Bathing The Dog Page 2
 1. Find and prepare a good spot
For larger breeds, we especially like shower stalls
with solid doors. That way, there's little chance of Rover taking the shower curtain
with him as he escapes down the stairs. Smaller breeds can be bathed in the kitchen
sink as long as all antique glassware is removed from the nearby countertops.
Wherever the spot is, you will need
to invest in a good shower head attached to the end of a long, flexible hose. Even
those of us who are total klutzes were able to get those terrific showerhead kits and
install them in about 10 minutes.
As an added bonus, many of these have fun
massaging sprays for your own use. Plus, it makes clean up much, much faster and
easier. Hardware stores also carry rubber hoses with showerheads that attach to
the faucet of your bath tub. If your shower or bath has a slick bottom, you can add
a rubber mat to the bottom or even a heavy bath towel to minimize slipping. Just be
careful to leave the drain free.
Inside baths are far superior to
outside baths. Outdoor baths generally have only cold water and even if your dog
doesn't mind too much (they usually mind but are too timid to say much) you certainly
won't be comfortable. Also, where in the world are you going to put that tub full of
soapy water when you're done?
You will find these items handy:
1. 1-2 large towels laid out on the floor in front of the shower or bath
2. 1 large towel and 1 hand towel for drying
3. blow dryer, curved or blunt scissors, brush
4. fresh collar
5. tidbits
6. enough shampoo
7. half vinegar/half water finishing rinse in a plastic container
8. clean bedding
2. Find the dog
You will need to find and deposit your dog in a safe place before
you look too prepared for bathing. We have one golden retriever who manages to
squeeze herself underneath the bed and flatten herself against the far wall.
Since she weighs about 70 lbs., it's hardly worth crawling underneath the bed to
retrieve her. If she's under the bed then the bath is postponed to another day.
She loves water and is fine once she's in the shower. She's probably hiding
under the bed just for kicks and giggling about foiling us again.
Try putting your dog in the bathroom
while you run the shower or bath. A smelly, tasty tidbit or two never hurts.
Like any other activity, a pleasant memory of bathing makes each subsequent bath a
little easier. A special tidbit, like rich liver morsels, that he gets
only in the bath works very well.
3. Water-Soap-Water-Shake
Thoroughly wet your dog with warm water. If
his hair is oily and doesn't get wet easily, add a dollop of shampoo to the water.
The detergents bond with the oil and removes it allowing the water to penetrate the
fur.
We've been quite happy with a number of
high quality human shampoos. If you're just looking to get your dog clean (i.e.
without any special additives for skunk smells, fleas, etc.) a shampoo from a
reputable company works just fine. Brands such as Pantene and Finesse work well.
We like ones that are designed to add moisture into dry hair. They're rich,
lather easily and wash out well. You can also try a made-for-dogs shampoo
and see which you prefer. Dogs come in a wide range of skin and hair types
and will react differently to various products.
We've tried baby shampoos, dandruff
shampoos, shampoo/conditioner combinations and the bargain shampoos but haven't
been very pleased with them. We've found the baby shampoos and dandruff
shampoos to be harsher than the moisture-rich ones. If you are concerned
about sensitivity to harsh detergents, you can also dilute your shampoo with
water.
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