How To Turn Bathing A Dog Into
Dog Spa Day - Right At Home!

---

Bathing a dog can either be seen as a necessary chore, or with a little imagination, you can transform bath day into a Dog Spa experience to make it more pleasurable for both you and your pet. If this idea appeals to you, keep reading and we'll give you some dog bathing tips to help you pull it off.

While it's true that upscale dog salons really know how to bathe a dog and pile on the pampering, there's no reason your pet can't receive the same special attention right at home. In fact, when you're the one giving him the royal bath time treatment, he's bound to feel less stressed and be more likely to relax. At the very least he will enjoy getting your one-on-one attention!


Or on the other hand, Dog Spa day can be an option if you can't get an appointment at the groomer, but you're off on a trip or a date and really want Rover to look, feel and smell his best. Whatever the reason, you don't really need an excuse to give your best canine friend a day of extra special TLC - do you?


When your dogs come home fresh from the dog grooming spa, they smell and look great. Part of a spa's secret is that they use great products when bathing a dog. Luckily, you too can now get similar results at home because so many of these salon-quality grooming products have now become available for individuals to purchase.

We've featured some of these high quality products for bathing a dog on this page to help you find the supplies for setting up your dog's at home Dog Spa. The ideal grooming kit would include specially formulated dog shampoos, conditioners, finishing sprays for detangling, combs, brushes and absorbent doggie towels.

The Herbal and Botanical formulations are a good starting point. If you have a dog that is prone to skin problems or allergies, try an organic dog shampoo. These are ph balanced for a dog's skin and contain gentle non-soap cleansers and anti-inflammatory ingredients.


However, when selecting products, don't be fooled by pretty packaging. There are also many "so-so" dog grooming products on the market. Some contain ingredients that can cause adverse skin reactions to a pampered pooch - the very opposite of what you want! Fancy labels can be misleading. Do read the ingredients when selecting bath time products for your dog day spa.

Look for natural cleansing agents and essential oils - both are soothing to a dog's skin and helpful in making the bath time a relaxing experience. And choose products suitable for your dog's coat and skin type, because each dog breed is unique - but you knew that didn't you!

So Let's Begin Bathing A Dog....Spa Style

You might want to start the special event with a calming massage. If you've never given your dog a massage before, he is in for a real treat, but take it slowly until he gives you a happy face. Just to make sure of the techniques, check out some reliable dog massage books or videos and then there's your vet. You could even take a class especially designed to teach pet massage. Believe it or not, there really are certified massage therapists for animals too, you know!

Mood Enhancers!

To set the stage even further, you could try a little aromatherapy. Prepare the room by burning a candle with a fragrance that has a soothing effect, like Lavender. It is known for calming, relaxing muscles, lowering tension and promoting a very restful feeling. Plus lavender also acts as a deodorizer when included in doggie sprays, as well as an insect repellent. So you might want to put some in your dog's bedding for a nice after bath stay fresh touch.

Before bathing a dog give him a good brush to get out the loose hair and tangles. It's so much harder to get out "wet" tangles after the bath. The Zoom Groom is a great product to use before a bath and every day for that matter. This unique grooming tool has rubber fingers that gently massage your pet while working like a magnet to remove loose hair. Two of them used together also work very well to lather up your dog with a stimulating sudsing.

Getting The Bath Water Just Right For Bathing A Dog

Perfect water temperature is a must for the dog spa. Prepare the bath water pretty much the way you'd like it yourself. Test the temperature to make sure it's warm enough, but not too hot. Place a rubber bath mat or towel in the tub to keep your pet stable and relaxed.

Oh, and don't forget to put on your rain gear before you start..you didn't expect to stay dry on this dog spa adventure did you? Also, Rover's ears will need some cotton balls to keep out the soapy water. Dogs' ears are fragile and best cleaned separately and gently using cotton balls moistened with mineral oil, witch hazel or a specific doggie ear wash. (Stay away from swabs to be on the safe side).

After you've given your pooch a good sudsing, make sure to rinse him really well and follow with a conditioner. At the end of it all wrap your pet in a doggie towel and give him a thorough rub down which he'll love, then finish off with the hair dryer on a low heat setting. If you plan to do Dog Spa day often, you might want to get a commercial pet dryer.

Bathing A Dog - Dog Spa Finale..

Comb and brush out Rover with a conditioning dog coat spray to keep the coat lustrous looking and healthy. In between Spa days, you can maintain that fresh look and smell with a heavenly lavender scented spritz that not only removes pet odors in a wink, but also remoisturizes the coat and skin and imparts a healthy shine.

And, you're done...

...unless of course you have the expertise to handle a doggie pedicure - very classy!

Now that Rover is looking and smelling great, why not take him out on a date or just for a walk with your special someone!

Related Grooming Pages:

Dog Grooming Tools	Shampoos, Sprays & Conditioners
Organic Dog Shampoos	Paw Care
Dog Skin Allergies	Dealing With FLEAS
Treating Dog Hot Spots	Skunk Odor Removal

Return from Bathing A Dog To Dog Grooming Essentials