Pet Bath

Getting Wet With Your Pet In Pet Baths

Yikes! Your beloved dog has just rolled in yet another disgusting dead bird, pile of deer poop, or pretended to be a pig in that huge mud puddle. You are now faced with the prospect of bathing so he can once more be allowed into the house. The car wash seems like a good idea right now, but he probably will report you for cruelty. You could just use the hose, but it's just cold water and the poor baby will freeze. Never mind that it's 80 degrees outside. Trust me, the hose will likely feel very good to you by the time you're done. I'm afraid that it's time for the always fun pet bath.

If you have a small pet, you can just scoop him or her up and do it in your bathtub. Be sure to have plenty of towels ready and some pet shampoo and conditioner. If the dog is muddy, it's nice if you can stand to let it dry and do some brushing before putting your pet in the tub. After all dried matter is brushed out of the coat, apply some artificial tears ointment in the eyes to prevent soap stinging. You can get this from your local pet store or your veterinarian. Use warm water and thoroughly wet the coat. Apply your favorite shampoo and suds him up. Once all the dirt is scrubbed off, rinse thoroughly and apply conditioner. Some are leave in products, but most need to be rinsed.

Now he's clean, but very wet. A lot of pets do not like the hair dryer. Unless yours is used to it, I wouldn't advise it. Dry as much excess water as you can with a towel and be prepared for a lot of frenzied running around and rubbing the still damp body on any available surface. If you do not want your antique sofa to be a casualty, put your dog in a room with dog proof furnishings, a closed porch is a good option. If you are foolish enough to allow him back outside, he will promptly undo your bathing efforts by rubbing again in the dirtiest possible area to get the "clean" smell off. I had a German Shepherd who detested water. I got my husband to put him in our bathtub just once. He was very well behaved as a rule, but he got me back for that bath. Before I could throw the towel on him, he shook and shook. I was cleaning hair off the ceiling for months. After that his infrequent baths were conducted outdoors with a bucket of warm, soapy water and several rinse buckets of plain water.

Some pets will require medicated baths form time to time for various skin problems. The difference in this type of bath is that is generally requires you to leave the shampoo on for a period of time before rinsing. It's not a bad idea to have a leash handy the keep your pet in the tub for the required amount of time. The deskunking bath is another matter entirely. It should definitely be done outside. There are a myriad of commercial products available and just as many home remedies. Tomato juice doesn't really work and it's messy. A mixture of water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and Dawn dishwashing liquid is pretty effective. Some people recommend rinsing with Scope mouthwash, but that could get expensive with a big dog. He will have a minty fresh coat when you're done though. Beware though, when it rains, you may get a faint "skunky" odor even weeks later.

I'll touch briefly on bathing cats. Cats rarely need a bath. They'll tell you that themselves. Some cats do like water, but that is extremely rare. If your cat just has to be bathed for some reason, take care. Your normally placid feline may become a whirling dervish with teeth and claws when confronted with the prospect of being immersed in water. Go slowly, pour water on them, rather using a spray attachment and enlist aid from another person. Your five pound kitty will become a lion. I have found that having a pan of warm soapy water prepared and slowly putting the cat in it is a little less traumatic. Once she's clean, dry with towels and prepare to be snubbed for the remainder of the day.

If you're scared now or just can't bear the thought of bathing your pet, call a groomer and let them do the job for you.

 

 

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