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Even if your bathtub doesn't have a shower head, then bath your dog outside with a hose on an easy setting. Never fill it up with water as this will dry the dog's skin. Keep your hand in the water to make sure the water temperature remains correct. Lift your dog gently into the tub if he can't get in on his own. Work from the front to back of the body, but save the head for last so shampoo doesn't have time to drip into his eyes. Work the shampoo into a gentle lather, moving from the neck down the back to the rear, then on to the belly and legs. Make sure to get between the pads and toes and over the tail and genitalia. Combine your rubbing with soothing praise your dog should be enjoying your caring touch! Skin problems can often indicate more serious health concerns, so take this hands-on opportunity to inspect your dog. Look for strange marks on the skin, rashes, flaking, redness, lumps or bumps, hair loss, or change to skin color. Your vet can perform tests to figure out if these things are skin issues, or whether there may be internal problems. If you're using a kitchen sink, you can use the spray attachment if you have one. Never use a cup or bucket to rinse as it's not effective enough to get under the coat of a long-haired or double coat dog. Either way, use a wet washcloth on the face so you don't overwhelm the dog. If you can still see bubbles on the dog, you need to rinse a couple more times. Any soap, shampoo or conditioner residue left on the dog will attract dirt, defeating the purpose of the bath. Soap residue can also irritate your dog and cause itching. To check if residue is still there, gently pull some fur in between your fingers and if it feels squeaky then you are done. A dog conditioner is a good idea for dogs with long fur. Apply after thoroughly rinsing out the shampoo and follow the instructions on the bottle. You can buy a bathtub spray attachments at the pet store or online. Make sure you're using a toothpaste formulated for dogs, not humans. If a dog swallows human toothpaste, he's likely to get an upset stomach. Make sure your dog is used to you handling his mouth before brushing his teeth, so you don't get nipped on the hand. Lift his lips and brush the teeth at the front and sides of the mouth. Give praise and speak in a soothing voice throughout, taking frequent breaks for petting. Dog ear cleansers pH balanced to help prevent ear infections. Apply it to a clean cotton ball or an ear-cleaning pad bought at a pet store. Wipe the cleanser first over the outside of the dog's ears, then over the inside of the dog's outer ear. You can move a little way into the ear canal, but don't poke your finger into the dog's ears. Do not pour anything, including water, into your dog's ears, as it can get trapped down by the eardrum and cause infection. Place your dog on a dry towel, then wrap him in another towel to absorb most of the water. Change towels as needed to continue drying your dog's coat. Let his coat air dry once you have blotted up as much water as you reasonably can. Dry the insides of the ears with cotton to prevent infection. Blow-dry the coat to speed up the process, if he tolerates it. Make sure to keep it on a cool setting so you don't burn the dog's skin. If your dog is scared of the blowdryer, don't push him. Put in the extra time needed for a towel-drying. Chamois towels are thin fleece like towels that are great at drying dogs when used first. It's best used with normal towels and blow drying for faster drying time. Shower him with praise and give him a tasty treat, even if he had trouble getting through the experience. He'll quickly learn that getting a bath is not a frightening experience, but one that leads to treats! It's very important to brush your dog after every bath so his hair doesn't get matted. As with humans, brushing or combing is a lot harder when the hair is wet, and you run the risk of damaging the fur. Furthermore, you risk building up an unpleasant association between baths and painful skin-tugging. Wait for the coat to finish air-drying before you brush it out.
Run your shower head away from your dog. Shampoo your dog thoroughly. Examine your dog carefully. Rinse the shampoo out of your dog's coat thoroughly. Brush the dog's teeth (optional). Clean his ears with cotton balls and a dog ear cleanser (optional). Dry off your dog. Reward your dog for getting through the bath. Let the coat dry before trying to brush it.