Does your dog hate the bath?
Baths can be a love or hate relationship for your dog (and you). Some dogs love the water while others will have complete meltdowns, leaving you both traumatized by the experience.
And depending on your dog’s physical activity and coat, this whole bath time struggle may occur more frequently than you both would like.
With a few small adjustments to their bathing routine, you can make the experience far more pleasant for the both of you.
Here’s 5 tips to make your dog’s bath time more bearable!
1. Move your dog’s bath inside and ensure water temperature is ideal
Please stop using the hose, not only is the water temperature freezing but you’re probably restraining them on a leash so they can’t escape. Forcing your dog to stay put while spraying them with water can be both scary and stressful.
Moving your dog’s bath time indoors (bathtub, shower stall, or even a sink), allows you to adjust the water temperature as required while using the natural contours of the space to stop them from making a speedy getaway.
2. Give them something else to focus on (this is your secret weapon)
Likimats are a fur parents rescue remedy at bath times – smear some peanut butter or baby food on the mat and you’ll have an occupied dog for at least 5 minutes!
For larger dogs, Likimats that suction onto the wall act best as they are usually more comfortable for your dog’s neck and positioning.
3. Stop the slip
Dogs hate feeling uneasy on their feet, and the slipperiness of a bathtub or shower will do just that.
Before starting your dog’s bath, place an old towel or an anti-slip rubber mat down to prevent your dog from slipping and sliding all over the place. Not only does this reduce your dog’s anxiety but prevent any painful injuries.
4. Talk a nice long walk
The trick here is to exhaust your dog first by taking them on a long walk. The first benefit is that they will have less pent-up energy to fight the process, and secondly, it is a dog’s instinct to want to cool down when they’re feeling hot and bothered..
5. Use a dry shampoo
Sometimes a bath for your dog just isn’t in the cards, and that’s where dry shampoo for dogs comes in.
Dry shampoos are a popular solution for dogs (and dog parents) that hate bath time or need a little refresh between grooming. But don’t be fooled, not all are created equally. Many only focus on smell and nothing more.
Our variety of Dry Shampoo-ch Powder not only refreshes your dog’s coat between bath times but also can improve your pup’s skin, coat and mood.
Here’s how…
For anxious dogs we recommend our Calming Aroma Dry Shampoo-ch Powder which contains safe and natural ingredients like:
Bergamot oil, a citrus flower that helps balance your dog’s mood with the added benefit of being antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory 1.
Patchouli oil to relieve symptoms of depression and stress 2.
Lavender oil to calm your dog’s anxiety and repel insects 3.
For darker and white-haired dogs, we recommend our Charcoal Dry Shampoo-ch Powder containing the same natural ingredients but with added charcoal.
Charcoal is known to have the unique ability to absorb oil and toxins, and remove dead skin, whilst eliminating odours 4.
Charcoal is a natural whitener, so white-haired dogs may benefit from using our Charcoal Dry Shampoo. Additionally, our Charcoal Dry Shampoo doesn’t leave any residue making it pawfect for darker haired dogs too.
Citations
- Swamy, M., & Sinniah, U. (2015). A Comprehensive Review on the Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Pogostemon cablin Benth.: An Aromatic Medicinal Plant of Industrial Importance. Molecules, 20(5), 8521–8547. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules20058521
- McCaskill, Larry D. “The Use of Essential Oils in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine: Small Animal Practice.” American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (2021): 67.
- Malcolm, Benjamin J., and Kimberly Tallian. “Essential oil of lavender in anxiety disorders: ready for prime time?.” Mental Health Clinician 7.4 (2017): 147-155.
- A GUIDE TO USING ACTIVATED CHARCOAL TO GROOM YOUR DOGS. (2022). Retrieved from Earthwise Pet Supply & Grooming Marysville is a pet nutrition center and wellness spa website: https://marysville.earthwisepet.com/content/other/A-Guide-to-Using-Activated-Charcoal-to-Groom-Your-Dogs/
