Washing your dog may be a fun experience for both you and the animal, but it’s significantly less enjoyable for your home’s drains. Your drains take the brunt of a shedding dog’s hair and dander, which can lead to significant clogging and blockage issues if you aren’t careful.
At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, our drain cleaning services are always available if you’re experiencing clogs for these or other reasons. But when it comes to bathing a dog, there are some simple steps you can take to keep the experience enjoyable while also significantly limiting the stress placed on your drains and pipes. Here are some general tips on bathing a dog without risking major drain clog concerns.
Important Supplies
Before the bath begins, it’s time to gather the supplies you’ll need. These include:
- Multiple towels
- Dog shampoo (choose a brand that’s been recommended by your veterinarian if your dog has any special needs or skin conditions, or a type made for your breed if you’re just looking for general options)
- Cotton balls (for ears)
- Brush
- *Important: A drain blocker or piece of steel wool to filter the drain
Pre-Bath Tips
You may be wondering why we included a brush among your materials, and the answer will be found before the bath even begins. During this period, whether outside or in another designated location, brush your dog down completely to remove all their loose or hanging fur or dander.
If you haven’t done this before or recently, you might be shocked at how much hair comes off. This is hair that won’t risk entering your drain or making a mess anywhere else in the home once you throw it out.
Bathing Time
Just before putting your dog in the bath, place your drain blocker or steel wool over the drain. This will stop the vast majority of hair or other clogging items from entering, while allowing water to pass through.
Once this is in place, begin by rinsing your dog off with water, then apply their shampoo all the way from the neck down to the paws and tail. Scrub them thoroughly while watching out for fleas or ticks that try to escape. Then rinse them down and remove the shampoo completely.
Cleaning and Drying
An important tip for the back section of the bath: Never let your dog out of the bathtub before you drain the water from the tub. Letting the tub drain first will make drying them without a major mess far simpler – you just place a towel down for them to stand on, plus another across their body to dry them off.
Through this entire process, continue making efforts to block hair from entering the drain area, even with drain blockers present (some small amounts of hair may sneak through these). For more on this or any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.