How to wash your dog at home: the complete guide (and the 5 mistakes to avoid)

Washing your dog at home is both simple and trapped. With the right equipment, the right shampoo and the right method, it's a pleasant moment (yes, yes). Poorly prepared, it's a disaster for you, for him, and for the bathroom. Here is the guide to never again transform the bath into a Greco-Roman struggle.

Before bathing: preparation in 5 minutes

• Brush your dog dry before turning on the water. It removes 30 to 50% of the dead hair and prevents your pipe from turning into a giant plush.
  
  
• Prepare everything at your fingertips: shampoo, cup or shower head, towel, earplugs (for you, especially if your dog is vocal).
  
  
• Adjust the warm water (35–38°C, i.e. warm-comfortable at the elbow, never burning).
  
  
• Plug your ears with a cotton pad if your dog tolerates - it prevents post-bath otitis.
  
  
• Place a non-slip mat in the bathtub or shower.
  
  

Bathing in 6 steps

1. Wet the coat completely, starting from the legs towards the head. Never water on the head first, it's the best way to panic the dog.
   
   
2. Apply a knob of shampoo in your hands, lather and then spread from the neck to the tail.
   
   
3. Gently massage the scalp and back for 1–2 minutes. Avoid eyes, nose and ears.
   
   
4. For the head: use a washcloth soaked in foam, never the pure shampoo live.
   
   
5. Rinse for a long time, until the water comes out perfectly clear. Bad rinsing = itching guaranteed within 48 hours.
   
6. Dry with a towel, then with a warm hair dryer (never hot) if your dog tolerates.

 

The 5 mistakes to avoid

1. Use your own shampoo

The pH of your human shampoo is too acidic for dog skin (pH 4.5–5.5 in humans, 6–7.5 in dogs). Result: weakened skin barrier, skin that pulls, itching. Always a specific dog shampoo.

2. Choose a shampoo that is too fragrant

The perfume is what irritates the most in dogs with sensitive skin. If you notice that your dog scratches after bathing, the perfume is often involved. A fragrance-free shampoo settles 80% of cases.

3. Wash too often

1 to 2 times a month is enough in routine. Beyond that, you destroy the natural hydrolipidic film and you get the opposite effect: dry skin, dull hair, stronger smell.

4. Rinse badly

Shampoo residues in the coat = guaranteed itching. Rinse twice as long as you think necessary. That's the rule.

5. Dry in the open air in cold

A dog wet by 10°C is a dog that catches cold. Dry properly with a towel and then with a warm hair dryer.

How often do you wash your dog?

General rule: 1 to 2 times a month. More for dogs that get dirty (hunting, forest walks, swimming in the pond), less for short-haired indoor dogs. A healthy dog does not need to be washed every week.

Gust Care shampoo

Our fragrance-free range (500 mL and 1 L) is formulated for home use: pH balanced, fragrance-free, made in Belgium. Suitable for puppies, sensitive skin and all dogs at home. Discover the range.