An important aspect of dog ownership is regularly bathing your dog. This will help not only to keep your dog clean and odour free but will also help to keep the skin in healthy condition, free from irritation caused by natural toxin release, environmental pollutions and dog saliva which can cause hot spots.
As a former dog groomer, I'm going to guide you through how to have a pleasant experience with little mess and limited strain on your back.
The Preparation
Preparing the Dog
There are two things to consider in preparation; the bath area and the dog. First let's talk about the dog. The single most important thing you need to do before you even turn on the water is to make sure the dog's coat is prepared to be wet. You MUST brush the dog first. This is particularly important for long-haired breeds. The coat must be tangle and knot free before it gets wet or the tangles will set and form huge mats that will be very difficult to brush out later. If you have a double-coated breed, its important to brush out that under coat or big clumps will come off in the bath causing drain blockages. Even with a short-haired breed, use a rubber curry comb to rid your dog of as much excess hair as possible.
Now that that is done, its time to protect your dog's ears. Taking two cotton balls, gently insert them into the ears. This will keep out any water avoiding possible ear infections later on.
Preparing the Area
Now that your dog is ready, let's choose our area and prepare it. To avoid strain on your back, where you bath the dog is important. If you have a smaller dog the best choice is a laundry sink. It's elevated and deep so you will avoid spilling excess water on the floor, and it is bigger than a kitchen or bathroom sink.
If you have a large dog, consider taking it to a U-bath facility. These are usually found in a grooming salon where they have an extra elevated bathtub for clients who want to bathe their own dog. If you don't have one of these in your area then the next best thing is your own bathtub.
Next most important thing is to get a hand held shower attachment, the kind that have a long hose with a shower nozzle on the end. You really aren't going to give your dog a bath; you are going to give it a shower.
Let's talk about the shampoo. You need to buy a good quality PET shampoo. A human or baby shampoo is PH balanced for a human- not a dog- and it will cause irritation and dry out the coat. If your dog has dry, oily or other wise itchy irritated skin, pick up a medicated shampoo at the holistic pet store or vet.
Towels go without saying, but please make sure you don't get started without them. Keep them within arm's reach as I'll explain later. A plastic apron is a great asset for the human. Getting soaked isn't a pleasant experience so I recommend an apron that is water proof.
The Shower
Ok now we get started. Your shower head is connected to the tap, your towels are ready along with your shampoo and you have your apron on. Now lift the dog (or guide him) into the tub. Off to the side turn on the tap and adjust the temperature to a nice lukewarm setting. Starting at the neck (always keeping one hand on the dog to prevent him from jumping out) direct a gentle stream of water over the withers and across and down the back, down the chest and legs and the under carriage. Once the dog is well saturated, turn the water to low. Adding a liberal amount of shampoo to the coat work it into a lather, adding small amounts of water to aid in the process. Keeping one hand on the dog will prevent him from shaking.
Washing the face and head is more difficult. The best thing to do is to put the pressure to low and move the nozzle up the dog's neck and let a gentle stream run down his nose and cheeks. With the head still tipped up, place the hose under the muzzle aimed towards the neck and let the water run down towards the chest. Now with a small amount of shampoo, lather the top of the head, cheeks, ears, muzzle and neck. Avoid getting soap in the eye. This is why we use the gentlest setting to wash the face.
Now for the rinsing process; starting with the face on low, follow the same pattern you used to wet the face. From the back of the skull with the head tipped upwards, let the water flow over the muzzle and down the cheeks. Now place it under the neck and trickle down the underside of the muzzle towards the chest. For the ears, place the nozzle at the top of the skull and fall down the length of the ears, then turn the flap inside out so it rests against the neck of the dog and gently rinse, avoiding streaming water into the ear canal.
Once the head is all clear of soapy residue (you'll have to feel this with your hands) then turn up the pressure and follow the same pattern, down the back and legs, down the chest and to the under carriage. The most sensitive and neglected place for soap to cling to is the tummy and front arm pits so make sure you rinse those places really well. Once you are satisfied your dog is soap free, turn off your water.
Oh boy this is your dog's favourite part-the shake. A dog can't help this, it is a natural reflex, but there is a way to stop it, should you choose to. As soon as you turn off the water, clamp your open hand down on the back of the dog's neck. This will stop the shaking reflex in its tracks. Don't let go. With the other hand, reach for your towel. (This is why you MUST keep it close.) Immediately throw the towel over the dog and start rubbing him down vigorously. He still will not shake on you. When that towel is saturated, do not let up, grab another one and continue to rub him vigorously. Once you are done grab both ends of the towel and hold it up like a flag between you and the dog as a barrier. Now he will shake but there will be very little water left to shake off if you have done a good job of the towelling process. You have the towel held up in front of you so you won't be suffering the consequences of his shaking.
Now that this is done, carefully lift or guide your dog to the floor. It's best at this point if you have some large towels or quilts spread out in an area on the floor as most dogs like to rub the water off. Let him have at it. Better here than on your couch or carpet.
Depending on the dog's coat you can either choose to air dry him or you can dry him yourself with a hair dryer. You can buy a dog dryer for this purpose. It is very quiet and has lower settings in terms of heat and force. It is recommended for long haired breeds that you blow dry them and brush out their coat as you do so. If you want you can use a human hair dryer as long as your dog isn't afraid of it. Use a low setting, and avoid blow drying right in the dog's face or inside the ears as this can cause problems.
Brushing your dog as it dries will also get rid of any tangles that have formed in the showering process as well as help him to shed any coat that was loosened up by the water massage. During the drying process it is also a good idea to trim the nails as they will have been softened up during the bath and the trimming will be easier.
With these tips in mind, you will make the bathing process go very smoothly and you won't have to have a shower yourself afterwards, and neither will your bathroom or laundry room. Plus, your dog will feel so good and will probably strut around the house.