Washing a Dog At Home: Tips For A Good Bathing Routine

Before you bring your dog to the bathtub or shower, make sure you have all of your essentials prepared. This will include; a towel and dog-friendly shampoo. Depending on their coat type, you might also need a sheddy brush and pet conditioner. 

Long haired coats will usually pick up a lot of dirt and can knot easily, so it’s a good idea to brush them daily if possible. You should pay special attention to areas like the legs, which are likely to become matted. In general, a De-Matting Comb is useful to have for long haired dogs as well as a Slicker Brush. This combination will ensure you can remove any loose hair, mats and dirt. However, the texture of long coats can vary, so check below to see what we recommend for different coat textures.

Ahead of applying shampoo, make sure you rinse your dog thoroughly. The water should be lukewarm and not too high pressured. If your dog doesn’t like being sprayed with a shower, try using a water jug instead. Next, you should apply shampoo and lather up. You can apply a read-to-use diluted pet shampoo or water down a concentrated pet shampoo, either way make sure you check the shampoo instructions first. Avoid sensitive areas such as the eyes and nose when shampooing. Once you’re happy that the coat has been fully scrubbed clean, you can thoroughly rinse the shampoo away. 

This coat type requires   maintenance to avoid tangling and mats. Silky haired dogs can be either single coated or double coated depending on the breed. Double coats tend shed, so you might find that daily brushing is required to remove the excess hair. Everyday brushing can be done with a Nylon Slicker Brush or a brush with gentle pins like the Double Sided Sof Brush. If you experience a lot of matting, use a De-Matting Comb to gently tease the mats out.

Your dog will probably dry themselves off partially from shaking. To save yourself from getting wet, hold up a towel to catch some of the water. You can use a towel to pat your dog dry, but try to avoid being too rough when towel drying as you could cause mats and tangles. If your dog doesn’t mind it, you can also use a pet hairdryer on them to speed up the drying process. 

Wire-haired dogs tend to have an undercoat and longer topcoat. To keep the longer topcoat from matting it’s best to brush regularly. Use a combination brush like the Double Sided Brush to tackle both the undercoat and top coat. Start with the pin side to gentle remove any tangle, then use the bristle side to remove loose hair from the surface.