So, how do we do this right?

·       We create a space where a pet can be bathed comfortably,

·       We use the right shampoo,

·       We use the right conditioner, and

·       We dry our pets thoroughly and properly.

Professional groomers typically bathe dogs in a salon environment where the tubs and tables are elevated (or can be raised to variable heights), giving groomers and pets a very comfortable working space that puts the least amount of physical strain on both humans and canines alike. 

For home groomers, or aspiring groomers who may be just starting out in the profession with limited access to professional equipment, we need to get creative. With a little planning and the right equipment, you can set up a temporary home bathing area quite easily! For detailed information about what you would need to get this done, please see 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.

We all probably have a pretty good idea of how to use shampoo (hopefully!).  Let’s go over the basics, just in case:  wet hair, apply shampoo, lather, rinse, repeat as necessary. Easy peas-y, right?  We just have to make sure to choose the right shampoo for our pets and make sure that we rinse very thoroughly with warm (not hot, not cold) water.

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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).

If your pet is *special* (ok, of course all our pets are special, but I mean coat-type wise), the varieties of shampoo choices are seemingly endless.   We’ve got brightening shampoo, de-shedding shampoo, deodorizing shampoo, clarifying shampoo, and much more.  If you’re looking for something a little more specialized than a general-purpose shampoo, we break it down for you in Choosing the Right Shampoo for your Pooch.

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

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.

Some dogs are exposed to environments where bathing more frequently is required.  Try to find a schedule that allows for the skin to replenish itself, and make sure to use extra nourishing shampoo and conditioner for frequent bathing schedules.

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:

Bio-Groom Oh so gentle Hypo

Envirogroom Berry Silk

Double K (yellow conditioner)

Natures Specialties Plum Sikly

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. So, it is very important to make sure that you research the needs of your breed, and more often than not, you’ll need to dry your pet properly, 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.

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!