Tips for Giving Your Dog a Bath
With the snow melting and weather warming up, your dog is probably happy to spend more time outside now. While this is great for getting your pooch a bit more exercise and play time, as well as perhaps some socialization if you go to the dog park, it can also mean your dog getting smelly sooner and more frequently, or dirty from running through puddles of melted snow and mud. Giving your dog a bath can be a messy experience, but you can make it less of a hassle by following these tips. How Often Should You Do It? How often you’ll need to wash your dog will be largely dependent on your pup’s habits—some dogs seem magnetically attracted to mud, it seems, and they’ll need to be bathed more frequently, as you might imagine. A good general rule, though, is if your dog isn’t too dirty or messy outside, every six weeks or so is a good frequency for baths. If your dog doesn’t really get dirty at all and has a double coat, many groomers say that only bathing the dog every 3 or 4 months is fine. Smooth-coated dogs may be able to go even longer between baths. If you’re unsure, talk to your groomer or vet about what they recommend. Before-Bath Maintenance Before you get your dog wet, it’s ideal to brush their coat thoroughly to remove any tangles or mats. If you use a Furminator or de-shedding tool, you can use it before the bath too—after all, it’s kind of silly to wash dog hair that’s about to be shed. Gather all of your necessary supplies, like the dog shampoo, towels and brushes, before you begin. Change into clothing you don’t mind getting dirty, since there’s no way to avoid getting wet while doing this chore. Make sure you close the door of the room you’re bathing the dog in so that if he jumps out of the tub or shower, he can’t track water and dirt all over your home. How to Bathe Be sure to buy a shampoo formulated for dogs—human shampoo may be too harsh or not the right pH for dog skin and hair, and can cause irritation. Oatmeal shampoo can be good for dogs with sensitive, dry, or itchy skin, while flea shampoo can be good for killing and preventing fleas on your pooch. Get your dog wet, then lather the shampoo all over, taking care to avoid the insides of their ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. Rinse with warm water, and make sure to dry thoroughly—including inside the dog’s ears in case water got inside. Make Sure to Dry Be sure to dry your dog thoroughly, including possibly using a hair dryer if Fido will allow it. If it’s still a bit chilly outside, make sure they stay inside until they’re totally dry—the wet hair plus cool air can make them get too cold. There are special towels sold that are very absorbent and that can speed up the drying process, but the most important thing is to make sure your dog stays warm while drying! Do you have any helpful tips for washing your dogs? Let us know in the comments!
Paw Care for Your Pet During the Winter Months
When it gets colder out, we humans put on boots, gloves, scarves, hats and heavier coats. Unfortunately, dogs don’t have the same choice to simply put on protective outerwear on their own—they rely on us, their owners, to help them out. Keeping your dog safe and warm during the winter calls for more than just a cute warm sweater, though—too often, dogs’ paws suffer due to chemicals on the sidewalk, cold, and more. Follow our tips to help keep your dog’s paws healthy all winter long. Keep Hair Trimmed If your dog has long hair, be sure to trim between his or her toes to ensure that the hair doesn’t soak up chemicals or snow when you take your dog for walks. This not only minimizes discomfort, but can protect your dog from getting these harsh chemicals stuck against their skin, which can result in painful chemical burns. Make Sure Paw Pads Are Moisturized One thing that can help safeguard against irritation is to make sure that your dog’s paw pads aren’t dried out or cracking when you take them outside. Using moisturizers or Vaseline on their paws can help protect the skin from harsh conditions outside. This can also soothe chapped paws. Clean Off Your Dog’s Paws Every time you come inside from a walk, use a warm, damp cloth to clean off your pet’s paws. This not only ensures that you are removing any chemicals or ice that have clung to your dog’s paws, but it also warms up their feet—what’s not to love about that after a cold walk outside? Consider Using Boots Of course, if your dog will put up with it, having them wear boots when they go outside will keep their paws most protected from the elements as well as from chemicals like ice melter crystals. Many dogs will want to kick boots off, but if you are persistent and put them on each time you go outside, most dogs get used to wearing them after a while. Keep Walks Short If the weather is very cold, and if your dog simply refuses to wear boots, you’ll want to keep their walks short so that they don’t get hurt. Try to keep dog walks under 20 minutes. This might mean more walks, but that’s okay—if you need help keeping your dog properly exercised during the day, you may want to consider hiring a dog walker to stop by a few times a week.