How to Give Your Dog a Bath

By Dante Jolay

Bathing dogs is not easy if your dog happens to be a little stubborn. To make it easier, follow these five simple steps.

1. Prepare towel, dog shampoo, hair brush, and hair blower. Regular hair shampoos or dishwashing liquids have active ingredients that could damage dog's skin and fur. In choosing a shampoo, choose an ordinary dog shampoo unless your dog has ticks or other skin problems. Dog shampoos have thick consistency so it is best to dilute it with 25% to 50% water.
2. Brush dog's hair. Brushing your dog's hair is recommended before and after giving him a bath. Brushing takes away the dirt and shedding hair. This is best done before bathing since most dirt is hard to brush away when the dog's hair is wet.
3. Trick your stubborn dog into taking a bath. When all else fails, bribe your dog with treats or bring his favorite toy to lure him to the bathroom. This could take a lot of practice and patience on your part. If these tricks don't work on your canine buddy, then the other, faster option is to use a choke chain. If your dog is really big, you might consider bathing him outdoors with a hose and a helper.
4. Wet, shampoo, and rinse, rinse, rinse. Wet your dog starting from the neck then to the body and tail. Do not wet his head yet. This should be completed last. Shampoo your dog's hind legs and tail going to the body and neck. Then, wet and shampoo the head making sure that no water gets into your dog's ear. Rinse dog's fur thoroughly. If any shampoo is left on the dog's skin for a long period of time, it could cause allergies and skin irritation.
5. Pat your dog dry using a clean towel. Prepare to get wet yourself as your dog may shake off excess water. Afterward, use a hair blower to dry your dog completely. It is advisable to adjust the blower to the right temperature. Do not let the hair blower stay too close to the dog's skin as this could burn his sensitive skin.