Is there some deep mystical knowledge evolved through millennia that instinctively comes to the fore even as the slightest hint is given that a bath is on the horizon? Could it be the bath running in the middle of the day, the whiff of the shampoo bottle opened or the appearance of you dressed in shorts or your cozzi ready for a drenching? They know and they know that you know, they know, and they aren’t super impressed. But it isn’t all calamitous, bonding over a bath can be enjoyable for both of you. Plus, your dog will smell and look so fine she’ll be promenading poolside, tail wagging merrily away.
There are lots of things to know about how to brush and bath you dog. First things first – prepare for action. Get your brushes, towels, shampoo, cotton balls, old toothbrush, conditioner and hairdryer and get yourself organiszed. Most importantly grab a generous handful of your doggo’s favourite treats and whatever floating toys she may like for the bath. And don’t forget to talk your hound through the process; the soothing tone of your voice will help her to further relax.
The Ultimate Guide to Brushing Your Dog Like a Pro
Short Hair Doggos – Easy, Peasy Lemon Squeezy!
The short-hair crew like Jack Russels, Labs, Beagles, Dachshunds, Dobermans, Staffies, Boer Bulls and Rotties and every cute-as-can-be shorthair mix, are one, two,
three done. Just put them in the bath or
the sink and Bob’s your uncle! Not
quite, but close. They may not look as
if they don’t need to be brushed but we all know how much they shed! Use a rubber currie comb to rub them down and
watch the fur simply fall off them in feathery clouds. It’s a very satisfying feeling and your dog
will love the massaging sensation. A
good rub down twice a week is adequate to combat shedding.
Double Coated Dogs – Fur Monsters!
Corgis, Huskies, German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, Pekes, Poms, Shiba Inu, Lassie
and the Dulux dog are a few of the double coated breeds. For this crowd it’s all about the brush. Slicker brush to be precise. It’s vitally important to brush out these
dogs before they get wet and all the loose fur gets clumped unto unmanageable,
thick tufts. But there’s a trick to
brushing out a double coated dog that makes it a lot more effective and easier
to do. However, you will need to get
into the zone, gear up for the long haul, this could take some time. I suggest you keep those treats handy for
your hound.
Brushing from the Bottom Up: The Right Technique
Firstly, you brush the dog from the ankles upwards. Take your left hand and smooth up the fur letting some of it fall. Then you brush through the bits that have fallen down. And again, lift the next row of fur higher up on the leg, letting some of it fall downwards and brush that fur with your slicker brush. You continue working your way upwards until you reach the top of the body and the coat is brushed through. Never repeatedly brush over a patch of fur hoping to remove all the tangles and loose fur, it isn’t the most effective method of brushing your dog and could well result in brush burn.
Unleash the Furminator: The Ultimate Shedding Solution
Secondly, once you have brushed your dog bottom to top it’s time to bring out the big gun – the Furminator. This brush is the holy grail of dog brushing and will remove all the loose fur. Once again, exercise caution as it is a metal blade. Do not used it on the legs or over joints. When the amount of fur that the Furminator is removing lessons it’s time to quit and head for the bath. Give your dog a brushing once a week to maintain its coat.
The Long and the Short of Long Hair Doggeroos
Spaniels, Goldens, Afghans, long-hair
Dachshunds and Setters all feature long soft fur. The faithful slicker brush is once again your
best friend with this type of dog fur. There is a brushing technique that will go a
long way to ensuring your dog’s comfort during the pre-bath brush down. Stick with me. Place your brush on the top of your dog’s
back and start brushing downwards. Then
tendency is to repeat the process until the coat is brushed through. The problem is that this repetitive brushing
can lead to brush burn which is painful for your dog. The trick here is to grip the fur with the
bristles of the brush and then brush away from your dog’s body, pulling the fur
towards your body. This way the brush
doesn’t repeatedly rub over the same area of skin.
Comfort Over Looks: Why Cutting Out Mats is Sometimes Best
Something else to consider are the mats that you may find behind the ears, in the armpits, on the back legs and on the tail – especially the base of the tail. If the mat doesn’t yield to gentle teasing out and brushing it means it may need it be cut out. It may not look as pretty but charging through a mat determined to brush it out will cause pain and discomfort to your dog. It’s just not worth it. So go ahead and trim the legs and tail.
Ear Mats: A Snip Too Far! Handle with Care
Behind the ears is altogether another story. You never cut the balls of mats there because the skin behind the ears is particularly thin. A prick or small nick with a pair of scissors can result in an open wound. The answer is to use a pair of dog clippers with a no. ten blade (this is the blade most clippers come equipped with) and shave the mats out. Alternatively, you could pop into the doggy parlour and ask your groomer to do it for you. The same applies to the underarms.
Pattern Pooches – those amongst us that get cut and styled according to breed standard.
Yorkies, Schnauzers, Shit Tzus, Scotties, Malteses, Poodles, Westies and all
the designer breed combinations out there are pattern pooches. If they’re recently back from the groomers and
still looking fly, a light brush and a pop into the bath is all that’s
required. If there is any cutting, de-matting
or shaving to be done you could brave it yourself or it could mean that it’s
time for your next trip to the groomers.
To keep a pattern groom looking good you will need to brush out the coat a minimum of once a week and take your pooch to the parlour every two months.
The Ultimate Guide to Bathing Your Dog Like Pro
In winter keep the water warm but not hot. If it’s hot for you it’s hot for them. In the summertime, only when it’s nice and hot, you can use your garden hose to bath your dog. Otherwise, it must be said that lukewarm is lekker and cold water doesn’t clean as well.
Bubble Trouble: Why Rinsing Twice is Always Nice
Wet your dog’s coat until it’s completely saturated. This is especially important for double coated breeds. Apply liberal amounts of dog shampoo. Wash your dog’s coat like you wash your own hair, thoroughly and gently. Once again use lots of clean water to rinse. When you’ve rinsed your doggo, go ahead and rinse him again. The last thing you want is for residual shampoo to remain on the coat as this could cause hot spots that itch. Repeat the process if your dog is very dirty and smelly. You know, like they’ve rolling in something! Ugh!
Less is More: How to Use Conditioner the Right Way
Now it’s time for conditioner. Smooth some into the longer areas of fur. Don’t use too much as it takes a fair amount of rinsing time to remove it from your dog’s coat. Conditioner is a must for long-haired dogs, it makes the final brushing out of your dog’s coat a lot easier and it leaves a silky shine.
Blow-Dry or Air-Dry? Keeping It Safe and Comfy
Dry off the excess
water with a couple of towels, let your dog shake off the rest and go and find
a sunny spot to chill out in and get dry.
If it’s cold and you’ve got a fire going your pup can snooze in its warm
waves of heat.
Many people are fans of
the human hairdryer. Hairdryers can be
used to dry your dog’s coat but you need to be constantly aware of the
temperature. If your dog’s pulling away
from you it could simply be that the hairdryer is too hot. The strength of the airflow is mild and not
created to deal with the challenges of dog fur.
In an effort to make it blow the hair more forcefully many pawrents make
the mistake of holding the hairdryer closer and potentially burning their
dog. I’m sure we’ve all felt how easily
that can happen when we burn our necks or tips of our ears while blow drying
our own hair.
The solution is put the
hairdryer on a low setting, stay cognisant of the temperature and exert a
little patience.
Brush & Blow? Only If You Do It Right!
You can gently brush while you blow dry using a slicker brush. But the best way to go about brushing out your dog after a bath is to wait until its coat is dry all the way through. Otherwise, you’re pulling on wet hair, stretching and breaking it and it can be very uncomfortable for your doggo. Since you’ve pre-brushed your dog before the bath when it was dry you should have no problem running a brush through the fur. For the final brush use the same brushing techniques explained above as needed.
When to Bath Your Dog
The general, recommended amount of time between baths is a minimum of 6 to 8+ weeks. This provides time for the dog’s natural oils
to be restored and the pH balance to settle.
The more often you bath your dog
the more often you will need to.
This is how it works. When the natural oils are stripped away the
glands go into overdrive producing more oil which leads to a surplus of oils
which causes your dog to smell and then you bath him again repeating the
cycle. Break the cycle by waiting the right amount of time between baths.
There are many
varieties of shampoo and conditioners available, it’s advisable to read the
labels carefully and hunt down exactly what your dog needs. If you’re unsure stick to a basic, mild pet shampoo.
Never use human shampoo as it can be
harsh on your dog’s coat and is set at a different pH balance than is suitable
for dogs.
The Down Low on Shampoo and Conditioner.
One hears of people using Sunlight on their dogs, or even Handy Andy! Obviously, both of these are damaging to your dog’s skin and coat. What you need is a good, all-round dog shampoo instead. Try Complete Pet Mild Dog & Cat Shampoo. It’s especially formulated to be mild enough for regular use and it’s organic, 100% environment and ozone friendly.
Hypoallergenic Heroes: Gentle Care for Sensitive Skin
There are many other
choices when it comes to shampoo. One of
the best kinds of shampoo to use is a tea tree-based shampoo. Purl Advanced Tea Tree shampoo for Dogs
contains tea tree oil, lanolin and conditioners. Its soothing action will help to resolve common
skin problems. Tea tree oil also has
natural insect repellent properties.
Also great for sensitive skins are
hypo-allergenic shampoos. Rooibos &
Chamomile Hypoallergenic Shampoo for Dogs & Cats (&
horses, yip we know you weren’t planning of bathing your horse this evening but
we just thought we’d throw it in.) is made with organic rooibos and chamomile
flowers and is soothing, gentle and mild for sensitive skin. Hypo-allergenic shampoo can usually be used
for puppies and kittens (check the label) and they’re generally pH balanced for
animals at 7pH.
Fighting Fungi & Bacteria: The Power of F10 Shampoo
For yeast, bacteria and fungi, like ringworm, F10 Germicidal Treatment Shampoo is a dermatological preparation that is effective to treat them as well as help to keep other skin diseases under control. Please use only as directed. It’s suitable for dogs, cats, and of course, horses.
Checkmate! Keeping Black & White Coats Vibrant
For the chess pieces
on the board a.k.a. the black and white doggos amongst us, there’s special
shampoo for both colours. It’s designed
to bring out the shine and glossiness in their coats.
Nourish & Shine: The Best Conditioners for Your Pup
For the longer hair dogs or those looking for extra brush-ability and shine there’s dog conditioner. Try Dr Zoo Natural Nourishing Conditioner for dogs and puppies. It does everything a great conditioner should do and it’s made of edible oils. Or try Riverhound Prowash, it’s a 2 in 1 conditioning shampoo. It’s pH balanced and delivers a high gloss shine while infusing pet friendly, long lasting autumn breeze fragrance. Sounds delightful.
Important things to remember:
- Get a co-dog bather to help keep your doggo secure in the sink or bath. Never leave your dog unattended during a bath. Can you picture it? Your dog covered in suds, soaking wet, frolicking on your couch!
- Shampoo stings if it gets in their eyes. A fool proof way to wash your dog’s face it to put a little shampoo on a wet toothbrush and carefully scrub the snoot and head. When you rinse off gently hold your dog’s nose downwards and let the soapy water sluice over the eyes and face.
- Many doggos have slightly greasy ears, the temptation to get in there and give them a scrub is hard to resist. Place a chunky ball of cotton wool at the opening of the ear canal (not in the ear canal itself) to prevent soap and water going down the ear canal. For the most effective ear cleaning go ahead and use pet ear cleaning solution. Be sure to check if there is any broken skin on the ear that will cause the ear solution to sting when applied.
- Always check between your dog’s toes. They go quite far back and often seeds, grasses and even thorns get stuck in the deep recesses. When you see your dog actively licking its paws always check the toes and in between the pads of the feet too.
The Final Shake: Victory at Bathtime
And just like that, the battle is won. Your dog may have given you the look, attempted a daring escape, or sighed dramatically in defeat, but in the end—fresh, fluffy glory is theirs. You, the valiant bather, have emerged drenched but triumphant. The air is filled with the unmistakable scent of victory (and possibly tea tree shampoo).
Now, as your pup prances off, feeling light, luxurious, and ever so slightly smug, you realise something magical has happened. That bath-time standoff? It wasn’t just about suds and scrubbing. It was a ritual. A bonding moment. A slightly chaotic yet oddly rewarding dance between human and hound.
So, the next time the shampoo bottle cracks open and your dog eyes you with a mix of suspicion and betrayal, just smile. They know. And they know that you know, they know. But deep down, past all the theatrics, they also know—it feels so good to be this clean.