Giving your dog a bath is an important part of grooming – besides dental care and tear stain prevention – you will need to do it to keep its skin and coat healthy. You will be able to find various guides on how to bathe your poodle, but it might depend on whether you have a show or pet poodle. Keep in mind that you should not bathe your dog too often since skin problems might occur. You will need to bathe them often enough for their coat and skin to remain healthy. Let’s take a look at how you can bathe your poodle:
How often should you give a poodle a bath
You will need to give your furry friend a bath once every 3 weeks and there is a good reason why you need to do so. When you give it a bath, both the coat and skin go to a “reset” mode. No matter who dirty your dog was or how much they are active, as soon as you bathe them, a process begins. The skin will release natural oils and these oils will protect and moisturize their skin. But, as time passes, the oils will accumulate and the skin pores will become clogged. Hence, when you give your dog a bath every 3 weeks, it will rinse the oils away, clean dirt, and moisture the skin.
The 5 Stages of Bathing
With both show and pet poodles, there will be 5 stages of the bathing process:
-
Preparing the Coat
Just as giving your puppy a bath, it is important to prepare it for the bath as well. All of the tangles and dead hairs need to be removed by combing or brushing before the bath begins. Although poodles are a non-shedding breed, the hairs have a life cycle that consists of growth and release. Brushing will also help with releasing any dirt or debris stuck in their coat.
-
Preparing the bathroom
After you have combed your small friend, next you will need to prepare your bathroom. You will need a rubber mat, a plastic container for rinsing, a shampoo brush, a shampoo, a conditioner or creme rinse, and clean towels. Before you begin the bathing process, use cotton to plug your dog’s ears to prevent water from entering the ear canal.
-
Shampooing
Most dog owners know this, but it needs to be mentioned – never use human shampoo. It is important that you use a shampoo that is Ph balanced for dogs. When shampooing your dog it is important the fur is completely wet to the roots before you apply the shampoo. You should shampoo and rinse your dog 2 times. If you want to see the best shampoos for poodles, check this out.
-
Rinsing
When rinsing, it is important that you rinse off all traces of the shampoo. The last rinse should begin at the head (while you cover the eyes). You should use warm water and work down the neck and back, towards the tail, over the sides, under the stomach, and up and down the legs.
-
Applying conditioner or cream rinse
The conditioner will moisturize the skin and hair of your poodle, smooth the cuticle, and restore the color of its fur. Excess moisture should be squeezed from the coat and the rinse or conditioner applied by gently rubbing it into the fur with your fingers
Conclusion
If you follow these 5 stages of bathing your poodle, you will make the whole process of bathing your dog easier, less time-consuming, and less overwhelming.
