A little shampoo, a little water… Bathing a dog can’t be that difficult, right? It’s sometimes more difficult than you anticipate. Whether your dog enjoys baths or flees when you say “B-A-T-H,” bathing your dog on a regular basis is a vital element of pet care. Linda Easton, president of International Professional Groomers and proprietor of Salem, Oregon-based grooming business Canine Concepts, CPG, ICMG, gives her top dog-washing techniques.
With this guide to bathing Labrador, you’ll be able to keep your dog clean and fresh with no effort. We’ll discuss why and how often your Lab requires grooming, as well as how to determine when and whether your dog needs a wash!
How Often Should Your Dog Be Bathed?
You usually don’t need to wash your dog more often than once a month unless he’s just spent the afternoon playing in mud puddles. This varies by breed; longer-coated dogs may require more frequent bathing or even visits to a professional groomer. If you’re unsure how often you should soap up your dog, see a groomer or your veterinarian. However, giving a bath once a month is essential.
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“The way a dog’s skin works is that they have a whole fresh layer of cells around every 30 days,” Easton explains. “As a result, the aged cells begin to slough off. That’s what causes dander and other such things. So grooming or bathing on a regular basis keeps the dandruff at bay.”
How To Groom A Labrador Retriever
Grooming Labradors is simple if they’ve been brushed when they were puppies. Brushing your dog’s coat with a good bristle body brush will remove hardened dirt, grit, and dust and assist disperse the oils through his fur. It might improve the sheen, and he’ll appreciate the ‘massaging’ effect of the strong strokes moving through his fur.
Your initial selection will most likely be where you wish to bathe your dog. Your pick will most likely be influenced by the size of your dog. A tiny dog may be able to be bathed in a kitchen sink, but a large dog will need more space.
Choose the Best Shampoo and Conditioner
You’ll want to start with the correct products if you want to give your dog a nice shower. “Make sure you’re using a shampoo designed exclusively for dogs,” Easton advises. “The pH of a dog’s skin differs from that of a human’s. As a result, they’re more alkaline. It’s possible that using a shampoo designed for people can irritate their skin.”
How to Wash a Dog Correctly
The real fun begins once you’ve found the proper location and have the right products on hand. Here’s how our experts recommend bathing:
- Coax your puppy into the tub or the wash station. Treats are a fantastic way to get the process started on the right foot!
- Using water, dilute the shampoo. Try putting some in a bowl of water or putting the shampoo in a pump with water.
- Use warm water to wet your dog. Easton adds that monitoring the temperature with your hand is perfectly acceptable.
What is the Best Way to Wash a Dog’s Face?
One of the most difficult aspects of dog grooming is washing your dog’s head. You wouldn’t want soap or water to get into your dog’s delicate sensibilities, nose, or eyes. Easton advocates saving this step until the end of the bath and cleaning your pet’s face with a washcloth. For more information, click here.
