How to Keep Your Dog Clean
Unless there’s snow to play in, winter weather means it isn’t much fun being outside. But, it doesn’t matter if it’s raining, windy, cold or icy, your dog still needs to go out for walkies every day. Unfortunately, they are much more likely to come home dirty. Rain creates mud, as well as causing dirt to stick to your dog’s paws and fur. A clean dog is a happy and healthy dog, so it’s important to make sure that you spend time cleaning them up after a muddy walk. Here are our top tips for keeping your dog clean in winter.
Wipe their paws and legs at the door
You wouldn’t come inside still wearing your wellies, would you? Unless your dog is wearing booties, their paws and legs will get covered in dirt and mud and you’ll want to clean them before they come inside. You can use special wipes or a damp cloth to clean their paws and legs at the door so that they don’t bring dirt into the house. This will make your dog and your parents happy!
It is especially important to do this if it’s been icy or snowy. When the weather is like this, grown-ups put salt on the ground to help melt the ice and snow, so it is safer to move around. Unfortunately, this salt can stick to your dog’s paws and legs, and if they groom themselves, eating the salt can make them sick. Make sure you rinse and clean them carefully when they come in from walks on these days. If you need to, ask your grown up for help.
Trim your dog’s coat
You’ll need grown-up help for this one, or a professional groomer. Your dog’s coat doesn’t stop growing just because it’s winter and if the hair is long around their tummy or legs, it’s more likely to pick up dirt, mud and other mucky stuff when they are outside. Trimming the hair will help to keep your pet cleaner. It will also stop them picking up ice and snow on really cold days – something which could cause them to get too cold and develop a dangerous condition called hypothermia.
Let your dog enjoy bath time
Most dogs love playing in the water. Bathing is one of the best ways of keeping your dog clean, and you don’t have to stop bath time just because it’s winter. If you haven’t bathed your dog before, it’s easy to learn. Just use warm water and dog shampoo, being careful not to get any into their eyes or nose. Rinse the soap off and use a towel to dry your dog carefully. Never use a hairdryer. The noise might be scary, and you could accidentally burn them or yourself. There’s lots more advice about bathing your dog here.
Use doggy-friendly products
It’s nice to share, but it’s important that you don’t use your own soaps and shampoos to clean your dog. This is because some of the ingredients they can contain can make your dog’s skin sore or their fur less healthy. It is much better and safer for your furry friend if you use products that are designed especially for them. You can buy these at most pet stores or from your vet. If your dog has a medical problem that is affecting their skin or coat, your vet may need to give them special products to use which will help them to be healthy again.
If you would like to find out more about how to keep your dog clean, explore the Zara DogDog Club website today.
