In an ideal world, dog bath time consists of a calm Saturday afternoon, lathering your pup in sweet blossomy soap, and treats and puppy kisses. But for most of us, bath time is typically a bit more hectic. When it comes to bath time, my dog Lexi is a sassy and sweet firecracker. She knows it has to be done, but that doesn’t mean she’ll make it easy for me.
Step 1 – Pretend your pup is a toddler
My approach to starting bath time is to think of my dog like a human toddler. (I mean she’s already the cutest little baby in my eyes so it’s not that hard!). I always start by laying out everything that I will need, including shampoo, blow dryer, hairbrush, and bunny ears towel.
Step 2 – Power through the head tilts and side-eyes
Puppy dog eyes are very powerful, but dog judgment is no joke too! Run the water in your desired bath location and adjust the temperature to your dog’s preference. Water shouldn’t be too cold or too hot; typically lukewarm water is recommended for dogs. The water should be colder than your bath water, but not cold.
Step 3 – Give plenty of pre-bath cuddles
Okay I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker for how cute she is. Even though I’m giving her a bath because she needs it, I always pick up Lexi and give her some pre-bath cuddles (and treats!). Treats throughout the whole bath experience is a must (and it helps reinforce the positive experience).
Step 4 – Betray your dog
The realization that she’s getting bathed usually hits Lexi as soon as I place her into the sink, as indicated by her perfectly on cue disgruntled sigh. Timing is everything from this point forward: the quicker you can wet, suds up, and rinse, the better off it’ll be for both you and the laundry room. Some spread dog-safe peanut butter onto the side of the sink or tub to keep them occupied.
I’ve found it works best to start lathering from the lower back, working up the shoulders and then back down and around the belly before moving onto the rear end and back legs. Lastly I’ll lather her head, outside ears, and face, before finishing up on her chest and front legs. Dog’s have a reflex to shake their heads when wet, which is why that area is done last. At this point, Lexi is usually soothed by the water but it wasn’t always like this! Treats are your best friend.
Step 5 – Introduce the bunny towel
Enough said.
Step 6 – Expect zoomies
Now we get to the post bath bit. Once Lexi has been towel dried, her post-bath zoomies kick in. She runs, and jumps, onto the couch and then onto her bed, and around and back, again and again. I don’t know the reason behind it. Maybe she realizes she’s free from the chains of restriction aka, the laundry room sink. Or perhaps she zooms around to help the drying process? Maybe she’s just celebrating the fact that she feels fresh and clean? That said, wet dog (clean or not) is preferably not the eau de my apartment so I give her a bully stick or long-lasting treat to distract her from zooming all over the living room.
Step 7 – Blow-dry hops and plushy cuddles
Once Lexi settles down from her zoomies, I turn on the blow dryer and she alternates between hiding her face in the blanket and hopping like a bunny to avoid the air of the blow dryer. Pro tip: keep a safe distance and set the blowdryer to the cool setting to avoid overheating your pup’s skin! After a few minutes, Lexi is a perfectly clean and plush pup. And we celebrate a successful bath time with cuddles before I’m off to clean the laundry room.
If your dog is new to the blow dryer, this step is optional! First introduce just the noise of it with lots of treats. Then, gradually work up to the blowing sensation so your dog isn’t overwhelmed!
Have any cute bath time pictures of your pup? We love any excuse to see dog pics! Send them to whatthepup@spotandtango.com
