1 Brush your pet before bathing to remove tangles, dirt, debris and shedding hair.
2 To reduce pet anxiety during bathing, place a towel on the bottom of your tub or sink to reduce the water spray, muffle the sound and to prevent your pet from slipping.
3 Pre-treat areas on your pet by applying shampoo directly onto dry fur … surfactants in shampoo bond to dirt on contact, then proceed to wet down the coat and apply all over shampoo.
4 Pets are calmer if you start at the tail and move forward wetting down and lathering the coat.
5 Use tepid/warm water to bathe your pet—not as warm as we might like our bathwater; however, pets do not like cold water.
6 Be sure to use a tearless shampoo on the face area to prevent eye irritation, and rinse thoroughly.
7 Keep water out of the ears! Placing a cotton ball just under the ear flap can help keep water out of the ears, or have your pet wear a “hoodie” during bathing.
8 Be sure to use a conditioner after shampooing even on very oily coats; it returns moisture to the skin and coat.
9 After massaging your favorite conditioner into your pet’s coat, lock in moisture by rinsing with cool water (not cold).
10 Be sure to rinse out shampoo and conditioner thoroughly, as they will attract dirt and can cause irritation and flaking if left in and on the coat.
11 Blot your pet dry with a towel; this may take more than one towel.
12 If your pet will tolerate the sound of a blow dryer, use on NO or LOW heat, moving quickly over the coat avoiding ears and face while running a brush through the fur.
Often cats do not like being sprayed with water. Try using a waterless shampoo.
John Paul Pet provides grooming information and tips on bathingbasics.com
