How to bathe your dog correctly

Katie VanderKolk, Michigan State University Extension - March 23, 2012

Use these easy steps to keep your canine buddy clean and happy.

Spring has sprung (or at least it seems that way)! Our pets have endured an unseasonably warm and muddy winter and may be in need of some spring cleaning. Proper animal care is essential to the health and happiness of our pets. Just like everything else, there is a correct and incorrect way to bathe man’s best friend. By following these simple steps, you can help your dog get and stay clean just in time for some summer fun.

First, remember that your dog doesn’t need to be bathed regularly. It is appropriate to bathe your dog when they are dirty and odorous.
It is important that you gather all of the supplies and tools that you will need before you begin the bathing process. Have your water, shampoo, combs, scrub brushes and towels in the area where you are bathing.
Once you have your supplies, you should first brush out all the tangles and mattes that may be on your dog. They only worsen when they get wet.
After your dog is brushed, you are ready to begin washing! Hold your dog gently but firmly and wet it, moving from the head toward the tail.
Once your dog is completely wet, begin applying shampoo specially formulated for dogs, and scrub.
After you have worked the shampoo completely through your dog’s coat, rinse thoroughly, again, beginning at the head and working back through the tail. Be careful not to get shampoo in the dog’s eyes or ears.
Once all of the shampoo has been removed, towel excess water out of the dog’s coat.
You can choose to allow your dog to air dry, depending on the temperature in your home or outside, or you can use a blow dryer set on low to dry the dog.

It is important to talk to your dog as you go through the bathing process. Your voice will help calm and soothe him. At the end of the bath, reward your dog with a treat to positively reinforce that he has done a good job. While you are bathing your dog, you can also take the opportunity to clean your dog’s teeth, ears and eyes.

Companion animals enrich our daily lives! We can enrich our pets lives by ensuring that they are well taken care of.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).