Proper grooming is important to the health of your pet. Salt and sludge can collect on your dog’s paws and coat, which means the occasional winter bath is a must. But keeping your dog warm and comfortable during and after a bath when it’s cold can be a challenge. Help ensure your pup will be as happy as possible by following these winter bath time tips.
Winter Bath Tips for Your Dog
While summertime baths may be an outside event, winter baths should always be held indoors. This means a little more effort before, during and after the bath may be needed to keep your pooch comfortable and your home clean. Follow these helpful tips to make washing your dog in the winter go as smoothly as possible.
Keep Your House Warm
It’s important to keep your home warm to decrease the risk of hypothermia. About an hour before your dog’s bath, turn your heat up and keep it up until your dog is completely dry. You could also place a space heater in the room where you’ll be washing your dog.
Keep the Water Warm
To keep your dog comfortable and warm, make sure the bath water is also warm. Test it before the dog jumps in to make sure it’s not too hot. You can fill your bathtub with a few inches of warm water. This will give your dog a nice warm place to stand and help them maintain a healthy warm body temperature throughout the bath.
Use a Moisturizing Shampoo
Dogs are more susceptible to dry, flaky skin the winter just like us. Try a moisturizing or oatmeal shampoo or rinse to help if your dog has dry, itchy skin. Your vet may be able to recommend one.
Make it Short
You don’t need to make it a long drawn out affair. Suds up and rinse off quickly but thoroughly (you don’t want to leave behind any soap residue) to reduce the amount of time your dog is exposure to the chilly air.
Towel Off
While your dog will likely want to shake after their bath, you’ll still want to wrap them up in a big warm towel. It will help speed up dry time and keep them warm during the process.
Stay Inside Until Dry
It’s important to keep your dog inside until they are completely dry in the winter. When wet, dogs are far more susceptible to hypothermia. If your dog has a thick coat, you could speed up dry time by using a blow dryer. Just be sure to keep it at the lowest possible setting and hold it at least 12 inches away from your pet to keep from burning their skin.
Try Dry Shampoo
Waterless shampoo powders and sprays could be an option to keep your dog clean and smelling fresh during the cold months. They may not remove all the dirt and build up as well as a good old fashion scrub down but could be a great option for in between baths if you want to bathe your pup less often or get rid of odors and oils.
Take Your Dog to a Groomer
A Lucky Dog Pet Lodge, we offer basic grooming services for dogs who are boarding or spending the day at our doggy daycare. Bring your dog in for a day of play and let us give your dog a bath or a nail trim while he’s here. He’ll be clean and dry by the time you pick him up and take him back outside. We can accommodate the unique grooming requirements of dogs with medium and long coats. If you are in the Bloomington, Minnesota area and are interested in more information about our boarding, daycare or grooming services, contact us online or give us a call at (952) 767-2040.
