Some dogs are natural puddle, pond and pool jumpers. Others not so much. This can make bath time a challenge. Never fear, here’s 10 tips to make their next bath time a good time.
How to relax your dog before bath time
Take your dog for a walk beforehand. It’ll tire them out and can reduce pre-scrub anxiety.
Remember to make bath time a positive experience by going slow and using praise and treats as a reward.
Attach our Lick Mat to the surface of your bath or shower and smear with their favorite soft food or spread. A little peanut butter or low-fat Greek yoghurt is often a win.
Prepare the bathroom with Wash, Leave in Conditioner, Crumble, towels and a Poncho at the ready. You can also put a towel (or rubber mat) inside the tub/shower to prevent your dog slipping.
If you have a bath, use a handshower - if you don’t have one built in, portable versions can be purchased from the hardware store. Place the showerhead directly on the coat for a nice massage. It’ll minimise spray and mess too!
Begin with low pressure and gradually increase. Lukewarm water is best. Rub the showerhead on your dog to thoroughly wet the coat.
Pump enough Wash to make a decent lather and massage into the coat, ensuring you avoid the eyes. Add a little more water to help increase lather (NB: Our gentle Wash doesn’t lather as much as shampoos with harsh sulfates, but we can assure you that it’s still cleaning the coat).
Dry your dog with a towel and/or Poncho. The Poncho will capture water they try to shake on you while drying them off. Functional and adorable. Ensure you dry the inside of the ears with a towel or tissue too (this will reduce the chance of ear infections).
Blow dry on low heat, brushing continuously until dry - this helps reduce skin irritation and infections. Make sure you also dry the undercoat of double-coated breeds. For fluffy dogs, thoroughly drying them while brushing can help prevent knots. Lick Mats or Crumble will be a useful distraction during brushing and drying
2 Min Read
