the art of savvy

Few chores are as difficult or entertaining as bathing a dog.  If you have two dogs, it’s a particularly challenging adventure!  No matter what, my dogs hate me after bath time – even if my fiance is the one who bathed them!  Even still, I’ve learned a few tricks to getting them clean and keeping them (relatively) happy.

1. Prep.  Before carousing the pups into the bathroom, I gather their brushes, combs, nail clippers, pitcher (for pouring water to rinse), towels, and treats.
2. Close the door.  It sounds obvious, but let’s just say I’ve seen people forget this one!
3. Use the shower.  With my two small dogs, the shower allows me to easily work with both of them without filling the bath.  I start by getting them into the bath, running the shower to get them wet, and switch between them to shampoo and condition.
4. Towel dry.  Dogs love to shake out excess water, but unless you want all of that splashing all over your bathroom, get to them with a towel first!
5. Give them treats!  After each major step (1. washing in the tub, 2. drying, 3.  brushing/nail clipping), be sure to give your little buddy a treat.  Bath time can be stressful for the both of you, so a little treat reminds them that this isn’t torture and you still love them!
6. Make use of the hair dryer.  For my shih tzu, Izzy, I make sure to dry her hair-like fur thoroughly.  This not only seems to help her flea problem, but it makes her fur super soft and fluffy.  For Peter, our pug, it helps pull up extra hairs, keeping him from shedding all over the house.
7. Remember to brush.  Just like with people hair, doggy hair needs brushed, too!  I usually make this the last step, as it is relaxing for both the dog and myself.  To keep your dog looking and smelling good, make sure to brush them at least twice a week.

If your dogs are anything like mine, they’ll be a little mad at you until dinner time – but don’t worry, they’ll be snuggling up with you soon enough!