Some useful tips on how to keep your dog happy at bath time

Learn2 Wash Your Dog

You dirty dog
Depending on your approach, bathing your dog can be a pleasant or a traumatic experience for all involved. Some dogs are natural water lovers, while others not only hate the process, they prove the theories about canine ESP by uncannily disappearing at bath time. Either way, by following a few simple guidelines, you'll be able to clean up your canine companion faster than you can say, "Good dog!"

You can bathe your dog as often as once a week, but make sure you keep him or her warm both during and after the bath. You don't want your dog to catch a chill. You may decide to bathe your dog in the bathtub, its own special tub, or the sink, but whatever you choose, a hose and spray nozzle will help. If you don't have these, an unbreakable water container such as a juice pitcher or bowl can help with the wetting and rinsing processes. Note: Washing in the sink is not recommended if you intend to use flea shampoo.
Of course, before you can wash your dog, you have to get him or her into the tub or sink. Lift your dog into the tub if necessary, but do so with a gentle, soothing voice and calm manner. Likewise, use careful, gentle movements throughout the bath, and try to be positively involved in the process, making your dog think this is fun or pleasant. Remember, your dog takes most of its cues from you, so if you act like you can't wait to finish, it will feel the same way. If you have to, bribe your dog with treats. This will distract your pup somewhat, and in time he or she may even associate bathing with eating goodies.
Make sure you dress for the occasion by wearing old clothes or a bathing suit. Dog bathing can get sloppy. Wet your dog thoroughly
Take your dog's feelings into consideration throughout the bath. If your dog is frightened of the faucet running, fill the tub with several inches of lukewarm water before beginning, just enough water to be able to wet your dog, but not so much that he or she worries about being submerged.

• If your dog has tangled hair, comb it out first. (Washing will only make the tangles mat and become worse.) But if your dog is particularly frightened of the tub, brush him or her in a different room before you start the bath.
• Gently put cotton balls in his or her ears to protect them from water.
• Place the dog in the tub on a rubber mat so that he or she doesn't slide.
• Test and adjust the water temperature, then wet the dog thoroughly from head to tail. This is where the hose and nozzle prove useful, but a water container of some sort can do the job too, especially if you're scooping water that's already in the tub.
• There's no need to get your dog's face wet (some dogs are particularly sensitive about this). If needed, you can clean its face later with a damp washcloth. Lather your dog Once your dog is wet to the skin, apply dog shampoo in small amounts. Begin at the back of the neck and work down toward the tail. Work up as much lather as you can. Wash short-haired dogs with a vigorous circular motion to pull out the dirt. Use a back-and-forth motion on dogs with medium-length hair. For longer-haired dogs, rub in the direction the hair grows. Make sure you lather up the belly, legs, and tail. Clean between the toes, behind the ears, and under the chin. Be careful not to get any soap or water in the eyes or ears, though. If your dog is hating this experience, feed it a treat with a non-soapy hand or have someone else feed the treat for you.
  
  If you need to wash your dog's face, use a warm, damp washcloth and as little soap as possible, or no soap. When finished cleaning, wipe any soap off the face with a rinsed washcloth. Again, be careful not to get any soap or water in the dog's eyes or ears. Rinse your dog
  Use fresh, lukewarm water to rinse your dog. Once again, test the water temperature first. If your dog has a heavy coat, try scraping the lather off before rinsing. You can do this with the back of a comb or brush, or with your hand.
  Holding the hose and nozzle or water container with one hand, pour fresh water over the dog while kneading the soap out with the other hand. Check for soap residue by looking for bubbles when squeezing the hair. If there are any bubbles, keep rinsing. A thorough rinsing is necessary to properly clean your dog and to prevent soap residue from dulling the coat or causing potential skin problems. Also, if your dog senses residue, he or she will probably try to lick it off. Shampoo, especially flea shampoo, isn't meant to be ingested.
  
  Adding a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice to the rinse water will help wash away strong odors. You can also use baking soda, which will leave your pet's coat softer and shinier. Dry your dog
  Towel dry your dog thoroughly. Do this in a draft-free place so your dog doesn't catch any chills. If your dog has long hair, you can squeeze a lot of the water out of the fur with your hands before towel drying.
  If your dog has particularly long hair or you need to dry him or her quickly, a portable blow dryer will help. Set the dryer on medium and lay the nozzle parallel to the skin so it blows water off the hair from the skin outward. This will also help prevent tangling. Don't actually press the blow dryer against the skin, as it can grow hot and burn your dog. Note: Use your blow dryer away from the washing area to reduce the risk of electric shock.
  
  Most dogs really enjoy the drying process. The extra attention of being rubbed with a towel or the pleasant, warm air of a blow dryer make up for any of the indignities of the recently concluded bath. And you'll be glad to have a clean canine companion again. "Good dog!"