Top Tips for Washing Your Dog in Winter
Keeping your dog well-groomed and clean during the winter months can be a huge challenge, especially those with longer hair. Dogs love to roll in mud, lay in puddles and run through wet fields, which is something you should always let them do, but it’s always a little frustrating knowing you have to wash them down and clean them off after. Summer is much easier when it comes to a dirty dog, but the winter is much colder and there are more things to keep in mind when grooming or washing your dog in the cold temperatures.
Keep Wet Dogs Inside
After a long walk through wet and muddy fields, your dog will become cold and uncomfortable. It’s important to keep your dog inside once they’ve got wet, as the cold weather could result in them becoming unwell. By keeping your wet dog indoors, they can start to dry off properly, whilst keeping warm at the same time. If you keep a wet dog outdoors for too long, you could run the risk of them catching hypothermia which is very common during the winter months. If you feel your dog needs drying off quickly in order to warm them up, you can use a hairdryer on their coat, however its extremely important to keep the temperature at the lowest setting and hold the dryer far away enough to not burn them or cause any irritation.
Use Quality Products
There are lots of products available within the pet industry that are designed to help keep your dog clean and fresh, but not all of them will be right for your dog. Every dog is different and just like humans, it can be trial and error. Investing in high-quality shampoo or conditioner from trusted sites like Petwell will help to ensure you’re buying trusted products from brands that dog owners love. Animology are a very well-known dog brand that provide quality shampoo and conditioner for your pet and they focus on providing unique products for pets of different requirements such as age, sensitivity and so on.
Use Warm Water
You wouldn’t have a cold shower yourself, so you shouldn’t bathe your dog in cold water either. Use lukewarm water to wash your dog’s coat properly, with the right shampoo as this will ensure that your pet feels comfortable and regulates a warm body temperature too. If you bathe your dog in cold water, it could result in their skin becoming dry and itchy, so warm water is important for keeping them happy and healthy.
Dry Them with a Towel
Leaving a dog to completely dry naturally can also be a factor in them getting itchy, sore skin, so it’s important to dry them properly with a towel once they get wet. You can use a normal bath towel, but there are unique products available such as dog towel capes like these that are designed to cover your dog and keep them warm whilst drying them. This is important as it also prevents them from starting to smell , which wet dogs can often do.
