Every dog needs a bath at some point, whether it’s their regular wash, a necessity, or part of their pampering beauty regime. It’s important that, as owners, we use the best dog shampoo we can on our dog’s skin, just as we would on ours.
It’s well known that human shampoo contains ingredients that are too harsh for our pets and that the PH balance is too acidic for their skin. As any pet salon or vet will tell you our dogs are just as sensitive to developing skin complaints as we are. The more natural the products that we use are, the better.
When buying your pet grooming supplies be sure to read the ingredients, and don’t just trust what the manufacturer tells you on the packaging. Shampoos and conditioners are not drugs and therefore not regulated. A shampoo can claim to be ‘the best dog shampoo’ and ‘all natural’ but until you look at the ingredients you won’t know for sure. Some ingredients to avoid include:
• Artificial colors
• Coal Tar Dyes
• Dioxins
• Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)
• Triethanolamine
• Paraphenylenediamine
• Propylene Glycol
• Petrolatum or Mineral Oil
These are only a few things that are found in dog shampoo products which can be harmful to your pet. Using an all natural shampoo with organic and natural sourced ingredients will ensure you are getting the best dog shampoo you can, and you pet will always benefit more than using commercialized, mass produced products.
For a do it yourself dog wash you will need:
• A dog bathtub, either your own bath, a sink or basin or a tub especially for your pet
• Gentle, organic shampoo and conditioner
• A towel and/or hairdryer
• Treats
• Toy
You want to use the best dog shampoo you can, every time you wash your dog, as rinsing with water will not properly clean your dog. Use any shampoo prescribed by the vet as often as they say, and ensure that if using flea shampoo you don’t use it whilst using other flea treatments as you run the risk of accidently over dosing your dog.
You want to use enough to lather up well, but remember that sometimes less is more and if you don’t use enough you can always add on some extra later rather than using too much to begin with.
You can do one or two washes depending on how dirty your dog is. You really want to keep washing until the water is running clear and remember to rinse a lot as a dog’s fur will retain lots of soap and bubbles.
Some dogs will allow you to dry them off with a hairdryer while others will freak out. If they don’t like the dryer be sure to really give a thorough toweling and get as close to the skin as possible. Make sure the day is warm or your house is properly heated as you don’t want your dog catching a chill!
Dog haircuts for pets with long, shaggy or dense fur make shampooing much easier and can either be given at home or you can take your pet to a salon. Dog grooming schools will offer courses if you want to learn the proper way to cut and trim your dog’s fur without hurting him or doing it wrong. It might seem a little drastic but if you intend on keeping dogs that require their coats to be maintained then paying for a course will save you a lot of money in the future.
Taking your dog to a salon for a dog wash is another option as some dogs may be too difficult to bathe at home. An old dog with arthritic joints for instance or a huge dog that won’t fit in your bath.
Salons will offer all kinds of treatments from trimming to grooming and washing to nail clipping. Again, dog grooming schools will offer courses in all of this, including the best dog shampoo for your pets, should you want to learn how to do these things professionally.
Dog grooming, if you choose to do it at home, will be a time when your pet will feel pampered and loved as it gets one on one attention. This is especially good if you have more than one dog, and these grooming sessions will really strengthen the bond between you and your dog.
For more information about Dog Grooming, check out the highly recommended
Secrets To Easy Dog Grooming today!
