- Wet dog!
The first bath was always a challenge. This where you see how your puppy reacts to water, touch/prodding, and the dreaded hair-dryer. My first pommie, Moru (now almost 3 years old), wouldn't sit still during his bath and kept trying to leap out of the sink. He hated his first blow-dry and would try to gnaw on my fingers to get away. I got so frustrated that I ended up taking him to the groomers every month. However, I found that with a puppy, you never know when they'll make a mess and you'll need to bathe them at home. So, it really was necessary to learn ways to make bath time less traumatic.
A friend recommended slathering some peanut butter on the side of the sink/tub to occupy the pup while you bathe them. This worked wonders! Moru was so distracted and stayed put while I washed him! Yoki, (now almost 2 years), wasn't a huge fan of peanut butter at the time, so I had to sing to her and use a calm soothing voice. I also made sure to have everything handy before bathing him. You don't want to be running around trying to find a towel to dry them up while they're soaking wet on your floors. I would line up my shampoo & conditioner (a must for long-haired dogs), wash cloth (to clean their face and eyes), towel, and small cup (to wash their bodies). Also, make sure they get in a good potty break before the bath. It wasn't too fun when Moru decided he had to go right after his bath while he was sopping wet! Just like prepping a bath for a baby you have to test the water before putting them in.
Dogs have sensitive skin too and you can burn their skin if the water is too hot.
After a good wash, I'd wrap them up in the towel for a minute or so to soak up the water. My brother uses a warm towel from the dryer to comfort his dog. I also had my supplies ready for post-bath grooming....brush, blowdryer, and doggie bed...yes doggie bed. I used to try to blow dry Moru on the floor and he hated it! One day, I tried blow drying him in his doggie bed and he was so calm! He even fell asleep! He loves to burrow his head into the nooks of the bed and lets me dry him. You want to use the coolest setting for your dog, especially if you use it on the "high" setting. If at anytime you feel their fur get warm/hot in one spot, stop! You don't want to burn their skin! Yoki still isn't a fan of the dryer but she'll let me dry her if I use slow movements with the dryer. She hates when I wave it around over her fur quickly. You want to dry behind their ears well, but not for a long period of time to avoid burns.
Aim the blowdryer behind the ears for a 30 seconds at a time to avoid overheating. I never really need to use a brush after I dry them because I brush them daily and they don't have many mattes, but I always keep it nearby just in case I run into any. The only way to get your dog to somewhat like a bath is to keep bathing them at home. They'll come around eventually. I find that the more you take them to groomers, the more skiddish they become during bath time (at least for my 2).
My 2 favorite brands for dog grooming products are Tropiclean and Viva La Dog Spa. They both do not interact with topical flea treatments. Some shampoos out there can deactivate flea treatments. I find that Tropiclean can be a little drying to my poms' coats, but Viva La Dog Spa does a great job at moisturizing their fur and it smells amazing! I love their Oatmeal Shampoo and Pink Potion Conditioner. I also use their French Moroccan Oil Treatment with Argan Oil to add a little more shine to their fur after drying.
- Bad hair day! Yoki needs a bath!
- Viva La Dog Spa products
Since my pommies have thick coats, I use a slicker brush to brush their coats everyday. It really helps get down to the undercoat and prevent mattes.
For nail cutting, I use cat nail clippers for my small dogs since they have smaller nails.
Every so often I use an electric trimmer to trim up the hair under their paws and under their tails to keep it sanitary.
What are your tips for dog grooming?
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