A healthy and clean dog should be washed no more than a few times a year. If you brush your dog regularly, it will keep its coat clean without the need for washing. In bad weather outside, when there is a lot of dirt on the streets, the dog needs to be washed frequently. It is best to wash your dog only partially – paws, belly – with clean warm water without shampoo. However, if the dog is dirty or smells bad, of course it should be washed all over.
Preparing the dog for bathing
It is preferable to wash your dog in the evening so that you do not have to take it for a walk after bathing.
Above all, close all windows and vents! Dogs can hardly withstand draughts and can easily get cold even in summer. Also remember that it is not advisable to wash your dog before 4 months of age and 2 weeks after vaccination.
If the dog is not used to the water procedures and you do not know exactly how it will behave, another danger can occur when the dog suddenly jumps out of the water. There have been cases where a dog breaks a paw in panices, so you should take precautions such as tying an old leash to the faucet.
Special dog shampoo should be used when washing, or in extreme cases, baby shampoo. Special shampoos for dogs are designed to avoid damaging the special protective layer of sebum that coats the dog’s skin. This layer of fat is different from that found in humans, and it is therefore not recommended to use shampoos intended for humans to bathe dogs.
Washing
Bathe your dog with warm water at 37-40C. For convenience, you can distribute the shampoo in a small amount of water. First wet the dog’s coat thoroughly, then spread the shampoo, using gentle circular motions, all over the dog’s body. Wash the head last, making sure that the shampoo does not get into the eyes and ears (it is best to cover the ears with cotton swabs). Afterwards, rinse the coat very thoroughly with water, 3-4 times, to ensure that there is no shampoo residue, which can cause skin irritations. Finally, hand dry with water ss from your dog’s coat.
Drying
After bathing, the dog only needs to be towel-dried, but never rubbed.
Drying should only be done with a warm but not hot hairdryer. The normal drying power of a hairdryer for drying a dog’s coat is half a kilowatt. The sound of the hairdryer must be specially trained to the dog so that it is not afraid.
While the coat is wet, leave the dog on a clean surface or wrap it in a cloth and leave it to dry. Many dogs like to relieve themselves after bathing. Do not disturb your dog if it wanders around you after bathing: this is how it warms and dries its coat.
Alternatives for bathing
Short-haired dogs such as Dobermans, Boxers, Dalmatians can be cleaned with a special solution instead of being bathed: 1 tablespoon of vodka, 1 tablespoon of vinegar per glass of warm water. Wet a soft cloth or sponge with this solution, wring it out and wipe the dog’s coat with it. The solution of this composition removes dirt and specific odours well.