With all the storms and the weather cooling, it’s important to keep your dog looking their best! Short coat pups (luckily) like me can get away with infrequent baths and light brushing, even in the muddiest of situations, but even with my long-haired friends you have to be careful not to over-bathe! Bathing too much, or with too harsh a soap can lead to dry, flaky skin.
Before you begin a bath, first brush out your pet and make sure to get all the knots. NEVER pull a knot in an attempt to cut it out. You can snip the skin and make a large wound that way. Gingerly snip the very ends of the mat and pull apart with your fingers snipping as needed, but always at the tips, never near the skin. Make sure you have your shampoo and any scrubbers ready so you wont have to leave your dog alone in the tub (it can get messy that way). Get your pup all wet then lather them up! Be sure to keep water and shampoo out of your dogs ears, eyes, mouth and nose. Rinse fully and condition if needed. Make sure you get all the shampoo and conditioner out as patches left can irritate and cause sores.
You can towel dry your pet, or blow dry them. If blow drying, never get closer than three inches with the hot air since it can burn. If it’s cold out, make sure your dog is fully dry or they can catch a cold. And be sure to keep up with claws! They should be trimmed often so they don’t touch the floor. Trim in small increments, avoiding the quick (blood vessel). The more you clip them, the further the quick recedes over time, so you will end up with nice short nails!
