Features
Bath night for dogs
Interested in how to improve your dog or puppy’s bath time? The experts at Showers To You Bath Experts (https://www.showerstoyou.co.uk/baths/) investigated a variety of tips and tricks online, revealing ten essential steps when bathing your dog.
Top 10 expert tips:
1. Clip your dog’s nails before bath time
Many dog owners forget that before bathing, it is important to check if nails need to be clipped. Long nails make it harder for dogs to have a good grip in the bath, and will often fall over, especially if they are a small breed such as a Yorkshire Terrier.
2. Brush your dog's hair before and after bathing
Remember to brush your dog’s hair before and after bathing, to ensure softness to your puppy’s coat. All dog breeds shed their hair, and it’s best to get rid of any excess dead hair before shampooing. Brushing your pet’s hair will also get rid of any matting and tangles before washing, making it a much easier and more pleasant experience for you and your dog.
3. Gently place cotton balls inside the ears before bathing
One of the things that dogs hate the most is getting water in their ears - hence shaking off mid-bath in an attempt to remove trapped water. This can be controlled by placing a small cotton ball inside your pet’s ears while bathing, providing your dog with a more pleasant bathing experience.
4. Wash your dog in lukewarm water - no more than 37°C
Always check the water temperature before wetting your dog. What feels warm enough on our skin tends to be over 38°C, and this is in fact too warm for your dog’s skin. Water temperature over 37°C can increase your pet’s heart rate too much, causing a strain, especially for puppies and older dogs.
5. Avoid getting water in the nose
It is important to tenderly wet your dog’s face, but avoid getting water near the nose. The best way to do this is by tilting the head up, and closely monitoring the nose. If too much water enters they are at risk of choking.
6. Tearless shampoo is a great option, especially for young puppies
Although it's not necessary, you can opt for tearless shampoos. These are usually sulfate and paraben free, making them the perfect tear-free
formula to wash your dog with. It's important to select the best dog shampoo for your particular breed in order to avoid allergies and skin disorders
7. Scrub the hair in the direction you want the hair to grow
It is important to scrub your dog’s hair in the direction that you would like it to grow in. This simple step will help to avoid ingrown hairs, which could lead to bumps in the skin.
8. Avoid spraying your dog with full force water
It is imperative that the water pressure is low, as using a harsh water pressure can be quite a traumatic experience, especially for younger dogs. By using lower water pressure, you are also saving yourself from splattering dirty water all over your bathroom.
9. Rinse and repeat
Even if you believe that all the shampoo has been removed after rinsing, make sure you double or even triple rinse. Ensuring every little bit of shampoo has been removed is vital as any remaining suds can irritate your dog’s skin.
10. Gently hold the back of the neck to limit your dog shaking off wet water
If your dog is about to shake off all the bath water, before you have had a chance to wipe them down with a towel, simply hold the back of the neck and apply a small amount of pressure. This makes it impossible for them to shake their head, however their tail may shake a little. Martin Smith, owner of Showers to You Bath Experts commented:
“For those dogs that hate being bathed, it is important to normalise the bathtub. Many of us wash dogs very infrequently to the point that dogs feel nervous about being bathed. However, you can attempt to use the bathroom and tub when it's dry as a feeding location - creating a positive association with being in or near the bathtub. Another tip that works well is to place a Licki mat in the bathtub so that the dogs can have a treat, and are distracted while in the bath.”
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Other stories in Features
Cropredy – the friendly festival
Cricket Summer of 1964
Heroes in the Mountains
1974, the strangest of years
Motorbike at the National Motor Museum
June's book reviews
Royal robes
Peter Sellers’ Aston under the hammer
National Bingo Day 27th June 2023
Hen Harriers
Air up
Simon Evans reviews the latest CDs
April’s Top DVDs selected by Simon Evans
Here we go, here we go…for the Coronation
Otter
Easter on a budget
‘The Slug’ will race again after 100 years
Classic Motoring Memories
Tios Drinks
Shake up your makeup
New Year, New You
From Italy with love
Mail-order meat comes of age
Christmas recipes
Christmas Crafts Part 2
Back to your roots
In your garden in Winter
Christmas Crafts
Christmas Gift Ideas
Vegan Skincare
Recipes for hope
Beauty Feature - Embrace the grey
Calling all coffee fans!
World Oceans Day 8th June
Beauty Feature - Feet First
Craft Corner - A great Easter basket
Battle of Britain
Claire Foy "I didn't get life until I was 32"
Alexander Armstong: "My family is my priority"
Cosyfeet Community Award 2019
How to Maintain Your Independence in the Kitchen
Ruth Wilson "Audience's don't know who I really am"
1969: The Year The Dream Died
Want to live the (Feel)Good Life? Move to Watford
Pressures of the sandwich generation
Steve Coogan"The most radical thing I can do is talk about love"
Oldie of the Year 2019
Rabble: The Movement keeping you fit and making you money!
Suzi Quatro: "I've always been a rocker at heart"
Giving up plastic
Women in WW1
Do you remember? UFO
Bognor and other Regises
John Lennon & Yoko Ono: 'Imagine'
Bill roache "It's a real privilege to make people happy"
Nana Mouskouri "Music brings me peace, love and hope"
How to Earn Money by Working from Home
How to get the best night's sleep, every night
Ringo Starr "I'm learning to handle life"
Headphones with a built in hearing test
Petula Clark: "I make the most of every moment"
London's other underground
Blue Peter: Here's one they made earlier
Gary Oldman: "Acting is an antidote to self hatred"
Emilia Fox: "I've learnt to find my own voice"
Love Your Gut Week Recipes
Puffin photos help to tackle decline of the 'clowns of the sea'
Craig Revel Horwood: "I don't care what people say about me"
Do you remember? Apple Records
What a Carry On!
Worried about being worried?
"I feel like the unluckiest person in the world."
Death of a Princess
Queen Elizabeth: Happy and Glorious
The Beatles: It was 50 years ago...
Hank Marvin: “Meeting Cliff changed my life”
Nicole Kidman "Children are the joy of my life"
The world of Parry Ray
Monty Python: Something completely different
Staffordshire Day
I always think I'm going to get found out
All shook up...The day that Elvis died
Twiggy: "I thought the world had gone mad"
Peter Capaldi: "I like characters who are strange"
Make eating breakfast a resolution which sticks, with milk&more
"Turning 60 can't be that bad!"Jennifer Saunders
The Enduring Power of the Unknown Soldier
Bradley Walsh "Variety is great for the soul"
Thank you, Brewood
"You never know what's round the corner"
1966 and All That
Remembering the Heroic Olympians
Martina Navratilova: "I Always Question Authority"
Guide for choosing clothes for older relatives
Getting older and disabled drivers behind the wheel
Men in Sheds
Scared to Shop!
Over 40s Named Most Successful Online Daters
Stay at home mum and author re-ignite's her career
Dating in later Life
Great garden getaways
Toton Engineman Review
The Making of Les Mis
“I’m a restless person by nature”
"We’re such country bumpkins”
Still time for tearooms
Hallowed hall of fame