Tips on bathing & treating your pet

Bathing plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy coat & skin of your dog. It helps to keep your dog free from parasites, dust and stay hygienic. Having said that, most pet lovers are curious to know how often should they bathe their dog! Well, the answer requires consideration of several factors including dog’s breed, type of coat & dog’s surroundings. Generally, bathing at least once a month works for most of the dogs. Dogs

with oily coats may need more frequent bathing as against dogs with smooth coats & shorthaired breeds. Moreover, some breeds do well with lesser baths and a lot more brushing which helps in distribution of natural oils to maintain healthy skin, coat and removal of dead hair. Your vet would be the best person to advice you on how much bathing is right for your dog.

The next big question is how to bathe your dog! Small size dogs generally fit in sink or laundry tub and can be washed easily . However, bigger ones may require a bathtub or can be washed under a bathroom shower. A variety of bathtubs including heavy plastic tubs & portable collapsible tubs are available at pet shops.

These tubs can easily be used outside our house or in the laundry area to bathe your dog. Some pet shops also provide dog tubs & towels on rent.Dogs are generally reluctant bathers and may not cooperate when giving them a bath.

Once you have decided where to wash your dog i.e., in a sink, a tub or under the bathroom shower, here is what you need to do next.Firstly, brush your dog well and cut the mats from dog’s hair. Matted hair holds water leaving your dog with irritated skin. Use cotton balls to plug your dog’s ears to avoid

water running into it. This will help to prevent potential ear infection. Use lukewarm or ambient temperature water to bathe your dog. Dogs’ skin is sensitive and tender than humans and can burn under hot water. The most important ingredient of all is the bathing Shampoo. Always use a quality dog shampoo and never use shampoo meant for humans. This is because a quality dog shampoo keeps their skin more moisturized than shampoos meant for us. These special

dog shampoos are available at most of the pet shops . While applying the shampoo,make a generous lather and massage the same over your dog’s body ensuring care is taken and not to get the lather in your dog’s eyes. Rinse well to ensure no soap is left on your dog’s skin after the bath. Left over soap may cause skin irritation once the skin becomes dry after the bath. Air-dry your dog well after the bath. However, do not use

human blow-dryer as the hot air from human blow-dryer may burn the skin or causesk n irritation. Use the hair-dryer meant for dogs. Again, such dog blow-dryers can be bought from the pet shops.

if the bathing procedure seems like an impossible task for you then don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional dog groomer. These groomers will not only bathe your dog but also will cut your dog’s nails, trim their hair near eyes and dry your dog.

Lastly, how well you treat your dog determines how well you groom Doing so requires time, patience and love. Treat your dog with respect & affection. Provide a nice & cozy place for your dog to rest. Feed him with high quality dog food & provide access to plenty of water for drinking. Like humans, Dogs need to exercise. Take your dog out to exercise, to play in the open air and even train with few basic commands. Take him to vet for periodic checkups to ensure he stays healthy. Shower your love and kindness and see whether your dog would reciprocate in the same manner. After all, ‘Dog is man’s best Friend!’