How to Bathe Sensitive Dogs

Bathing a Dog: Not Always a Walk in the Park

Bathing your dog can be a difficult task, depending on the temperament of the animal. Some dogs are fearful of water. Some dogs hate the pressure of hose water on their skin. Others get over-stimulated by the sudden abundance of petting and other physical contact that occurs while bathing a dog.  But in my experience most dogs are patient, perfect, polite— and maybe even grateful for the extra bit of attention.

Generally, longer haired dogs are better at being bathed.  If properly cared for, a long or curly-haired dog will have been seeing a professional dog groomer at least twice a year from an early age, or at least used to standing still while their owners work through their fur with a pair of scissors or clippers. In my experience bathing dogs in my boarding kennel near Medford, Oregon, the dogs with shorter hair are almost always the ones most afraid of the water. But that doesn’t mean I have to traumatize them just to ensure that they are fresh, clean, and happy when they are returned to their loving owners. There is another way.

How to Tell if a Dog is Sensitive to Bathing

When bathing a new-to-me dog for the first time, I always opt to start with the hose first.  My boarding kennel’s bathing station allows me to use carefully-regulated warm water through a gentle spray nozzle in a heated room indoors. This helps to ensure that the dog is as comfortable as possible.  I do not recommend using cold water to bathe a dog—especially smaller or sensitive dogs—but be careful that the water isn’t too hot, either! If the water feels hot against your skin, it’s too hot for your dog. I start with the hose because it’s more efficient than the alternative, but if they show me any apprehension at all—even when using the hose on its lowest setting—I immediately discontinue use of the hose to prevent from causing the animal any undue stress. Start slow! Watch your dog’s body language. Learn how your dog communicates discomfort, fear, apprehension and other emotions that indicate they may be sensitive to the bathing experience. A bad experience during a dog bath can have a lasting effect on their willingness to be bathed again in the future.

Bathing a Fearful or Sensitive Dog

When bathing a dog that’s new to me, I start with the hose in my bathing station. For dogs I already know to be shy or sensitive?  I don’t even try.

For dogs who are sensitive, fearful, or shy, I fill a bucket with warm water and then fill an empty shampoo bottle with half water and half shampoo.  The warm water is more comforting for dogs, while cold water can shock or frighten them. The shampoo and water mixture will help ensure that you don’t miss any spots, even on someone who is a little squirmy. Don’t use cold water!

Start by gently pouring the warm water over the dogs back, starting at the base of the tail and moving toward the head.  Many dogs that are sensitive to bathing may be shocked to have water applied near their head so suddenly, and starting near the head may spoil your attempt at a stress-free bathing experience.  Don’t focus on getting the belly wet with this technique, as it is most often an exercise in futility. Continue to apply the warm water to your pup until you have wetted them down as much as possible.

Shampooing a Sensitive Dog

Once the dog is thoroughly wet you can begin with the shampoo bottle.  The mixture of shampoo and water spreads and soaks into the fur nicely, and you can get the belly and legs wet and soapy easily with this technique.  Dogs generally love this part because there is less water and more pets. BONUS: keeping your hands on your dog through this process generally keeps the dog from shaking itself dry, helping to keep you and the area around you dry.

When shampooing nervous, shy, sensitive or fearful dogs I always avoid their faces.  If a dog has a mustache or a beard I will comb it out with a comb that has been wetted with my shampoo water, but that’s about as much as I am willing to do on a shy or nervous animal.  I also do not give any focus to the paws.  Dogs generally don’t wear shoes anyway, and the paws are also one of the number one no go zones on any nervous animal.

Rinsing Shampoo from a Sensitive or Fearful Dog

Once fully shampooed, we rinse!  Repeat the process of getting them wet using your bucket of warm water. While you rinse the shampoo out of the dog’s fur you can flatten your hand and pet the dog, using your hand as a squeegee help to get all of the soap out. If you’re gentle and careful up to this point, most dogs that are sensitive to bathing will have forgotten about their fear of baths and simply be happy to be getting so much attention.

Finishing Up Your Dog’s Bath

Once rinsed, long-haired dogs should be brushed to prevent tangles and to help remove excess moisture from their skin. Short-haired dogs should be given a quick towel dry.  Be sure to get your dog as dry as possible while being as gentle as possible, especially if they will be going outside into cold weather anytime soon. Now you have a clean, happy, un-traumatized dog who is feeling very loved from all the extra attention.  

Buddy the Shy Beagle

I want to share with you the experience I had bathing a long-time client that was so shy and sensitive that they had never even given me the opportunity to touch them.  Not for a lack of trying, but Buddy the Beagle was a shy boy.  Not aggressive—he never growled or showed me his teeth, but he never came to me for affection despite all the treats in the world.  While in my care he always ate, was clean and healthy, and he never stayed more than a few days at a time, so I didn’t dwell on my inability to pet or bathe him.  That is, not until it was time to give this shy dog a bath.

I carefully went through the process I described above with Buddy, and my whole heart melted.  He licked my face and let me love on him throughout the entirety of the bath, and even though I came out of the experience soaked to the bone, my heart was full and I knew I was doing the right work for me.

All dogs are different, and all dogs deserve love.  Occasionally, that love takes the form of bath time, and with this process I am sure you can turn a stressful situation into a bonding experience.

AGAIN: Please observe warning body language in all dogs while following this process.  Safety first!