Should You Bathe Your Dog Before or After Grooming?
Bathe Your Dog Before or After Grooming?
Do you need to bathe your dog soon? Then, you might wonder if there is any point in trying to groom him before. After all, the bath itself may even take care of a lot of the things the grooming process does, so you and your pup might be done with everything a lot faster. But, it’s better if you groom your dog before bathtime, especially if they are really anxious while in the bath or if they have long hair.
What Grooming Is for
The pet grooming process aims to remove excess dirt, debris, and head hair from your dog’s coat. But hold on, isn’t that what the bath does too?
Not exactly. Grooming the dog before bath time and while their fur is completely dry helps you safely remove that debris without the process hurting your pup. If you’ve ever tried to brush through wet and tangled hair, you know it’s not the most fun experience to have.
Additionally, preparing their fur for the bath gives you control over the shampooing process. You can make sure the soap doesn’t get into the eyes, and can easily cover the entire coat and give it a good wash.
The grooming process isn’t just about removing debris from their fur. If you also need to trim it or give your dog’s nails a trim, you can have an easier time getting them to sit still before the bath. Afterward, they could be too agitated and impatient to go through these steps.
How to Groom the Pup Before the Bath
Some dogs absolutely love having their fur brushed, and even the bathing process, while others don’t. You know best what your , so try to organize this process around them.
For instance, if the dog gets very agitated while you detangle their fur, then it’s best not to move to the bathing process immediately. Give them a bit of a break to relax first, and then proceed to the washing.
For the grooming part, there are a few things you’ll need to do:
- Prep the fur – if your dog’s fur is prone to tangling, then you should invest in a fur detangling solution to get it ready before the comb goes in. this will make things a lot easier both for you and the dog;
- Part the hair – have a ‘strategy’ when you go in to detangle, to make sure you don’t miss any knots. Work in sections to make sure you remove everything from the coat before the bath;
- Use your fingers – sometimes, a brush won’t help. Don’t be afraid to use your hands or a de-matting tool if you need to.
Grand Rapids Dog Grooming!
Paws & Unwind is a Grand Rapids pet resort that can take care of all your dog’s grooming needs, and more! If you need a professional dog groomer or are looking for other services like dog daycare or dog boarding, contact us here, or call us at (616) 930-4300.
