When it comes to preparing for having guests over for the holidays or any time of year, it starts with cleaning up your home and making sure everything is neat and tidy. However, when you have a dog, preparing for guests doesn’t stop there. Your next step is making sure your dog is as clean and fresh-smelling as your home. Keep reading to get dog bathing tips directly from Fon Jon Pet Care San Diego’s grooming experts!
And remember we’re here to help you out with your dog grooming needs if grooming at home doesn’t work for you!
Bathing Frequency
Most dogs don’t need to be bathed more than once a month unless they spend a lot of time outside or have a skin issue that needs to be treated.
However, each dog is unique and the frequency of bathing will also be influenced by your dog’s breed. For example, long-haired dogs require more regular maintenance than short-haired dogs. You may even need to take your dog to a professional groomer if her coat proves to be too difficult to maintain on your own.
You can also speak with your vet or a groomer for their advice on how often you should bathe your dog.
Location & Products
Once you’ve determined how often you’ll be bathing your dog, your next step is choosing where you’ll bathe your dog. Like her bathing frequency, where you choose to bathe her will depend on her breed and size, but there really isn’t a right or wrong place to bathe your dog. It’s all about whatever works best for your and your dog’s needs!
Once you have your location, you’ll need the dog bathing basics: shampoo, conditioner, and a towel (or towels) to dry off. You’ll probably want to make sure your shampoo, conditioner, and anything else you may use during the bath are close. If your dog is a bath time escape artist, you won’t want to have to go too far to get the shampoo or conditioner when you need it.
Finally, keep in mind that you should only use shampoo and conditioner that is made specifically for dogs. A dog’s skin is not the same as a human’s, so using human shampoo or conditioner, as luxurious as it may seem, may irritate her skin and cause serious skin issues.
If you’re not sure what’s best for your dog, you can ask your vet or a groomer which shampoo and conditioner they recommend.
Dog Bathing Tips
You may have your own routine when it comes to bath time, but the following steps and dog bathing tips may help bath time go a little more smoothly.
- Start by getting your dog into her bathing area. Keep in mind that even if your dog doesn’t want to cooperate, you should stay positive so that bath time can remain a good experience for her.
- Before you begin lathering your dog with shampoo, dilute it with some water first. Professionals recommend this method because it can make shampoo easier to spread around on your dog. An easy way to do this is to place some clean water in a dispenser, then mix in some shampoo.
- Once your shampoo is ready, check that the water is warm but not hot enough to hurt your dog, then begin wetting your dog.
- We recommend that you shampoo your dog twice. This is the best way to ensure that her hair and skin are properly cleansed. Remember to shampoo all areas of your dog, including their paw pads, bellies, and armpits, which are commonly overlooked
- Once she’s been thoroughly shampooed and rinsed, move on to conditioner. Just like when you condition your own hair, this should be left on for a few minutes before you rinse it off.
- Before you finish up, make sure that all shampoo and conditioner has been thoroughly rinsed off. Leaving anything in your dog’s hair will cause uncomfortable skin irritation.
Washing Your Dog’s Face
You probably consider washing your dog’s face the most difficult part of the process. You want to avoid getting shampoo or water in her eyes, nose, and ears, but you also want to make sure her face has been completely washed.
An easy way to accomplish this is by using a washcloth. Dip the washcloth into the shampoo/water mixture you used for your dog’s body. Carefully and gently wash her face, then dip another clean washcloth into clean water. This will be used to rinse the shampoo off. You may also want to keep an eyewash close in case shampoo does get into your dog’s eyes.
Post-Bath
Once she’s completely clean and rinsed off, towel dry your dog as completely as possible. After this, you can either finish the drying process by blow-drying her (if she can tolerate it) or letting her air dry.
Fon Jon Pet Care San Diego is Here to Help With Your Dog Bathing Needs!
Fon Jon Pet Care is a first-class dog grooming and general pet care facility in San Diego County that has been serving this community for more than 70 years. We know the importance of pet cleanliness and we also know that grooming your pet yourself isn’t always easy. This is why we have a full-time pet groomer on staff who is here to provide all of your dog grooming needs. Whether your pet just needs a basic bath or a full spa day of treatment, we can provide it for you!
Dog grooming services can be added to any dog boarding or dog daycare reservation. We recommend scheduling grooming for the last day of boarding to ensure your camper comes home clean!
Make an appointment online or call us at (858) 490-2117 to learn more about our grooming packages.
