Oh Dear it's Bath Time!

Contrary to common belief not all dogs like the water and most cats really do hate the water so bath time can be a real challenge. They fight you every step of the way - scratch, claw, and bite you in order to jump out and run. Leaving you frustrated and a trail of water and soap. Your pet needs to be bathed though so here are a few tips to make bath time a little easier for you and less stressful for your pet.

Timing is everything. Pick a time when your dog is worn out or tired. For cats you should pick the time when your cat is most mellow. If they are not wound up then they won't be fighting you as hard.

This is now the time to trim your cat's nails - It's for your own good. For tips on nail trimming you can go to my post The Dreaded Nail Trimming.

Your pet needs to be brushed before a bath. You need to remove loose hair and get out any mats in the fur. After a thorough brushing gather all your tools - rubber mat for the sink/tub, water pitcher (if you don't have a sprayer hose), clean towels, and pet friendly soap.

Fill the tub with 3-4 inches of lukewarm water. Don't bring your pet in until everything is ready. Talk to your pet with a soft calm voice. You want to keep your pet calm and comfortable. Use a hand held spray hose or a pitcher to thoroughly wet your pet. Be sure to avoid the eyes, ears, and nose.

Be sure to use dog/cat shampoo on your pets since human shampoo can dry out their skin. For cats you need to make a shampoo solution of 1 part cat shampoo and 5 parts water to lather into their skin.

Massage in the shampoo from head to tail and rinse thoroughly (repeat if necessary). For the face use a wet wash cloth with plain water. If your pet's face is really dirty use extra diluted soap.

Now you are ready to dry off. Your best bet is to towel dry. If the noise from the hair dryer doesn't upset your pet you can use it on the lowest setting. Keep in mind that if your pet has long hair you may have to brush the coat with a wide-toothed comb to get the tangles out.

Your not done yet. Praise your pet and give lots of love and affection and yummy treats. Whenever you are done grooming you should do this. Your pets will figure out that bath time means attention and cookies and next bath time won't be so difficult.

Be Wise... Bewaggle!


About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!