They may not all love the experience, but every dog needs a good bath from time to time. Knowing how to wash a dog and when to bath a puppy are vital skills in canine ownership. Bathing not only removes obvious dirt and muck they might have rolled in, but it also helps keep their coat healthy – removing loose fur, dead skin and potential parasites.
While all dogs do need regular washing, some may require more frequent bathing, depending on their fur, environment, propensity to roll and play around in swamps. However, dogs should not be washed too often. They have natural oils which do a great job keeping their skin and coats healthy. Their skin can be sensitive and prone to irritation if washed excessively. Furthermore, if you apply topical tick and flea treatment, this will be washed off when you bathe them.
But it is still a necessary ritual, even if not as frequently as you would wash your own hair. Bathing should be a calm, stress-free and comfortable experience for your dog, so make sure you take the time to introduce it to him gradually and in such a way that will not make him fearful of future baths.
How to wash your dog in 12 steps
1. Gather your equipment together before you begin: bathtub, dog grooming brushes, dog shampoo, dog conditioner, several towels. A little dog may fit easily in a utility room sink, but most dogs will do best in a bath tub or the shower if it has a suitably deep standing area to catch the water.
It’s a good idea to fit a non-slip mat (like this one on Amazon) on the slippery surface so that the dog doesn’t scare himself sliding around. If you’d rather not share your bathtub with your dog (understandably), pet bathtubs with a drainage valve, such as this one from Amazon, are a great choice. They come in different sizes to accommodate all breeds.
3. Give your dog a thorough groom with a specialised brush, before you even turn the water on, cutting out any clumps you cannot comb through. Getting rid of any matts and loose fur will not only detangle the coat, but stops knotted hair from trapping water and soap suds, which can cause irritation (and takes ages to wash out). It also minimises the amount of doggy hair that will clog up your drains.
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4. Check your water temperature. While you might love soaking in a hot bath, the water should be lukewarm to bathe your dog. Warm water is useful for cleaning, but it should never be too hot. Cold water does not clean as efficiently, and can also make the dog shiver. Bear this in mind if you are washing the dog in the garden with a hosepipe. It is best if you can attach it to a warm water source to avoid a freezing or too-hot bath. Always run the hose through first if you’re in the garden, as it can heat up in the sun to a dangerously high temperature.
5. Check the water pressure, too. Do not blast the dog with a high pressure jet – a nice gentle flow is preferable. If you do not have a shower hose, a large cup to scoop water over the coat will work almost as well but it will take longer to rinse out any products you use.
6. Unless your dog is particularly straightforward about bathing, you will need either to have an assistant to hold on to him to prevent him jumping around or trying to escape, or to tether him in the tub. Speak reassuringly to him, in a no-nonsense fashion so he doesn’t think there is anything to be concerned about, and understands your firm tone.
7. Rinse the dog thoroughly until the coat is wet to the skin all over before applying shampoo. To avoid water going into your dog’s ears, you can plug them with cotton wool balls.
8. Shampoo according to the manufacturer’s instructions, massaging the soap well into the dog’s coat. Rinse, and then apply conditioner, which will help the coat to be sleek and shiny, and less likely to tangle. Rinse again thoroughly, getting rid of all traces of soapy product.
9. If your dog has a thick coat, you may be able to squeeze some of his fur to get rid of excess water. He is likely to want to do a doggy shake, showering you with hopefully pleasant-scented water.
10. Towel-dry your dog, but avoid rubbing him vigorously as this can cause discomfort. Instead, wrap him in the towel and gently squeeze the fur to absorb the water. You may need several towels for a fluffy dog.
11. For dogs with heavy coats especially, you may need to blow-dry him to avoid nasty skin conditions from the coat staying moist for too long. Blow-dry on the lowest setting, keeping the dryer at least 6in away from the fur. Stop when it is still slightly damp rather than bone-dry.
12. Don’t forget to take out the cotton wool balls from the ears – and enjoy the sweet smell of a clean dog in the home, however long that lasts!
Non-slip bath mat at amazon.co.uk Prevent your dog from sliding around with a non-slip bath mat.
Pet bath tub at amazon.co.uk Available in four sizes, this tub has a drain feature for easy emptying.
Lick mats with suction pads at amazon.co.uk Keep your pup occupied with a lick mat that’s stuck to the side of the bath.
Bugalugs Stinky Dog Shampoo at amazon.co.uk This orange and bergamot shampoo is detangling, conditioning, cleansing and deodorising.
Poochiful Mucky Pup Shampoo at amazon.co.uk This deep-cleaning shampoo is designed specifically for smelly dogs, and dogs who roll in fox poo.
Wildwash Conditioner at amazon.co.uk This eco-friendly conditioner is made from natural ingredients with 100% pure essential oils – with no parabens, phthalates, phosphates, petrochemicals, sulphates, palm oils or PEGS (Polyethylene glycol) in sight.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
