doggiestylish

All dogs need a bath every once in awhile. Here's how to do it!

STEPS

1. Decide if the scratching is from parasites, allergies, or simple skin irritation. Pick out a good flea or problem specific shampoo at a pet store or retail store. Some general dog shampoos are formulated with oatmeal to help reduce general irritation. If you have a puppy, check to make sure that he is old enough for the shampoo that you have chosen.
2. The key to reducing general irritation is to rinse your dog well after the bath. You might get a snap-on hose attachment designed to help you rinse your dog thoroughly. For smaller dogs, you can simply refill a small plastic bowl or a pot to rinse, and you can often scoot the dog directly under the faucet for rinsing. For larger dogs, fill the tub or utility sink 2-3" with warm water.
3. Get your dog's coat nice and wet, then apply the shampoo. Do this from the top down, first for his back, then gently scrubbing down to his tail and below, his rear legs, his belly and chest, and then his neck. Make sure to rub shampoo into all of his creases, or rolls, like under his front legs and neck. Rinse thoroughly.
4. Now you are ready to wash his head and face. (If your dog shampoo is not marked "will not sting eyes," consider using human Baby Shampoo for this.) Get the top of the dog's head wet, then add shampoo a little at a time and wash his head, face, below his eyes, his jowls/whiskers, and under his chin. Use very warm water, and take time to re-rub the entire facial area 2-3 times, since this is an area where eye secretions and food can generate much of a dog's odor.
5. Inside ears is a favorite hiding place for fleas, but breeds with big ears (Shih-tzu, Bloodhound, others) are prone to infections if their ears are wet inside. For them, wash inside only with a barely-wet washcloth.
6. Keep the shampoo on your dog for as long as the bottle calls for.
7. Rinse your dog until the water from his fur runs clear, and then rinse one more time. If your dog shies from rinsing his face, use your hand to bring water from the faucet to his face repeatedly to rinse.
8. Get a small or big towel, lay it over your dog's back, and rub your dog dry; make sure you dry the inside of his ears also. (However, no matter how much you dry a dog off, he will still insist on shaking water all over you.) In the winter, or for small dogs almost all the time, lay a dry towel on the floor and use a hair dryer and dog brush to dry and brush your dog. Dogs love this part of a bath!
9. For dogs prone to ear infections, use 2 drops of a vet-supplied rinse that will help dry the ears.
10. A dog is not washed properly until the hairs inside his ears have been pulled out; this is especially true of dogs prone to ear infections. (Your vet or commercial dog groomer does this and will be happy to show you how to do it.)

TIPS

1. Almost all dogs will hate to be bathed at first. With constant practice, your dog will atleast tolerate it.
2. You can buy special suction cups to anchor your dog to the tub.
3. pay attention to the shampoo directions to ensure that it washes out of your dogs coat & doesn't make him itchy or give him a rash afterwards
4. consider getting a spray hose to attach to the faucet. They work wonders for washing down your dog quickly