Rub-a-Dub

The summer has been speeding by and I missed last week’s blog… soooo sorry! This week’s tip is about baths… something I don’t like but have learned to tolerate. Mom and dad have started spelling “bath” so I don’t know what they’re saying. When spending time indoors with us, keeping us clean is a priority. But how do you bathe us at home to avoid the dreaded trips to the groomer or do-it-yourself dog-wash without the mess of juggling super-size cups or buckets to rinse in the sink, bathtub or shower?

Bath time doesn’t have to be unpleasant for you or us. Bathing us at home can be easy if you know when and how to do it and have a few key items available. How often do we need a bath? It depends on our lifestyle and breed. Bathing too often can be irritating to our skin so a good guideline is to bathe us only when our coat gets dirty or begins smelling “doggy” (who me?!).

Begin by having the following items on hand before you start: brush, comb or rake; shampoo, conditioner, shampoo mitt, bathing tether, bath mat, drain strainer and cover, spray hose, towel and possibly a hairdryer.

 Gather all the things you need without us present (to reduce anxiety).
 Place a bath mat at the bottom of the sink, tub or shower so we won’t slip and the surface will be protected from nail scratches.
 Place a screened cover over the drain to catch pet hair before it goes down the drain.
 Brush or comb our entire coat. Remove mats and tangles (some areas may need to be trimmed with clippers or scissors).
 Bring us to the sink, tub or shower and attach a bathing tether to our collar to hold us in place and minimize movement.
 Use a spray hose and hold it close to our coat to allow water to saturate the coat and skin. Avoid spraying water into our eyes, nose and ears.
 Apply shampoo to a shampoo mitt and work the lather deep down to the skin. Rinse thoroughly with spray hose until water runs clear. If you think you’ve rinsed enough… rinse some more! Shampoo or conditioner residue left on the skin may cause irritation.
 Let us shake off the excess water. Then squeeze out excess water by running your hands over us.
 Finish by towel drying. There are towels available that soak up 10 times their weight in water. You may want to use a hairdryer, set on low, to speed up drying time. Keep us indoors and away from drafts until out coat is completely dry.
 Gather all the bathing and grooming items and place them in a caddy for convenient storage and ease of use at the next bath.

Remember to bathe us on a regular basis and start early. If you get your puppy used to a bath, you won’t have any problems when they are older.

My pups have grown so fast, where has the time gone? They’re four weeks old, wobbling around and ready to begin eating real food. I’m so happy about that because they have worn me out! These puppies have been the most voracious eaters of all my pups. They are aware of each other and beginning to play… chew on each other. Here are their most recent pictures:



See ya next week!