At some point this week, Bella needs a bath. As she slumbers beneath the desk, stinky and content, little does she know that within days she will be suffering through such an ordeal (she really doesn’t like getting a bath). Anyway, this seems to be the perfect opportunity to post one of my favorite Bella photos:
I haven’t attempted to take photos of Bella in the bath in quite some time – usually I’m too busy playing defense to keep her in the tub, or attempting to throw up a towel shield right before she shakes off. We’ll see if I can get some new ones this time.
Given Bella’s impending doom (her description, not mine), I thought this would be a good time to share some tips with you. In my family, we have always bathed the dogs at home instead of taking them to the groomer (do they even have groomers in the sticks?). I’ve been lucky – most of my pups, Bella included, have been pretty low-maintenance. If you are a new pet parent, or considering bathing your dog at home sometimes instead of always paying the groomer, I’ve rounded up some tips for you. (If you’re an experienced pet parent, you still might find some new info or tips to improve bath time. Never stop learning, right?)
- If you’re new to this whole puppy bath thing, here are some basic tips to get you started.
- While Bella is definitely not a bath fan, at least she isn’t scared of the bathroom. If your dog gets really anxious around bath time, check out these tips for making bath time more fun.
- Even when I think I’ve gotten Bella as dry as I can (or as dry as she will tolerate – after a while she has had enough), she’s still usually a little damp. Maybe I should get her this robe so she can relax in style (and stay warm) post-bath. I’ve also considered getting one of these Brush Buddies – it’s both a towel and a flexible brush that might help make brushing seem like a nice puppy massage.
- Do you have a stinky dog and no desire to give him or her a bath? Similar to dry shampoo, you can use cornstarch in a pinch if you want to clean up your dog but don’t want to fill up the tub. Here’s how.
- If you’re looking to make bath time more green, check out this post on how to find eco-friendly grooming products. You can also try eco-friendly grooming wipes if you need to freshen up a stinky pet. Also, you can find information on where to purchase a host of green grooming products via Raise a Green Dog.
Do you have any bath tips or stinky dog stories? Feel free to shake that knowledge off and leave it in the comments, like Bella will soon be leaving water droplets all over my bathroom.
