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adivce from groomer? shampoo...washing dog...Help!!

1001 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  Love's_Sophie
Problem #1: What shampoo to use?
My dog has his temp test for AAT tomorrow so part of the test is that he has to be clean, so I need to bathe him tonight. I was going to take him to the groomer yesterday but they were going out of town so now I've got to wash him myself and I'm out of shampoo so I need to buy some more. Also, after I wash rinse and dry him, he'll smell nice and clean for 2 or 3 days and then start to get stinky again. Is there a certain kind of shampoo that I should get to help keep him smelling nice for longer? Or better yet, can anyone recommend a shampoo that they like using on their dog?

Problem #2: Washing his head.
This isn't usually a problem because I don't usually wash his head, but I have to wash his head tonight, I know I have to use tearless shampoo but I have a problem. When I put him in the tub, instead of his side facing me, which would be the ideal was to wash him, his head is always facing me and he keeps his head over the edge of the tub. If I try to push him sideways so I can wash his head, he'll just turn around in a circle and stick his head back over the tub so I can never really successfully wash his head. Any suggestions on washing his head?

Problem #3: Ears and teeth.
I have ear cleaner, the squirt kind, but instead of squirting it into his ear canal, like I'm supposed to (i think) I soak a cotton ball with the ear cleaner and wipe his ears out. Do you think that's sufficient?
With his teeth, he'll let me brush his teeth but he wants to eat the tooth brush and then since I'm right handed, it's hard for me to brush the right side of his mouth (i brush his teeth with him facing me), so usually the left side is the only side that gets a good brushing. Then during his attempts to eat the tooth brush, I sneak in some tounge brushing too. Any tips on giving him a good tooth brushing?

I want him to be nice and clean tomorrow for his test. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks!!!! :D
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Any pet shampoo made just for pets will do the job. There are many different kinds, scents, hypoallergenic, tearless, etc. Just pick the one you prefer for him. If you dry him with a blow dryer immediately, you will eliminate as much chance for him smelling again in a few days. The faster you get a dog dry, the longer the clean smell lasts. No matter how clean or fast you get him dry, chances are you will be lucky to get a week out of it, because they are dogs. :) Imagine what we would smell like after 3 days of running around outside barefooted with no showers? LOL

When washing his head, I recommend you do it first, because if you do it last, you will be rinsing all the shampoo over an already rinsed dog. Use a tearless shampoo, and scrub him up. You are just going to have to make him stand sideways in the tub for that part, even if you have to be holding/pushing his head that way for the entire face. I can't see any other way around it. Teach him to stand sideways in the tub, and when he turns, just turn him back and tell him stay..If you do that enough, he will get the drift.

I never squirt ear cleaner down the ear canal. I simply use a cotton ball, moistened well with cleaner, and wipe out what I can reach with my fingers. I just don't like the idea of squirting anything inside an ear..Talk about aggravating for the dog. A dog without ear problems needs nothing more than a wipe out. And when you are brushing his teeth, stand over top of him, and brush the other side from behind him. That way you are more comfortable using your right hand. Good luck tomorrow.
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Thanks!
Doing his head first is a good idea. He just not too fond of water much less baths, but he'll stand there and tolerate it. I guess that's better than him trying to fight to get out of the tub. 60lb wet soapy dog would be hard to catch and put back in the tub. ;)
I'm glad you do the ear thing the way I do. Now I at least know that I don't have to be squirting stuff in his ear canal. I've never tried, but I'm sure he wouldn't like it very much.
Won't the blow dryer be too hot for him? I own one but I never use it. I always let my hair air dry.

Can I wash his whole body with a tearless shampoo? (That's probably a stupid question, but just thought I'd ask!)
For his face, you could simple dampen a cloth with a bit of soap and water, and wash his face that way ;) That's how I get some of the stubborn or really skittish dogs faces clean at the shop, clean. It's less invasive, and just as effective. I just take another cloth, wetted with warm water to 'rinse' the face, afterwards.

For ears, what you are doing is fine.

To get is teeth nice and shiney, you could just give him a nice meaty bone tonight ;) works like a charm!!!
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