Short answer: Brush your dog first, use warm but not hot water, wet him all the way down to the skin, wash with a dog shampoo from the neck back to the tail, then rinse until the water runs clear. Clean his face last with a damp cloth, and get a towel over him before he shakes. The step most people rush is the rinse: shampoo left in the coat is a common reason dogs itch after bath day.
Bathing a dog at home isn't hard. What makes it hard is a dog who slides around the tub, a shampoo bottle you can't reach and nobody to hold him. Get the setup right and the bath itself takes care of itself. Here's the full routine, plus what to change if you're doing it alone or your dog hates water.
What do you need to bathe a dog at home?
- Dog shampoo. Not shampoo for people, which doesn't have the right pH for dog skin.
- A brush for before the bath, and ideally a rubber one you can use in the water.
- Non-slip footing: a rubber mat or a grooming stand.
- A shower head or hose attachment, so you can rinse close to the skin.
- Two towels, or one that really absorbs.
- Cotton balls to keep water out of his ears.
- Treats, for before, during and after.
How do you bathe a dog, step by step?
- Brush him thoroughly first. The AKC recommends brushing before the bath to remove loose hair, dirt and tangles. Wet mats only get tighter.
- Get everything within reach before he's in the tub. Once he's wet, you won't want to let go.
- Put cotton balls in his ears to keep water out.
- Check the water temperature. Warm, but not hot, like you'd use for a baby.
- Wet him down to the skin. Start at the shoulders and work back. Thick coats can take longer than you think to soak through.
- Shampoo from the neck to the tail. Work it in with your fingers or a rubber brush, and don't skip the belly, under the tail, the legs and the paws. On long coats, lather in the direction the hair grows to avoid tangles.
- Rinse, then rinse again. Keep going until the water runs clear and the coat no longer feels slippery.
- Clean his face with a damp cloth. Keep shampoo and spray away from his eyes.
- Towel him right away, before the big shake.
How do you bathe a dog by yourself?
On your own, the real problem is hands. One hand holds the dog. The other holds the shower head. Nobody is left to grab the shampoo, and the moment you let go, he's halfway out of the tub. Three changes fix most of it:
- Give him something to stand on. A dog sliding on a wet tub braces and fights. On the Groomy grooming stand, his legs drop through openings and his weight rests across his chest and belly on a mesh panel. Nothing goes around his neck, and his feet aren't sliding, so you get both hands back. It sits across the tub rim, in the shower or outside. To be clear: it holds dogs up to 44 lb (20 kg). For a bigger dog, use a non-slip mat in a walk-in shower or ask for a second pair of hands.
- Put the shampoo in the water. With the Shower Gun, you fill the soap tank once and shampoo comes out mixed with the spray, so there's no bottle to grab with wet hands. It screws onto standard shower hoses and garden hoses.
- Strap the brush to your hand. A rubber grooming brush with a hand strap stays on even when everything is soapy.
What are the most common bath day problems?
| Problem | Why it happens | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| He tries to climb out | Slippery surface, nothing to stand on | Non-slip mat or a grooming stand |
| The shampoo sits on top of the coat | Fingers don't reach the skin in a thick coat | Work it in with a rubber brush |
| Water ends up everywhere | The shake | Cover him with a towel before you let go |
| He itches after the bath | Shampoo left in the coat | Rinse until the water runs clear |
| He smells again two days later | The coat never got clean down at the skin | Soak to the skin first, then shampoo |
What if your dog hates baths?
- Keep the first baths short. Five calm minutes beat twenty stressful ones.
- Start at the paws and work up, and never spray his face.
- Use lukewarm water and keep the spray soft.
- Let him stand securely. A lot of bath fear is really slipping.
- Treat often, and end with something he loves.
How do you dry a dog after a bath?
Towel him vigorously, using more than one towel if you need to, and expect the shake. A towel with hand pockets, like the TubbyTails drying towel, stays on your hands and on the dog, so you're not chasing a flat towel around the bathroom. If you use a blow dryer, the AKC advises avoiding the hottest setting and keeping it at least a foot away from the skin. Let him finish drying in a warm room before he goes outside.
Not sure how often bath day should come around? Read how often to bathe a dog, or see the full dog grooming at home routine. Everything mentioned here is in our dog grooming supplies.
Frequently asked questions
What water temperature should I use to bathe my dog?
Warm, but not hot. Test it on the inside of your wrist: it should feel comfortably warm, like bath water for a baby.
Can I use human shampoo on my dog?
No. Shampoo for people doesn't have the right pH for dog skin and can dry it out. Use a shampoo made for dogs.
How do I keep water out of my dog's ears?
Put a cotton ball loosely into each ear before the bath, and clean his face with a damp cloth instead of spraying it. Take the cotton out afterwards.
How do I bathe a dog that hates water?
Keep baths short, use lukewarm water and a soft spray, start at the paws, and make sure he isn't slipping. Reward calm moments with treats and end on something he likes.
Should I bathe my dog in the tub or the shower?
Either works. A tub keeps the water contained; a walk-in shower is easier for big dogs. What matters most is that he has non-slip footing and you can reach him without bending over for twenty minutes.
