Everyone likes to smell nice, feel fresh and stay clean. Your dogs are no different, they do not like to dwell in their stench or feel sloppy and unclean. Hence cleanliness should be the pet owner’s first priority, primarily because hygiene issues are directly proportionate to health issues, and secondly they live under the same roof as you, their problems will soon become your problems, be it health or sanitation.

A clean dog is a healthy dog and a healthy dog is a happy dog. Keeping your dog clean is not rocket science, it is simple and not that time consuming if done regularly and most of all it is a fun bonding exercise for the owner and the dog.

There are just a few simple instructions one must follow in order to keep your pet spotless and sparkling.

1) Giving your dog a bath:

Your dog does not necessarily need to bathe as often as you do. A dog can be given a bath strictly on a need basis or it can be given a bath on a regular basis. Factors that determine whether or not you want to give your dog a bath depends on, how much hair it has, if it undergoing any sort of skin problem, if it is smelly etc..

To give your dog a bath, follow these instructions:

a) The first step is to Gather the required bathing material

- Shampoo; preferably a dog friendly shampoo or an extremely mild shampoo.

- A tooth brush and toothpaste; A soft bristled toothbrush and a dog friendly toothpaste, never use any other toothpaste (Paste is not usually essential)

-A Towel; A dry towel

-Luke warm water; Cool water can be used depending on the climatic conditions.

-An area to bathe; preferably an open space but a bathroom or a bathtub would do just fine.

- Treats (or distractions); this is optional; this will help your dog to be less stressed and will decrease his irritability to the situation.

b) The second step is to lure your dog into the bathing area; this is where the treat or any dog toy will come handy.

c) Make sure your dog is wet completely; this can be done by using a mug or a tumbler to evenly pour the water,

d) Brush your dogs teeth gently by clasping his/her face in your hand.

e) Apply a decent quantity of Shampoo on the fur and lather.

f) Rinse off the shampoo thoroughly

g) Apply conditioner to make sure the fur does not become dry (Optional)

h) Use a towel or a blow drier to dry and keep him/her warm.

i) Give your dog a nice treat at the end of his/her bath, for cooperating and being a good dog.

2) Grooming your dog,

A) Brush your dog’s fur on a regular basis, this will superficially remove dirt, dust and it will make it look well groomed and neat.

B) To prevent your dog from smelling, you can apply a small quantity of baby powder, odour cream or baking powder all over the dogs body (Except the head area), this will absorb excess oils and produce a good smell.

C) Make sure you cut and clean your dog’s nails and paws. This is also beneficial for you so that your dog does not hurt you unnecessarily.

D) Clean your dogs’ ear with an ear bud or a small cotton ball, this should preferably be done after you give your dog a bath so as to remove any remaining water in that area.

3) Clean your dog’s bed on a regular basis. This includes washing the bed in warm water and drying.

4) Take your dog to a grooming parlour and the vet on a regular basis, to eliminate any form of skin problem at an earlier stage.

5) Give your dog a hair cut once in a while. The best time to give your dog a hair cut is after you bathe him/her. All you require is a pair of scissors, clippers and a hair brush or a comb. This will maintain the hair growth and increase the quality of hair.

6) Last but not the least; make sure your dog is active and not lethargic. Take your dog for regular walks and allow it to play as much as it is willing to. If it is dull and lazy, push it out of the house and devise incentives for it to run around and play. This will not only maintain its looks it will keep your dog very healthy.

A well groomed dog is a healthier and happier dog. If your dog looks well groomed, if will feel confident and proud, and it is very important for your dog to possess these qualities, it will make your dog more agile and active.

Cleanliness will increase good health; good health intern leads to a longer life span.  Being a dog owner does not end your responsibility by just owning a dog, you should fulfil your responsibility by keeping your dog clean, healthy and happy. ‘Cleanliness is happiness’

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Dogs love getting dirty and they won’t even mind to smell stinky, on the other hand, pet owners will like to them smell good.
Bathing plays an important role in the life of dogs but they feel rarely excited jump into the bath tub. You can either clean him up by the help of veterinary or you, too, can wash him easily. First I will tell you why bathing dog is beneficial for him. Washing him is good for his healthy skin and shiner fur. Regularly cleansing process with proper arrangement is the key of a good – looking dog. They may develop diseases or infection because of poor hygenie and can also transmitted to humans.
Also, bathing time may helps to create a unique bond between you and your dog by spending time.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR DOG?

Dogs don’t really need daily bathing like us, but they do need bathing regularly. But regular bathing also depends on several factors.
♦ Dogs with oily coat needs bathing once in a week.
♦ Many short – haired breeds lik Beagles and basenjis don’t need regular bathing as they are very meticulous in their personal hygeine.
♦ Dogs with thick coats do best with fewer baths
Most of the dogs should bath once a week. However if we wash him more than often then it can dry out his skin.
But if he loves to get into dirt and mud then you may have to bathe him more than often.

You must do some preparation before bathing your dog as proper preparation can make the whole process easier for you. Also by knowing the proper technique of bathing dog makes it easier for you.

1. CHOOSE A LOCATION :- The first step which you will have to do is to choose a proper place where you wants to wash him. You must remember that bathing dog can make the place muddy and sloppy. Be prepare to clean the hairy and wet bathroom if you are going to use bath tub. Bathing him outside will probably the better idea.
2. ASSOCIATE BATHE WITH GOOD THINGS :- Most of the dogs find bathing time abhorrent so you must do something so that they start enjoying this time. You can always do things which your dog love the most before bathing like treats, his favourite chew toys, a walk in the park etc. Soon he will feel better about it. And if he feels good, he will behave better during bathing time. You can give him some tasty treats right after getting him into the bath tub. If he feels nervous during the time, you can play some games with him. Soon, he will realize that bathing is fun and you need not to worry everytime you decided to wash him.
3. BEFORE BATHE :- You should gather the all the items you need during washing the dog – towel, shampoo, sponge but put it close to you but not in the way that it can be kicked and splashed by your dog. You should trim your dog’s nails before bathe as he can be frightened and use their claws in order to run away from the tub. Choosing a good shampoo can also be difficult for you. You can ask from vet which shampoo you should use, read directions before using it. Never use human shampoo to dog as it is not right for dog’s skin and fur.
4. DURING BATHE :- First try to get him used to the water, you can spray water on his shoulder and back. You should not hurt him during bathing as it will increase the resistance to being bathed next time and you might face more difficulties in the future. After he relaxes, wash his head. Lather up his body with shampoo, you can use the sponge or washcloth to remove the water around the nose, mouth or eyes.
You can also use the brush in order to work shampoo on the coat of dog if he has shorter hair. If he has longer haur, then in order to avoid tangles, massage his coat in the direction of hair growth. Rinse the dog with slightly – heated water after the lathering.
AFTER BATHE :- After bathe, use your hands to squeeze the excess water from the body. Then wrap him up in a towel and rub him dry, gently. If he has longer fur then you can use blow dryer.

TIPS :-
1. The water should be lukewarm, not too hot, as hot water may dry out his skin and also he may feels itchy after the bathe.
2. If you wants to use dryer, you can buy pet dryer but never use your dryer on high temperature as it may burn out his skin.
3. Do not let the water to get into his ears or eyes. To prevent this, you can put the cotton balls in his eyes and when you pour water on his head, close his eyes by your one hand.

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