budget will allow it, you can buy tubs specifically made for dogs. Tubs are usually made of plastic and have a rubber base that will prevent your dog from slipping. Some even come with bath restraints so your dog won’t be able to escape or run away.

Because you are your dog’s master, you should be able to know his preferences when it comes to bathing. Does your dog prefer to be slowly immersed in a tub already filled with water or would your dog appreciate it more if you put him in an empty tub and slowly let the water rise. If by this time you have no idea what your dog’s preference is, don’t fret, after bathing him a couple of times or so, you would have an idea and the next bathing time would be more manageable.

Once your dog is in the tub you can begin bathing him washing the head first to rinse off fleas then slowly wash the body up to the tail. Use a dog shampoo that will suit your pet’s needs. Human shampoo is not advisable. Slowly lather the shampoo while doing this in a massaging motion so that your dog will feel calm and relaxed. Once you are sure that your dog is free from grime and dirt, wash away the shampoo using a removable shower nozzle or a bucket. Pat dry your pet with several towels or you could use a pet hair dryer to make drying faster.

After a successful bath time, reward your dogs and show them that they did well.

If you are willing to shell out some extra bucks for your precious canine friends, there are a lot of pet shops that specialize in dog care specifically grooming and bathing.