Tips For Winter Dog Washing

Washing your dog in winter. When the temperature drops, our motivation for washing our pooch does too. We know we’re inevitably going to get wet and cold. Also, I feel bad for my dog, he shivers and just generally hates being wet (unless we’re talking about jumping in a puddle, he loves being that kind of wet lol). But no one likes a stinky dog so here are some of my tried-and-true tips for winter dog washing with minimal discomfort for everyone.

• First of all don’t use dry or waterless shampoo – This is all chemicals. Something I would never put on my skin, why would I put it on my dogs. The chemicals used are very dehydrating on their skin as well as leaving build up on skin and fur. It can also be potentially harmful when dog licks itself. Just don’t.

• If you usually wash your dog outside with the hose, bring them into the shower or laundry tub. Warm water is a must. If you’re worried about them making a mess, just make sure the bathroom door is closed. I usually try to time dog baths with when I have a few towels that need washing. I grab the dirty towels and throw them around the bathroom floor to quell the mess from the incoming zoomies my dog does the second he gets out of the shower. My pup will do a few laps of my bathroom then roll himself around on the towels on the floor. By the time I’ve gotten out of the shower, he’s already started the drying process.

• Turn the heater on. Make sure your house is nice and warm before you start washing.

• If you’re lucky enough to have a dog that isn’t scared of loud noises, get your hair dryer out. Some things to remember when blow drying your dog’s fur: Make sure you are constantly moving the hairdryer, don’t let it sit on any place for longer than a second or two. Also make sure you’ve got it set to the coolest temperature setting.

• If your pup isn’t too dirty, I present to you the Dry bath. Lately I’ve been using a dog chamois to get my boy clean and I’m loving it. (Keep an eye out in our online store for a new product coming soon) I just wet the chamois and give him a good wipe over all his fur, around the eyes, in the ears and each of his paws. I then then give him a spritz with his favourite Hey Hudson Sensitive Cologne. Now he’s clean and smells good.