How to wash a dog?

Every caring owner of the dog wants his pet to be full of strength, physically healthy, attractive in appearance and generally happy with his dog life. This requires care, the lion's share of which falls on tracking the hygienic condition of the dog. Every day, you need to make sure that the dog feels good, that its skin and coat are normal, the eyes do not “flow”, the auricles are clean, the teeth and paws are also in perfect order.

But dog washing, frequent and thorough, is not necessary for all pets. The principle “the more often the better” does not work here. The schedule of washing a dog depends on the dog's age, breed, health, type of coat, the need to perform at exhibitions and other factors.

The average frequency of washing - every 4-6 months, these are the recommendations of veterinarians. Under the wash refers to water procedures using soap. After walking the animal enough to wipe his paws. In this case, soap and shampoo are not used, they can not be abused. All special soap-based products are able to wash off the grease that covers the animal's skin, and therefore deprive it of biologically provided protection. Is it dangerous.

Ideally, the dog should be washed as it gets dirty.

Dirty dog ​​hair:

• not growing so fast;
• longhair breeds fall faster;
• becomes difficult to comb;
• unaesthetic looks.

So, if the dog is healthy, wash it every six months - this will be enough. If the dog is very dirty, an unscheduled water procedure will be required. Before the show, the dog is also washed, using special means, thanks to which its wool shines and becomes obedient.

Bathing a dog in the heat is not the right way to help an animal cool down.. Firstly, if you decide to buy it, the water must be warm (because of the cool shower, the dog can get seriously sick). Secondly, after bathing in the shower or in the bathroom, the dog is very easy to get under the draft, which is also dangerous. because it is wiser to wet the dog with water from the bottle or wipe with a wet towel. If the dog is not afraid of swimming, you can dip it in a bath with moderately warm water (but not with your head!) And for a while.

It can also be dangerous to swim in natural waters: animals from a sharp temperature drop often become ill.

The first bathing of the baby usually falls on the age of 3.5-4 months. At this age, the puppy should be immunized, and he should already undergo a course of anthelmintic therapy. In addition, at least 2 weeks should pass from the moment of the first vaccination and 3 weeks from the moment of the second.

If the puppy is bathed for the first time at an earlier age (for example, it has become very dirty), it should be wiped out well after the bath and then kept under a warm blanket until it is completely dry.

5 main tips for the first bathing a puppy.

1. The territory for bathing a baby needs to be made safe and pleasant for a puppy.. If he was afraid of her, panic would interfere with bathing.Therefore, even before the planned procedure, “introduce” the puppy to the bathroom: play with him there, treat him with something tasty, so that the associations with the room are positive. Do not limit your baby in actions: to teach him to calm while bathing, let him explore the room. If the puppy is still a crumb (for example, you have to bathe a month-old baby), arrange a bath for him in the kitchen sink. So the owner is comfortable, and the baby is familiar. Wash the sink thoroughly before and after bathing.
2. Pre-puppy need to be introduced to the water. If the dog already has 2 months, and he is frightened by the sound of flowing water, this is your omission.
3. If the baby is very dirty, you have to use shampoo. You can take only the one that is sold in pet products - shampoos for humans are not suitable for dogs. Even a small amount of “human” shampoo will dry the skin of the animal, making it vulnerable to bacteria, viruses and parasites. The best choice is a gentle oatmeal shampoo for dogs.
4. Prepare the area for the first swim. Lay a towel on the floor, at the bottom of the bath or sink, you should also lay a clean cloth to keep the dog from slipping and not being frightened. If the puppy seems that he can fall, you will have to forget about quiet bathing. Everything should be at hand: shampoo, dipper, towel, in which you wrap a swim pet.
5. The water level should reach the middle of the growth of the dog, not more. Check the temperature of the water with your elbow, if it is warm enough for your bathing, it will be hot for your puppy. Bring the baby in the bath, all this time talking to him - iron, joke, be gentle. Puppies are sensitive to the intonation of the host. Do not put it directly into the water: first wet your fingers and walk over its fur, accompanying the movement with kind words. If the dog does not mind, continue it, increasing the scale of action. You can encourage your baby dainty.

Do not fuss yourself and do not panic. If the household is lined up in the bathroom as an audience, you have to disappoint them - the procedure is not for onlookers. Ideally, if no one is home, you are all prepared and are not going to be distracted by anything. Dress so that you can soak a little, take your hair away from your face.

Towel a puppy wrapped in a towel in a warm room. Do not arrange any ventilation in other rooms during bathing.

Street dog, whose house - the booth, swimming is not necessary at all. Domestic dog enough to swim once in 4 months, and even less often if she is healthy and does not get dirty very much. Some owners think that you can often bathe domestic dogs, because they walk and pollute their paws (and not only). But you just need to wipe your paws with a damp cloth.

In winter, you can not bathe the dog. If there is no good reason, it is worth refraining from even a brief swim. You run the risk of washing the pet's skin off of the fat that protects the dog, including from the cold. It is very dangerous for an animal of virtually any breed. And it is easier for the dog to catch a cold after winter bathing.

Long-haired breeds, of course, have to swim more often: they have to take care of the fur of such dogs, and without water procedures it is impossible. Dogs smooth-haired breed swim 3-5 times a year. Decorative breeds of dogs are misunderstood by some owners: tiny cuties are mistaken for living toys, they are given baths for fun. It is very harmful to the health of animals, they can become painful, earn a strong inflammation.

To wash dogs, special shampoos and gels are released - do not even try to wash the dog with household, tar or baby soap. None of the listed soap products are suitable for pet skin.

Features of the choice of detergents for dogs:

• if the dog is prone to allergies or is particularly sensitive to the skin, pick up a hypoallergenic shampoo with aloe, chamomile or a string in the pet store;
• if the dog is white, you can buy shampoo with a light, harmless bleach for it - and such is available in pet products;
• they use special tint shampoos and for dogs with black and brown hair, they add extra shine to dog hair;
• if you have a pet of a hairless breed, he also needs shampoo, only a special - softening, creamy texture, with a high content of vitamin E;
• in winter, when bathing is not possible, 1 or 2 times you can use a special dry shampoo.

It is worth saying that an unscheduled bath is necessary for a dog if it has problems (fleas, parasites, allergies, dandruff, eczema). Medical shampoos help to cope with illnesses. If the dog is allergic, a special shampoo will relieve itching and swelling. And to rid the pet of dandruff, buy him a remedy based on oats, herbal decoctions and coal tar.

If you see special balms after washing in a pet store / pharmacy, take it. They help to moisturize the skin of the animal, and they also do not allow the wool to become tangled, facilitate its combing.

Where to bathe a doggie - in a bathroom or in a basin on a pallet (if there is no bathroom in the house) - it is not so important.

An adult dog, as a rule, is not particularly necessary to prepare for bathing. He is already familiar with the bathroom, he is not afraid of the sound of pouring water, he stoically transfers the water procedure. Many pets even like it. But there are all kinds of cases.

If you, for example, picked up an animal from the street, it will, of course, have to be bought out, vaccinated and treated for worms. And swimming for a street dog, most likely, the first in life. The animal may already be an adult, but everything in its new home is unusual. It requires a special delicacy, treats, the maximum atmosphere of calm and benevolence.

For the usual bathing procedure, you need to select the appropriate time: nothing should distract you, the dog should not be sick, not walked, very hungry or, on the contrary, just eaten. Do not open windows and vents in the house, prepare towels and shampoos, balms, dippers, combs. Do not forget to cover the bottom of the tub or sink, so that the dog does not slide.

At home, to bathe the dog is not difficult. The main thing is not to soak his ears (there should be no water inside the ears), do not dip the dog with his head.

The procedure should be approximately as follows.

1. Prepare warm water, it should be a little cooler than the one you put in your bath. For wetting the hair of the animal fit a watering can or a bucket.
2. Put the dog in a container, wet his coat with water. Moisten copiously, water the dog from the dipper, but without abrupt action. Let the dog get used to it, get used to it.
3. Dilute the zoo shampoo with water, you will get plenty of foam, which makes it easier to soap the dog's hair. Start washing your pet's back, then your paws, tail, neck and belly. It is necessary to wash the head last, making sure that the soapy composition does not get into the eyes and ears.
4. Wash the area around the anus, genitals.
5. Shampoo on wool do not hold longer than 5 minutes, then wash it off with warm water from a watering can or dipper. In case of severe contamination, the soaping procedure must be repeated twice.
6. Rinse the dog should be on such a system: first remove the foam from the head, then from the back, neck and chest. Only when the water has ceased to foam, rinse the paws and stomach.
7. After shampooing, use a balm. They need to rub the dog's fur, soak a little on the wool, rinse off after 1-3 minutes. Pre-rub the gel in your palms.
8. Next, the dog must be dried. Most likely, you will need several towels: as soon as one gets wet, take another. But you need to wipe your pet carefully, it is still in the bathroom.Put the dog on the floor, on which the rag is pre-laid, and wipe it thoroughly. Try to towel as much as possible soaked in water.
9. The dog can be dried with a hairdryer, but only in a gentle mode and using not the highest temperatures. Usually, a hairdryer is used when drying exhibition dogs: for them such “styling” becomes habitual, the owners specially train pets for this procedure.

If you (and your dog) are comfortable, you can wash it in the shower. The main thing is to comply with temperature indicators and not to give the dog to panic.

Even if the dog loves to swim, do not attend water treatments. There must be a reason for swimming, but to arrange a bath for a dog just for fun is an extra risk for her. It is possible that while swimming the dog enjoys communication with the owner, his care and close attention: find an opportunity to give all this to a pet outside the bathroom.

On how to wash the dog, see the following video.