Singapore has one of the hottest climates in the world for pets. It is always summer in the country and even if it becomes rainy and wet, it is still hot enough for many pets to live in.
In order to make sure pets remain healthy in the sweltering heat, pet owners must regularly groom their pets and give them a bath. However, pets and baths are always a bad equation. Even if the water looks appealing to the pet to soak in, they may not go in even if you bribe them.
But, why exactly do they run away from you when you mention ‘bath time’?
The most probable reason, especially if this is your first time owning a pet, is the fact you might be giving them a bath the wrong way. As a result, they become irritable and unwilling to take a bath.
Of course, you can ask a professional groomer to give your pet a bath when they become difficult. The groomer assigned to your pet would even do the rest of your pet’s grooming for you. Singapore has a lot of pet grooming centers and mobile pet grooming professional on call for anyone who needs their service.
However, if you want to become closer to your dog and save money at the same time, here are some things you need to prevent and consider when giving your dog a bath:
Where Should You Bathe Your Dog?
There are many options as to where you can bathe your dog. If your pet is small enough, you can clean them on the kitchen sink or on the laundry sinks. If they are quite large, you can opt to clean them in a regular bathtub, shower or with a simple garden hose.
Any options will do so you don’t have to purchase expensive tubs or equipment to give your dogs a bath.
How to Keep Your Pet Safe and in the Tub?
If you will be using a tub to clean your pet, it is important you keep your pet still as you give them a bath.
To stop them from slipping, you can put a towel down on the bottom of the tub so they have something to step on and secure themselves into.
If your pet tends to get nervous or looks uncomfortable, ask a helper to hold your pet steady. The helper can even help you bribe your pet to keep still and also soothe them as they bath.
Keep their Eyes and Ears Protected
Every dog varies in terms of how they like their baths. However, all of them do not like getting water poured on their heads like humans do since the water may get into their nose and ears. Ear infections also increase if something gets inside your pet’s ears.
To protect their ears, put a cotton ball inside their ears to prevent the water from going in.
You shouldn’t also lather your dog’s head when you shampoo them since it can also get into their ears and eyes. If you do need to shampoo it up, hold your dog’s chin up and rinse the water back to their neck and not over their face so the soap doesn’t get into their eyes.
How to Give Fido a Bath
After you protect their ears from possible water entry, it is time you sort out the bath. Make sure that the water temperature is comfortable for your pet.
When that is sorted, get your dog wet everywhere using a hose or if you do not have a sprayer or hose with you, just fill up a container and pour the water over their body. Make sure your dog is completely wet, especially if they have thicker or long coats since it may be difficult to shampoo them if they are dry.
When it comes to shampoo, pick one that is all-natural and non-toxic so even if they end up getting some on their tongue, it won’t hurt them at all. If your pet does have skin problems or fleas, you can ask your veterinarian as to which medicated shampoo you could use for your pet.
When your dog is completely wet and shampoo, you can start off by disinfecting their paws and cleaning up their armpits and neck. You should also make sure their belly is cleaned up properly and exfoliate it clean from dead skin. Once done, you can move on his bottom, back feet, and groin.
You must rinse all the soap and extra residue off your dog when you give them a bath, especially for those with thicker and longer coats. If shampoo somehow dries on your pet’s coat, it can get irritated and also cause matted fur.
When you get all those extra residues cleaned, use a wet washcloth to clean their face. When you do clean their face, make sure you check for skin infections. Many dogs tend to have ‘furnunculosis’, little pimples caused by inflamed hair follicles. If they do have this problem, use a disinfectant or shampoo and clean it.
Once done, you can now dry your pet using a towel. You can use a blow dryer to get your pet dry, but it is advisable to use it on pets with longer coats. If your pet is new to bathing, do not blow-dry them after their bath.
Finally, take out the cotton you placed on your pet’s ears before bathing them and clean off their ear canals. Make sure they do not have earwax or other debris because it may be the cause for infection. You can either use an ear cleaner directly on their ears or use the cotton you earlier placed in their ears and clean their ears out. When you are done, turn your attention to the flappy part of your dog’s ear or the pinna and clean it with a cotton swab.
What Not to Do?
Some experts and professional dog groomers would say it is important to show your dog’s anal glands and clean them while giving them a bath. However, manually cleaning them would only cause the dog’s anal gland system to stop functioning on its own. As a result, it would lose the ability to empty on its own.
Should you notice something wrong with your dog’s anal glands, seek the help of your pet’s veterinarian to get the problem fixed.
How often should they be given a bath?
There’s no right or wrong number in terms of how many times you should give your pet a bath. However, it is always ideal to clean them when they are dirty, stinky or have skin infections. The same note is also applicable to dog ear cleaning.
Conclusion
Bathing your dogs should not be something you should fear each time your dog needs one. You must always remember that pets also need to be clean regularly to be safe from any infection and problems.
By simply following the tips above, you can make bathing a bonding experience for you and your pet. If you do not follow these tips, you would only traumatize your pet and definitely make “bath time” his worst enemy.
