Easy Pet Bathing at Home: Step-by-Step Guide

Next up, let's talk about the musthave bathing essentials for our furry friends. Besides the petspecific shampoos, the bestselling product lately has been dry cleaning powder. This is a recommendation from me, the "Rain Mom," for those pet owners who are not at home to bathe their pets regularly. It's incredibly convenient and hasslefree during these unusual times!

With pet stores being unable to open, and without access to blow dryers or a place to dry their fur (especially for large breeds that require two hours of blowdrying), dry cleaning powder has become a true lifesaver.

Don't be deceived by the fact that dry cleaning powder was initially developed for puppies and kittens that can't bathe, or for cats and small dogs with difficult bathing, as well as for spot cleaning. It works just as well on large dogs!

The usage of dry cleaning powder or foam is incredibly simple. Just sprinkle a small amount on the tangled or soiled areas, rub it in, and then brush off the remaining powder with a comb. No water is needed!

Ps: When using dry cleaning powder on your pet's head, try to plug their ears with cotton balls, and be gentle and meticulous with the rubbing and combing. It's best to do this in the bathroom to avoid the foam from flying around.

Now, let's discuss the standard bathing procedure at home under normal circumstances:

1. Tool Preparation

Two dilution bottles (mainly for diluting shampoo and conditioner), a flea comb, a pin brush, a slicker brush, a hair dryer, a bath towel, a bath mat, and a water absorbent towel.

These are actually quite professional grooming tools. For a home bath, you really only need a slicker brush, a bath towel, a washcloth, and a hair dryer. Of course, having a blow dryer makes the job much easier.

2. Brushing

Start with a preliminary cleaning to remove dust from your pet's coat. Use a pin brush to brush from the feet upwards, against the grain, to comb through the entire body. The pins on the pin brush are short, usually not reaching the roots of the hair, so pet owners need to comb layer by layer to remove any remaining dust and dirt.

If you find any knots, don't force them apart; gently untangle them by hand, or simply cut out the tangled areas.

The specific grip for the pin brush is to hold the top of the handle with your index and thumb, and the other three fingers to hold the edge of the brush.

After combing, you can use a slicker brush to remove the tangled hair from the pin brush.

3. Washing

To prevent the water from scalding your pet, the pet owner can spray the water on their own arm inside to check the temperature. Once it's not too hot, you can proceed to wash your pet. The water temperature should be similar to a baby's bath, slightly cooler than an adult's, which is essentially lukewarm. Just say it's warm water.

Wash in the order of "legs—body—head." For thick areas, gently pat the hair with a halfclosed hand, allowing the water to penetrate. The hand grip is to form an arc with your palm.

Many pets feel scared when washing their heads, so the pet owner can gently call out their name and reduce the water flow when washing the head to make them less resistant. Rain Mom's tip: Don't force the pet to bathe; take your time, and it will be faster!

Be sure to block the dog's eyes with your thumb to prevent water from entering.

If your dog is bathing for the first time, you can wrap the showerhead with a towel to let the water seep out slowly, allowing them to gradually adapt.

4. Washing

First and foremost, remember that the skin characteristics of humans and pets are different, so choose a petspecific shampoo!

Secondly, wear a bath mitt, pour the diluted pet shampoo (according to the dilution ratio on the shampoo instructions) onto the mitt, and evenly apply it to the dog's entire body, following the direction of hair growth. Use your thumb to make circles on the dog's body, gently, and avoid the eyes.

After rubbing, rinse it off with clean water. Note that you need to wash twice to achieve thorough cleaning.

5. Conditioning

Follow the product instructions, dilute the conditioner in your palm, and apply it evenly throughout the body. Just like massaging your own hair, gently massage the dog's hair with your fingertips, then rinse it off.

6. Drying

First, gently squeeze the dog's hair with both hands to remove some of the water, then cover the dog with a water absorbent towel and gently press to absorb the moisture, squeezing the water out and pressing again, from head to toe.

Wrap the dog in a bath towel and start the big job of drying.

Hold the hair dryer in one hand and a brush in the other. Brush against the grain while blowing, and follow the brush with the hair dryer. Dry layer by layer, starting from the head and working down. Make sure the entire body is completely dry to prevent skin diseases!

When drying the ears, use your thumb to block the ear canal to prevent the dog from being scared by the sound of the hair dryer. When drying the legs, lift one leg to brush the inside of the other leg, being gentle and not pulling outward. After drying, you can use a comb and scissors to trim the fur of dogs that need it, such as Teddy and Bichon Frise. And of course, expressing the anal glands, which is a bit of a challenge, but I'll just mention it for your information!

The last step is crucial: cleaning the ears and trimming the nails!

Let's talk about the ears of cats and dogs, especially those with droopy ears (like Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers). The ear canals are warm and moist, and it's not surprising that mites are attracted to them. Even without ear mites, earwax can block the ears and make the pet uncomfortable. With no professionals to help, we pet owners have to take matters into our own hands. During the pandemic, I, Rain Mom, have almost daily guided pet owners on how to clean ears and trim nails. Here's a brief overview of the operation? Key points...

Tools: hemostats/cotton swabs, medical cotton balls, pet ear cleaning solution, treats.

The first point for ear cleaning: don't go too deep!

After calming the pet down, drop a drop of ear cleaning solution into the ear canal, rub the base of the ear, and gently rotate the cotton swab with the ear cleaning solution visible to clean the dirt, but always be gentle!

Let's talk about the nails next. The pandemic may have slowed people's steps outside, but it can't stop the natural growth of a pet's nails. Long nails can be uncomfortable for the pet and may even injure people.

According to incomplete statistics, the dangers of long nails for cats and dogs include: easily scratching people and furniture, easily piercing the paw pads, walking with sore feet, and increasing the fighting damage...

In short, these nails must be trimmed! Don't underestimate this task; if the pet is not cooperative or the executor is a bit shaky, a single cut can turn into a bloodbath! The bloodline must not be crossed!

When trimming the nails of pets, less is more—only trim two millimeters. Hold the pet's paw pad and expose the nail, and cut a slice near the tip of the nail, which is a safer area.

The key to operation is: fast, fierce, and accurate, you know!

By the way, it's recommended to schedule the bathing and cleaning process during a sunny afternoon when the temperature is suitable, making it convenient for the pet to take a sunbath after washing to prevent some areas from not being dried.

Well, that's all I have to say from me, Rain Mom. Although the pandemic has hindered many aspects of our lives, it has actually extended the time we spend with our pets. I hope everyone can use this time to interact more with them, communicate more, and spend more time with the pets who have been by our sides all along, making up for the love we have missed. After all, their lives are only a few decades.

Congratulations to all pet owners and their pets for being immune to all diseases and staying healthy and safe! What pet care challenges have you encountered during the pandemic? Feel free to leave a message and tell me about it!