Dog Bathing Tips

1. Brush and bathe your dog outdoors, if possible.
2. Brush your dog thoroughly before bathing. Remove old fur from the coat and undercoat.
3. Have everything you need handy before you begin—especially towels!
4. Use a rubber mat when bathing your dog in the tub to prevent slipping.
5. Use a good screen for your tub drain to prevent drain clogging.
6. Just about any gentle, tearless dog shampoo will do unless your dog has fleas or a skin condition. Use only dog shampoo for your dog. Human shampoos or other cleaning agents are too harsh! Buy a good dog shampoo and dilute with one third to one half water. (Don’t dilute flea shampoo or special medicated shampoo prescribed by your vet!)
7. Bathing Steps:
• Wet your dog well first from the neck to the tail.
• Shampoo the hind legs, the tail and the rear.
• Next, shampoo the body, chest, and front legs.
• Now, carefully wet the head, face, and ears—then shampoo those areas. Be careful not to get suds in the dog's eyes.
• Now rinse thoroughly and rinse again. Start with the head, face, and ears, and then the body and legs.
• Don't forget to rinse the underside of the dog. Have your dog stand on his hind legs by lifting his front paws.
• Keep rinsing until the water is no longer soapy. Any residue of shampoo can cause itching, flaking, and skin problems for your dog.
• When finished, immediately wrap the dog in a towel to prevent him from shaking it everywhere. Then systematically towel-dry each part of the dog -- face, head, ears, body, legs, and tail.
8. Get your dog used to being brushed and bathed at an early age.
9. Most dogs don't need a bath more than once a month. Bathing too frequently can dry out the skin and coat.