The rainy weather at this time of year means lots of wet and muddy dog walks and the inevitable big clean up when you reach home. Here are our top tips to help keep your dog healthy through the wet season.
CLEANING UP
TOWEL DRY
The first step to drying your dog after a wet walk is towel drying. Wrap your dog as much as possible in towel big enough to cover them to get as much moisture out if the coat as you can. Avoid rubbing dogs with long hair as this can make tangles worse. Instead start from the head, moving along the body towards the tail and gently squeeze out as much water as possible from the coat. Don’t forget the legs and paws too. Keep a stash of clean towels (As you’ll likely need more than one!) to dry off the worst of the wet in the car or by the door at home so you can remove most of the mess before you head indoors to clean up. Avoid leaving your very wet dog to air dry as a damp coat can encourage fungal growth to develop and increases the chance of coat becoming matted.
CLEANSE
Use a mild dog shampoo to wash off muddy paws and gently cleans the dirt from the coat. A naturally formulated special dog shampoo is best to gently cleans the hair without stripping the coat of the skin’s natural oils. We love the organic range from Wildwash. Their super sensitive formula is ideal whether used daily to wash off muddy legs and belly or for full bathing. Suitable for dogs with very sensitive skin with no harsh chemicals or cleaning agents, just natural skin friendly ingredients that is quick rinsing and won’t cause irritation.
Some dogs just can’t get enough of large muddy puddles or a dip in a lake. For these outdoor adventurers, the Wildwash stinky dog shampoo will help to keep your dog and your home smelling lovely! Don’t forgot to dry your dog afterwards again with a fresh clean towel. Some dogs will love a quick blast from a cool hairdryer to give extra boost to reducing drying time. If your dog is happy with a hairdryer, use it on the lowest setting only (never use heat) and continue to keep the drier moving along the body. Avoid pointing it at sensitive areas such as your dog’s face or ears.
PAWS
Check for stones and grit in between the toes and trim long hair between the pads to allow them to dry faster. The areas between the toes and pads are a great place for bacteria and fungi to grow so pay close attention to getting the paws dry and check the condition of the pads. Our Showmate II cordless dog trimmer is the perfect compact trimmer for carefully removing hair from between the delicate toes. Keep nails in check too with regular nail clipping.
The Showmate II cordless dog trimmer - @Lauren Emily Dog Grooming
EARS
The ears are another area to pay special attention to as they can become a breeding ground for yeast or bacterial infections. Ears that fold over may be less able to allow air flow to keep the inside dry. Clean and dry the inside of the ear gently with cotton wool and a specialist ear cleaning solution for dogs. Regular ear cleaning and removal of hair inside the ears can increase air flow and keep these sensitive areas healthy.
WARMING UP
After a wash down and through towel dry to remove as much water as possible, provide your dog with a warm, clean place to fully dry off. Keep them in a warm room indoors. They’ll likely be ready to curl up in a cosy bed after a busy time exploring. Make sure dog beds are cleaned weekly during the wet months as they will harbour the same fungal and bacterial allergens as damp fur. Drying your dog as quickly as possible will help to keep your home environment clean and mildew free too.
BRUSH BRUSH AND MORE BRUSHING
Wet fur can make tangles more likely to form. As soon as your pet is nearly dry, brush the coat through to avoid tangles turning into problematic matts. Daily brushing with a slicker brush and comb will also help to remove loose hair from the coat and keep on top of knots developing. Coat rakes are great tools for removing the naturally shedding undercoat when the seasons change. Once the coat is fully combed through, a conditioning spray can then be used to further prevent tangles. However avoid using these if you are due to clip your dog as they can form a film on the hair which can dull your clipper blades.
KEEPING THEM DRY
A WINTER TRIM
Dogs with long feathering to the legs, fluffy neck and long underbelly hair may benefit from these areas being trimmed at this time of year. Skip tooth clipper blades are ideal for thinning out these areas by removing some the of the bulk of the hair but retaining a natural look to the coat. Thinning scissors are also a great scissor to have in your grooming kit. They are ideal for thinning out the hair on the legs and skirts for breeds such as spaniels and setters to allow for better airflow and faster drying time, but without full removal.
The cordless MD Roamer dog clipper by @Lauren Emily Dog Grooming
FULL CLIP
Fed up with constantly trying to dry your dog? The longer the coat, the longer they take to dry so an all over maintenance clip makes cleaning up and drying your dog so much easier. Smaller long-haired breeds such as poodle crosses, shih tzu’s and lhasa apso’s with little legs are obviously closer to the ground where the mud and wet are more likely to splash upwards covering the legs and underbelly. A short body clip will facilitate the regular clean up. For very active pet dogs that are not used for showing purposes, an all over maintenance clip can be a great help to allow for easier all-round grooming and faster drying. Take a look at our grooming by breed clipping sets to find mains powered or cordless clipper sets that are specially tailored to your dog’s breed and coat type. With so many clippers and clipper blades to choose from, our grooming sets take the guess work out of finding the best combination to suit your dog.
COATS FOR DOGS
For clipped dogs and unclipped dogs, you can keep the worst of the wet and mud off the body with a specialist dog coat. An unpadded, breathable material will ensure your dog doesn’t get overly warm whilst keeping the majority of their body under cover, meaning there is less to clean up and dry when you get home.
