Spring Cleaning: Canine Edition
Spring is finally upon us, and it brings with it the promise of rebirth and growth.
However for dog guardians, Spring can be a season of horror.
As the snow piles retreat under the blazing sun, they reveal the saturated grass beneath them, and with that comes…the mud.
Mud coating dog paws after a walk, kicked up into the coat of your dog’s underbelly, and ground into the fabric of their harness.
Silhouettes of dirty foot prints now cover every horizontal surface of your home, and the vague smell of a sewage pipe wafts from your dog while they sleep. Meanwhile, you’re blazing through mop water and your designated dog towel reserve at a pace that has your head spinning.
After cursing my gravel driveway profusely during my dog’s post walk wipe down, I realized that I need to talk to an expert to figure out how best to manage my dog - and his filth - during this Spring slop.
Determined to suffer no further, I reached out to my good friend, and certified fear-free dog groomer, Amy Atkinson, to pick her brain on keeping dogs clean when the environmental odds feel as though they’re stacked against us. Here’s what Amy had to say about dog maintenance during mud season:
Q: On average, how often do dogs needs to be bathed? I’m talking about a full bath - water, shampoo, the works.
A: All dogs can benefit from a full bath every 4-8 weeks. However, if your dog really enjoys going into the bush, or swimming, bathing more frequently (even weekly, if needed) will help keep their coats free of mud, grime, and potentially even the creepy crawlies they’ve picked up on their adventures.
Q: Do you have any tips for maintaining a somewhat clean dog during muddy seasons, like Spring?
A: When a dog has been given a proper, and thorough bath, mud and grime won’t be able to get lodged into their coat as easily, which will make it easier to brush it off or rub it off with a clean towel. This will ultimately make it easier to maintain a clean dog in between bathing.
Q: Is there such thing as bathing a dog too frequently? What are the risks behind over-bathing a dog?
A: When you are using proper shampoo and conditioning products, no, you cannot over bathe a dog. The myth that you can strip a dog’s coat of it’s natural oils by over bathing is only a risk when you are using products not designed for dogs that contain harsher chemicals in them.
Q: Is it worth the effort to simply rinse your dog off with just water (what I like to call a “bird bath”), or should you go for the full bath?
A: A thorough rinse off is a great way to quickly remove mud, grime, or stagnant pond water from your dog in between full baths. However, it’s the full bath, with the shampoo, that is going to make sure that your dog’s coat is able to do it’s job efficiently. You can definitely rinse your dog off every few days if they are prone to getting dirty, and fully bathe them every few weeks to keep their coat in tip top shape.
Q: Bathing a dog at home can be a challenge at the best of times. Do you have any tips for making bath time easier on our back’s, and less of a mess?
A: Introducing your dog to baths at their pace, ensuring they are comfortable and happy with the process from the beginning can help make bath time easier for everyone. Some other tips:
use bath mats or towels in the bottom of the tub to reduce slipping,
keep the shower nozzle on low pressure,
utilize licki mats, frozen Kongs, or food puzzles to keep your dog busy while you scrub,
tug toys that can be suctioned to the ground (or ones that can be held onto by a second person) can occupy those toy motivated dogs during baths,
playing games in and around the bathtub/shower outside of bath time will help build more positive associations with the area. Be warned that this can also create a dog who wants to partake in your personal showers in the future!
Q: What are some of your favorite grooming tools or products that you’d recommend?
A: I love the Kong zoom groom - it’s a rubber brush that really helps to lather and work the shampoo into your dog’s coat during a bath. You can also use rubber dish gloves as another way to build a nice lather and thoroughly scrub your dog. Both of these options will also reduce the amount of shampoo you need to use during baths.
There are many amazing salon quality shampoos on the market, but these are some of my favorite: Nature’s Specialties, Whal, Groomer’s Edge, and Show Season.
Q: Conditioner after shampoo - yes, or no?
A: That is 100% up to you. Conditioner is a great way to add moisture to your dog’s coat, espeically if it is already dry, and can help you comb out tangles easier after the bath.
Just be sure that you are thoroughly rinsing all products, shampoo and conditioner, out of your dog’s coat, as this can cause irritation.
Q: When should someone consider getting their dog professionally bathed or groomed. My dog Kaslo has never been to a groomer - is this horrible of me?
A: Whether you go to a professional groomer, use a U-bathe, or bathe your dog at home is up to you and that decision should be made based on what is best for you and your dog!
If you are not physically able to bathe your dog, dislike doing so, or don’t feel like you can bathe your dog properly, then going to a professional might ne something that you want to consider.
There is no wrong choice here - choose the options that you and your dog are most comfortable with!
Thank you so much Amy, for shedding (pun fully intended) light on keeping our dogs clean and their coats healthy throughout the year! You can learn more about dog grooming, from a fear-free perspective on Amy’s Instagram page, or you can connect with her at https://www.northernnoses.com/
As an added bonus, Amy has provided a discount course for her virtual grooming course, “From Knotted to Knockout.” Enter in the code “Springclean” at checkout to get this course at 15% off it’s regular pricing!
Amy is a Karen Pryor Certified Dog Trainer and a Fear Free Certified groomer. She specializes in fear free grooming techniques and strives to create a better overall grooming experience for dogs in her care. She offers services that range from confidence building sessions in her salon, to teaching you how to fully groom your dog at home. Amy offers a virtual learn to groom course, that is designed to help guardians maintain their dog’s coats in between grooming appointments.
Stay awesome,
Vanessa
Vanessa Charbonneau, is the author of Dog Care for Puppies: A guide to Feeding, Playing, Grooming and Behavior. She owns Sit Pretty Pet Services, employing force-free training techniques to work with companion dogs and their owners. Charbonneau lives in Prince George, BC with her husband, two daughters, and one dog.