How To Bathe A Puppy With Ease
The weather is finally getting nice and old man winter is a fast fading memory of being locked inside due to bad weather, and looking forward to the day it finally breaks. Now that the longer warmer and dryer days of late spring are upon us, and summer is fast approaching, then the puppy can get outside more into the air and enjoy the great outdoors as it should be.
Of course being outside more will also allow the puppy to get into more mischief and get into things that you wish they shouldn’t. What puppy can resist rolling in the new spring grass, or digging in the freshly planted and fertilized spring flower beds or simply just frolicking about in boisterous joy with their best four legged friends at the park or human friends in the backyard?
This time of year is the outside world for the puppy, the world of long walks, and lots of playtime at the park, beach days with the whole family, camping trips, hikes, and swim days at the lake or river. So much adventure but also so much grub and grime that can get on their coats, adding to their natural smell to sometimes produce an odor that only a puppy could like.
A long held belief is “Bathe Only For Beauty” meaning that unlike us humans that may shower on a daily basis, and cleanliness and bodily odor control is a social norm because of our interactions throughout a typical day with other humans, for a puppy bathing on a regular basis can rob the pup of natural oils that condition its coat and skin naturally, leading to skin eczema conditions. This can manifest in sensitive itchy skin for the puppy, leading to excessive scratching, and if they break the skin, could lead to infections.
That having been said, what can you do about a “summer smelly puppy”
Bathing a puppy will become necessary over the spring and summer months especially if they are spending more time on the outside, as they should with the longer days, and school vacations. But it is important to be aware of the effect that bathing has on the puppy. I usually bathe my puppies about once a month over the spring summer and autumn, but in between baths, I will groom daily with a grooming glove, and will wipe them down with a terry towel if they have been in the water, or at the beach or lake. I use a shampoo formulated for babies that is non-scented, and I towel dry. Do not let the puppy dry itself as it will want too, as it is going to go right outside and roll in the grass again or even worse, and you will be back to square one. Once they are dry, I apply a conditioning powder recommended by my vet, to help condition the coat, until the dog’s natural oils do the job by design. Pups and dogs hate being bathed,
and over the years I have had many dogs that only tolerate it, but are ecstatic when it is over. Some useful and simple to use products have come on the market that help with efficiently washing a puppy and even have extra features like massage heads that now enable the pup to have a more fun bath time experience. And of course you can bathe the puppy with ease s some of these accessories attach to a garden hose, so a quick and easy rinse before coming into the house can be the order of the day, as we move forward in the days.
So, let’s look at what’s available for a quick rinse off on the outside, in your backyard or front lawn.
Multi-functional Massage Shower Head for Pets.
Designed with special T type handheld anti fall off handle which allows you to shower your pet in comfort and control. Attaches to a standard garden hose. It has 15 massage nubbin teeth in the brushing head at the front of the shower head which gently massage the pet as you shower it. Made of high quality ABS and rubber material, durable and quality material throughout its construction for long life use. The shower head has a switch on the edge of it, easy to control on and off. The round silicone cap prevents water from entering pet eyes, nose and ears.
Features:
- Showering Tool For Dogs and Pets
- T handle for safe control
- Leak proof hose attachment
- Massage nubbins in head
- Safe and gentle action on pet’s skin.
And what is available for a traditional inside bath.
2-in-1 Pet Bathing Brush & Shampoo Dispenser
Fill up the reservoir with a shampoo formulated for your dog. Press the button to dispense a little shampoo at a time when needed, and the soft gentle bristles will work up the shampoo into a rich deep cleaning lather. Use it as a regular bath brush also, or can be used dry as a grooming brush. Safe to use for all dog types. No more having to work a shampoo to get a good clean on your dog’s thick fur, this brush makes the task simple and less stressful for the dog at bath-time.
Features:
- Easy-to-push button for dispensing shampoo.
- Rubber tips help lather and remove dirt from pet's coat.
- Also can be used on dry dog to remove dirt, dust and dead hair.
- Gently massages in shampoo during bath.
- Favored by dog owners and professional groomers the world over.
Oval Pet Cleaning Bath Brush
Oval Pet Cleaning Bath Brush and Massage Brush and Comb with Adjustable Strap. Easily remove dead skin and shedding hair and dirt with this convenient to use palm brush. Attaches securely to your hand by a strap so that it does not slip from your grip during use. Can be used wet or dry. Nonabrasive and safe to use on all dogs, providing a pleasant massaging experience that they truly enjoy. Make bath time fun for you and your pet. Using dry is great as a tool for a shedding dog, removing the dead hair easily and safely. Can also be used as a comb in daily grooming to help keep your dog looking good. Just rinse and wash under running water to keep clean and ready for use.
Features:
- Pet Grooming Rubber Oval Brush with Adjustable Strap
- Efficacy: Dirt Removal and Massage
- Easy to clean and disinfect just rinse under hot water.
- Removes dead scaly skin and hair.
- Made from non-toxic rubber.
- Grooming brush for small, medium and large pets
And for in between baths I use,
Magic grooming and de-shedding brush glove for dogs.
The warm feel of a human hand against their bodies is both rewarding and in a dogs mind is associated with love and affection. Metal combs can sometimes be harsh and abrasive on a dog’s skin causing rashes and skin irritation. The blades of metal combs are not flexible or soft which can also dig into a dog’s skin causing pain. Grooming should be a pleasant experience for your dog, and something that they look forward to. Our glove is made from a non-harmful silicon material that is very soft and gentle to the skin. It perfectly fits to the human hand and easily removes the hair of your pet without tugging and ripping that metal combs can do. Rubber tips are designed to stick the hair to the glove and prevent the fur from flying around. It saves you from a huge hair mess in your home. Includes gentle tips that gives your pet a relaxing massage while removing any dirt and loose hair, emulating a petting action that your dog will love. The five-finger glove is designed to groom short, long, dry and dry wet hair. The hair sticks to the glove, and it is easy to peel and remove hair from your dog. Make grooming into a fun and rewarding experience for your dog…they will love you the more for it.
Features:
- Non Harmful silicone.
- Glove Design.
- Massaging action
- Grooming and De-shedding tool.
- Good for all fur types and dog breeds.
- Makes grooming fun and rewarding.
- Gentle and non-aggressive action
So in conclusion you will find it necessary to bathe your puppy a couple of times over the spring summer and autumn months. You now have the option of a quick hose down of the pet in the backyard, or of giving the puppy a bath on the inside, either way will work great. Do remember that you should as a rule:
“Bathe For Beauty”
It is not necessary to give daily baths or weekly baths to the puppy, you may do more harm than good if you do, over the long term.
