Although how to bathe your dog properly seems like a simple subject, when you start digging in, there are actually many decisions to make to get it just right for your special fur baby.l.

Before we jump into the finer details of our important work, let’s step back and talk about what happens when we bathe our pets.. 

Way back when, people thought it was fine to rinse off their dogs with the garden hose during the summer. Clean, right? Not so much. Water alone helps remove loose debris but doesn’t truly clean the coat or skin. Most dog breeds, especially those that live indoors, benefit from regular bathing.. 

So, how do we do this right?

·       Create a comfortable bathing space,

·       Use the right shampoo,

·       Apply the right conditioner

·       Dry our pets thoroughly and properly.

Creating the Right Bathing Space for Proper Dog Grooming

Professional groomers bathe dogs in a salon environment. Their tubs and tables are elevated or adjustable, making it comfortable for both pets and groomers. This setup reduces physical strain for everyone.

For home groomers or aspiring professionals without salon equipment, creativity is key. With some planning and the right tools, you can set up a home bathing area easily. For detailed guidance, check out our article on Bathing a Dog in a Home Environment.

The most important part about creating the right bathing space is to not only make the space safe and comfortable for the pet, but to always remember to consider your own comfort! If you are straining, stretching, bending, or staying in one position for too long, it becomes more challenging to keep your energy up and to stay positive.  And staying positive is a key ingredient to successful pet grooming.

Using shampoo…

We all probably know how to use shampoo (hopefully!). Let’s go over the basics just in case: wet the hair, apply shampoo, lather, rinse, and repeat if necessary. Easy, right? The key to how to bathe your dog properly is choosing the right shampoo and rinsing thoroughly with warm—not hot or cold—water.

We should stop and talk about water temperature for a second, because it’s important.  Dogs run hotter than humans, so where are core body temperature is roughly 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit, a dog’s core body temperature has an average of 101.5 degrees.  What does this mean?  The ideal water temperature for washing a dog is tepid, meaning between warm and cool.  Hot water is just too hot for our pups, so err on the side of cooler water, always.

Now that we have our tepid (warmish) water ready to go for the new, fantastic bathing area we set up, let’s get back to shampoo so we can do this thing right!

Shampoo for dogs comes in all different varieties, formulated especially for your pets’ needs.  But don’t panic!  For most dogs, a general gentle shampoo will do the trick wonderfully.  Here are some of our favorites (pay attention to dilution rates – they may differ shampoo to shampoo).

IIf your pet has a unique coat type, shampoo choices can seem endless. Looking for something more specialized than a general-purpose shampoo? Our guide, ” Choosing the Right Shampoo for your Pooch,” breaks it down. There are brightening, de-shedding, deodorizing, and clarifying shampoos—each tailored for different coat needs

Once you have chosen the right shampoo for your dog’s coat type, now the question revolves around shampooing frequency. 

How often should you shampoo your dog?

The frequency with which you should bathe your pet depends on many factors, but the big ones are:

your dog’s lifestyle and your dog’s breed. 

Add to that the fact that every pet owner is going to have their preferences of how clean they want their pet to be based on their personal lifestyle.  But there are some guidelines that we can follow based on best practices.

Unless under the direction of a veterinarian, you should not bathe a dog more than once per week.  Small touch-ups are usually ok, but a full bath too often can lead to drier skin and remove beneficial natural oils. 

Most pets that are in a regular grooming cycle are bathed once or twice per month, but remember that many dogs that visit professional grooming salons are breeds that have hair that requires regular trimming (like Poodles and Bichon Frises) and the bath and blow-dry is a necessary part of the grooming process.  For some of our sportier and shorter breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, many owners choose to have their pets bathed less frequently and may follow a quarterly or an as-needed schedule.

If your dog is frequently exposed to dirt or outdoor elements, bathing more often may be necessary. Just ensure the skin has time to replenish its natural oils. If bathing often, use nourishing shampoo and conditioner. Following these steps ensures you know how to bathe your dog properly without harming their skin.

Don’t forget the conditioner!

When bathing a pet, is important to finish every shampoo and rinse with a conditioning treatment.  Why is this important?  There are a few reasons, but the main benefits to conditioner are:

·       Seals the cuticle of the hair shaft

·       Helps to repair damage

·       Adds nourishment in the form of essential fatty acids and oils

·       Reduces static electricity

·       Helps prevent future matting

·       Shortens the drying time after the bath

Choose a conditioner that pairs well with your shampoo.  We go over some popular pairings in Choosing the Right Shampoo for your Pooch.  For some tried-and-true General Purpose conditioners, here are some favorites:

Drying your dog after bathing…

Some sporty dogs can get a quick towel dry after a bath, do some “zoomies” in the back yard (in warm weather, of course), and they are fine. But that is not the case for many breeds.

By not properly drying and brushing out certain coats after bathing, you can actually contribute to matting and, in some cases, actually cause skin issues. Researching how to bathe your dog properly also means understanding the drying process, not only with a towel to start, but also with high-velocity air. The use of a hand-held human-grade dryer is usually not enough for most grooming jobs. Ready for a pet dryer? Read Pet Drying Techniques.

Clean Dog = More Love

What it all comes down to is that we want to spend time with our pups, and the cleaner they are, the closer we can get.  Most of our dogs watch television with us on the couch, sleep on our beds, kiss our faces – and there really isn’t anything better than cuddling a fresh-smelling, clean pooch.  Good luck on your bathing journey and reach out to us if you have more bathing questions that we can share with pet lovers everywhere!

Looking for videos to help? Check these out!!

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