THE WONDER OF PETS by Wally Ashcroft

THE problem of how often to bath the dog seems to confuse a lot of dog owners. The answer is quite simple. Whenever his coat becomes dirty and unpleasant. Bathing should not be confused with grooming, which should be carried out on a regular basis.

The breed of dog and the way it is kept are factors which determine how often it is bathed. A small dog which is allowed to lie on your expensive furniture will need bathing much more often than a guard dog which is kept outside.

Many dogs are bathed at the same time as they are having their coats clipped. It is important that you groom out any mats in its coat before your dog is bathed, otherwise the fur will become even more tangled. In this case it is better not to try to save money by bathing the dog yourself but to leave it to the professional groomer who will do the job in the right sequence. Show dogs will invariably have their coats washed more often but in certain breeds, over washing will make the coat too soft for showing.

Under normal circumstances most household dogs should be bathed every six or eight weeks. This will remove the excess grease which gets into the carpet and permeates the house with that characteristic doggy smell. Long-haired breeds are better if they are bathed a little more regularly than short-haired varieties. Bathing does remove some of the natural oils and makes the coat less waterproof but they are soon replaced and it matters little to a house dog.

Some breeds love to be bathed while others take great exception to it. Consequently it is better to start as soon as possible at the puppy stage.

When you are ready to bath your dog it is a good idea to have everything ready. It's rather difficult trying to hold a soapy dog down while you are searching for the towels. You will need a shampoo, a jug or shower attachment, a thick towel, a brush and comb, a hand-held hairdryer and I would suggest a waterproof apron. It would be a good idea to have someone with you in case you get into difficulties. Before you put your dog into the water it is advisable to plug his ears with cotton wool to prevent any water getting into them. The pieces should be big enough so that you can easily pull them out when you have finished. Too small and they might get stuck and be difficult to remove. A couple of drops of warm olive oil carefully dropped into your dog's eyes will help to prevent any shampoo getting on the eyes and stinging them. Leave his collar on so that you have some control if he starts to struggle.

Put about two inches of water in the bottom of the bath and then stand the dog in it. Wet the back half of your dog first and then work in the shampoo to get a good lather. Lift the feet up and lather them and then the underside of his body. If you put too much water in the bath this will be very difficult. Don't rub too much if your dog is a long haired breed, otherwise you will tangle the fur. Rinse the shampoo off and then repeat the procedure on the front half. The head should be left until last because a dog will usually not shake himself until his head is wet. When you are ready to wet the head hold the nose upwards. This will prevent any shampoo running into the eyes. Shampoo the top of the head and then carefully work it forwards and upwards into the muzzle and chin. Rinse lather carefully.

Give your dog a good rinse all over to remove the last traces of lather and then squeeze as much excess water from the coat as possible. Dry your dog's face and then wrap him up in the towel before you lift him out of the bath. Pat your hands all over the towel to soak up the water and then dry the fur as quickly as possible to prevent your dog from getting chilled. You will be able to dry the fur much quicker if you have a hand-held hair dryer but be careful to keep it moving or you might burn your dog's skin. The hair should be combed against 'the grain' or the natural flow. This helps to dry it out more effectively.

When you have dried your dog off give him a thorough combing and he will be as good as new. Make sure he doesn't jump into the first muddy puddle he sees.

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