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WINTER 2006 NEWSLETTER

• How to Give Your Dog a Bath
• Resolve to Take a Pet Friendly Vacation This Year
• Simon & His Puppy
• Interesting Info
• "Tails" from Barbara

How to Give Your Dog a Bath

Even though a good bath is one of the kindest things you can give your dogs, chances are they're not going to see it that way. You can make the experience more pleasant for both you and the dog if you follow these steps.

Put on Your Apron Even the most docile dog may struggle or squirm during a bath, so be sure to put on a smock to keep yourself from getting soaked. The best location for bathing a dog is in a room with a closed door; this will prevent a wet and nervous dog from fleeing to far should it get away from you. Make sure that the dog stands on a non-skid surface during her bath. Before beginning, have your supplies ready: brush, shampoo, detangler, mineral oil, cotton balls, and a muzzle or harness (if you plan to use one).

Prepare Your Pet Before starting the bath, you may want to give your dog a chance to relieve itself. If the animal is particularly nervous, consider muzzling It and asking a partner to help you. Try to comb out major snarls in the dog's fur, and trim her nails to keep her from clawing you accidentally. Put a drop of mineral oil in each of the dog's eyes and cotton balls in her ears to keep water and soap from getting in them. Be sure to remove the cotton balls after the bath!

Lather, Rinse, Repeat Put the dog into the tub. Use a lightweight spray hose that can be maneuvered with one hand. Test the water temperature before spraying the dog, then gently get the dog used to the temperature by spraying water on her back and shoulders. After the dog relaxes, begin washing her head and then move gradually toward her rear; this will prevent fleas from moving up her body and congregating on her head and face. Lather the animal with a mild shampoo formulated for dogs. The active ingredient should be chlorhexidine, which is mildly antiseptic. If you must use an insecticide, use a gentle pyrethrin-based shampoo, and be sure to follow the safety instructions on the bottle. Oatmeal shampoos are good for dogs with itchy skin.

Make Fluffy Fluffy Scrub and rinse the dog thoroughly. Soap stays in the fur long after it seems to be gone, so keep rinsing. When you finish, rub the dog down thoroughly with towels. Don't put a wet dog back in its cage - it's okay if the dog is just damp. If you use a dryer, test the temperature of the air before aiming it toward the dog..

...continued in full newsletter.

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Archived Newsletters for animal care and tips:

• Fall 2005
• Spring 2005
• Winter 2005
• Fall 2004
• March 2004
• November 2003
• September 2003
• June 2003
• May 2003
• March 2003
• February 2003
• January 2003