How to Make a Dog Smell Good After a Bath
Having a pet in the house is always a joy for owners but keeping a dog is often accompanied by some not so pleasant things. One of them is the characteristic smell emanating from our pups. Many people can tell there’s a dog living in the house barely crossing the threshold because of the odor. The sources of this smell are:
- Sebaceous glands on the skin
- Bacteria in a dog’s mouth
- Dirt that collects in the fur when your pooch walks around outside.
The obvious way to get rid of the smell is to give your pup a good bath. The problem is it doesn’t always help. So how can you make your dog smell good after a bath?
How to get rid of dog smell: washing your pet right
In order to successfully get rid of the unpleasant smell for a long time, it’s important to know how to properly wash your pet, how often it should be done and what products to use.
Bathing your furry friend is a mandatory part of its care, especially if the animal often goes outside or lives in the yard. While earlier recommendations for dog hygiene were limited to bathing once every few months, today veterinarians don’t give specific advice on how often or how to bathe your dog. The basic rule of thumb is to wash as needed, when the situation calls for it. The average frequency of water treatments for long-haired dogs is once every two weeks, and once a month for short-haired pets.
Simple rules for dog care
Washing a dog isn’t a difficult task, it only requires a water source. For backyard pups, the most convenient way to wash is with a hose. At home, you need a container of the right size (a basin for a small pooch, a bathtub for a large one). It’s important to provide psychological comfort for the pet so that the bathing process doesn’t stress him out: petting him, giving him treats, talking to him.
So, here are the basic rules of how to properly wash a dog at home.
- You need to choose a special shampoo for dogs. They are tailored to the animal’s coat structure and sebaceous glands. Special anti-smell shampoos are used to avoid the smell of dog hair.
- Before bathing a long-haired pupper, brush his coat, so that when you wash it, it won’t roll up and is easy to comb once dried out. Many owners use special conditioners and balms that help taking care of a long thick fur.
- The water pressure shouldn’t be too strong and the temperature should be about 45 degrees. The hair should be completely soaked before shampooing, and the product should be applied and rinsed off in the same manner as with human shampoos (lather, massage, rinse thoroughly).
- Towel dry your pet along the hair growth. If you blow-dry him with a hair dryer, make sure the air jet is not too hot, or it will dry the skin out.
What should you wash your pooch with if there’s no shampoo? Human shampoos (even those for babies) shouldn’t be used as they contain fragrances and perfumes that can cause allergic reactions in your pet. A good way to get rid of dirt and odor is to rinse your dog with water diluted in vinegar. Alternatively, you can use a special dog deodorant that gets rid of the smell.
