Whether you’ve had Fido for a couple of hours or a couple years chances are that you’ve taken the time to wash him/her at home or used a DIY shop in your area. This isn’t an easy task. It is one that requires patience and strategic planning — should you comb him/her before or after the bath? How many people will you need to help you, or even, how will you lure them into the bathroom? All these questions are just as valid as this one: Do you know the common mistakes made when washing your dog?
We have in a way humanized our pets to the point that the most common mistakes are often overlooked and/or ignored. Not intentionally, of course, but it’s done. We tend to forget that our pets are just that, pets. I call my bullies my babies, my children, my world. I admit it proudly. However, it is extremely important to remember they are animals and don’t have a conscious like us (humans) nor can they communicate with us by talking. Here are a few common mistakes that we can catch and correct.
Water Temperature
LUKEWARM! The water shouldn’t be too cold or hot. If your dog is shaking in the tub, it’s not because they are cold and you crank up the hot water. Their skin is more sensitive than ours. Test the water on your forearm first, the area of skin is more sensitive to temperature than your hands.
Spray Nozzle Misuse
I have seen it a million times, the parents grab the spray nozzle and immediately spray the dog in the face or feet at full force. Without realizing, they have created a negative stimulus on their dog. Always test the nozzle pressure by the corners of the tub away from the dog. This will not only give the dog time to adjust to his/her surroundings but it will allow the parent to get a handle on the water pressure.
One way to introduce the water jet is by letting the water hit the back of your hand first over their body. This sense of comfort creates a positive experience and the dog will associate bath time as bonding time with you.
Self-reflecting negative reaction
Did you know that water amplifies sound and dogs can hear up to 4xs better than humans? Mix the two and your dog’s hearing magnifies bringing his/her sensitivity level to an uncomfortable degree. This is where your PATIENCE comes into play. If you scream or physically shove your pet around, they will register bath time as a time of feeling uncomfortable and confused.
I may sound like a broken record to my followers and clients but I will not stop saying this: Your pet picks up on your energy! If you are screaming, get nervous and/or anxious, Fido will become vocal, nervous, and/or anxious. Stay calm. This may not be easy but patience is a virtue.
Improper use of at home dyer
A crucial part in the whole bathing process is drying. In order to prevent the “wet dog smell” or any skin bacteria from developing, you MUST dry your dog. “My dog hates the blow-dyer, Dani” is often the answer when I ask parents about the last phase of bathing. Two factors play a role in this, our negative reaction about drying the dog and the fact the dryer was probably introduced right at bath time and not de-sensitized prior. In other words, we didn’t train our dogs. Don’t get confused when I say train. You don’t have to hire a dog trainer to get your dog to like bath time. But how? Commitment. The same way you practice a habit everyday you should do the same when introducing something to your dog. Practice running the water faucet for a few minutes while your dog is in the bathroom with you. As they are observing and listening give them treats and/or praise them- make this experience positive. Practice this everyday — especially if your dog is terrified of water. Once they have come accustomed to the sound go to the next step. Grab a wash cloth, wet it, and slowly and gently massage the wash cloth on your dog’s chest area all the way to the crown of their heads. Reward them every time they let you.
Imagine this scenario: you are in the bathroom with your dog, you turn on the dryer and you fan the dryer on your dog’s face. You see their reaction and giggle. As funny or adorable it may seem to you, the dog has now associated a negative experience with the dryer and will hate it every time.
Substituting dog shampoo for human shampoo
Human shampoo IS NOT the same as dog shampoo. We’ve seen a few parents use human shampoo and we try to advise them to try dog shampoo next time. So whats the difference? pH, the levels of acidity. Fur-everloved.com gives such a great explanation:
“The dog’s skin is the most alkaline [basic] of all species making it a perfect breeding ground for bacteria (aka skin infections) if the pH is disrupted. If this happens, inflammation and infection can occur due to over-drying and eroding of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin). A dog’s epidermis is only 8-10 cell layers thick, whereas human’s are 18-20 cell layers thick! The dog’s skin is thicker overall, but the epidermis is very thin and susceptible to bacteria if it is stripped away with improper ingredients that are not pH balanced for their skin.”
Let’s prevent on irritating your dog’s skin and start using the proper products. Now that you are, lets focus on the actual lathering and scrubbing part. A simple rub down of the shampoo isn’t enough. You need to agitate the shampoo to trap the grime. Which means? A good scrub-down NEEDS to happen - don’t get lazy on this part! It should be at least 3-5 minutes long. YUP! You read that right. When washing it away make sure the water runs clear of suds before you finish.
Grooming
Regardless of the type of breed you have, grooming is extremely important for your dog’s well being. Maintaining a solid bathing regimen will build your dog’s confidence in turn cooperating with you during bath time. If you wash your pet once in a while, chances are that he/she will not collaborate with you and become restless. It’s an ugly cycle if you let it.
Washing your dog isn’t a 5 minute event nor should it be a whole day show. If the proper grooming maintenance is done on a daily, this will greatly reduce the amount of time you spend washing your dog.
There aren’t the perfect pawrents (parents) out there. We are all learning as we go. As long as we can acknowledge and become aware of our mistakes, we can pick up from where we last left off and try again. Washing your pet should be recognized as a bonding experience with your dog rather than thinking it is a chore. After all, aren’t we always complaining we never have time for Fido? These are the moments you’ll want to remember with him/her.