Some dog are high maintenance breeds, others would have the barest grooming requirements but all dogs need grooming. Apart from the important function of keeping the pet clean, grooming also prevents parasite infestation that can cause a number of health disorders in the pet. More importantly, the ties between owner and pet is improved when the dog is groomed.

Although dogs don’t need to be bathed very often, bathing still forms an important component of canine grooming. Indoor dogs that live and sleep with the family would naturally need to be bathed more often unlike outdoor dogs that can hit the water only about twice a month. Dogs don’t have to be bathed very often as their skin has the tendency to get dry when frequently exposed to water. In dogs, too frequent bathing is not advised as it would remove the natural oils that waterproofed the fur and keep the skin moisturized.

A new dog owner may think that bathing the dog is an easy chore until the actual bathing time comes and results to the dog going scot free and the owner being drenched all over. Dogs love to play in rain puddles and in smelly ponds but take the dog to the tub to be bathed and it would struggle with all its might. Teaching the dog to tolerate bathing is best done while it is still a puppy. Make the bath time as fun as possible so that the dog would not think of the grooming routine as an unpleasant time.

Have the bathing needs of the pet ready – a doggie shampoo, a brush and towels. Tangles would be very difficult to remove once they get wet thus it would be a good idea to give the pet a good brushing before bathing time. Bathe small dogs in the sink and large dogs in the tub.

Bath time! For ease of bathing the dog it would be best to use a shower head attached to a flexible hose. Wet the dog thoroughly with warm water. Use a good amount of dog shampoo to work up a good lather but be careful not to get shampoo into the dog’s eyes. The limbs and the feet are oftentimes the dirtiest body part thus they must be cleaned thoroughly. Anti-flea shampoo must be left unrinsed for about 10 minutes.

Thoroughly rinse the shampoo from the coat. When rinsing the coat, be sure that the water would not get into the eyes and ears of the dog. Thoroughly dry the fur with a towel. A hair dryer can be used but make sure that it is on a low setting so as not to burn the dog.

At Sarah’s Dogs you can learn more about dog grooming as well as dog bathing.