Express the dog's anal glands before bathing

Bathing is not just a simple grooming process for dogs; it also has certain health benefits. Firstly, bathing can wash away dirt and dust remaining on the dog’s body. Secondly, regular bathing can prevent excessive parasite growth. Some owners prefer to bathe their dogs at home, while others who are worried prefer to take their dogs to pet grooming salons. However, whether bathing at home or outside, there are important issues we still need to pay attention to.

1. Bathing Frequency

The frequency of bathing does not need to be very high; generally, small dogs should be bathed every 2-3 weeks, and large dogs every 3 weeks or a month. Human skin is slightly acidic, while dog skin is slightly alkaline, and the structure and texture are completely different. It is much thinner than human skin, and frequent bathing can destroy its natural protective oils, causing various skin diseases.

2. Choosing the Correct Shampoo

Due to differences in skin pH between humans and dogs, using human products can make a dog's skin dry, age prematurely, and cause hair loss. Pet-specific shampoos should be used, and human body wash should be avoided to prevent disrupting the acid-base balance of the dog's coat.

3. Things Needed for Bathing:

Dog shampoo, hair dryer, absorbent towel, combs (one pin comb and one slicker comb), electric clippers (for trimming paw hair), cotton, hemostatic forceps (for ear cleaning after bathing).

Use dog-specific shampoo

4. Bathing Steps:

Take the dog outside for a walk before bathing to let it urinate and defecate, then comb its hair to untangle knots. Wet hair after tangles will be more troublesome and hard to dry. Next, express the dog’s anal glands first because the waste inside smells very bad. If done after bathing, it will affect the dog's smell. Then wet the dog's coat in this order: body and limbs first, then the head. After applying shampoo, rinse in this order: head first, then body and limbs. After rinsing with clean water, use an absorbent towel to dry the dog as much as possible to reduce drying time. After wiping off surface moisture, use a hairdryer and comb to dry and groom thoroughly. The coat must be completely dry. After drying, use cotton balls to clean the ears and use clippers to trim paw hair.

Bring your own absorbent towel

Taking Dogs Out for Bathing:

1. Choosing a Pet Store: Cleanliness of the environment is very important. If a grooming salon looks very messy, it is best to avoid it.

2. Some people like to leave the dog at the pet store and pick it up after the bath. Unless you are a regular customer of that pet store, this is not recommended. It is better for the owner to watch the dog during the bath. This has the advantage that any emergencies can be dealt with promptly. Some dogs are very attached to their owners and may be uncooperative or even aggressive during a bath if the owner is not present, which could harm staff. The owner’s presence provides security for the dog.

3. It is best to bring your own shampoo, towel, and comb. Pet stores cannot provide individual towels for every dog, making it hard to ensure towels have not been used for dogs with skin diseases, so it is safest to bring your own.

4. After drying, ears should be wiped, paw hair shaved, and nails trimmed based on necessity (these services are usually included in the bath fee but may not be done unless requested).

5. Check: Reach into the dog’s fur deeply to check if it is fully dry, especially on the inside of limbs.