We take bath time in our home pretty seriously. So I wanted to share some bath time tips for your dog (and you) that have helped make bathtime enjoyable for the dogs (and easier for me).
Luna is my easiest dog to bathe but it hasn’t always been that way. She inspired all of my bath time tips for your dog! Our doggy bathing routine got kicked up a notch when the French Bulldogs came into our life. Luna and Yoda both have a variety of environmental allergies. I struggled to understand their allergies and how to help them, and regular bathing has helped them so much.
If Luna came into contact with an allergen, she would break out in hives, scratch herself to the point of injury, and there were times that her skin was so irritated that she would sit and shake. I spent a lot of time and money at the Vet trying to figure out how to help her.
I went ahead and completed her allergy testing when she turned one, our Veterinarian suggested that Luna may need 1-2 baths per week to try and cleanse her skin of any environmental allergens.
So far, I have not had to resort to medicated shampoo, and the high-quality shampoos I am using have helped so much. I am grateful that I was able to find not only amazing dog shampoos, but brands that care about the health of my dog’s fur, skin, and bath time experience.
I don’t know if I was just lucky before becoming a Frenchie mom, but my Pitbulls were always very easy to bathe. I only needed to make sure they were comfortable during their bath. As with everything involving the Frenchie’s – I had to put some thought and special care into bathing them.
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If you’ve found yourself in a situation where you need to bathe your dog frequently or need helpful bathing tips, keep reading!
- I purchased a dry erase board so I could track how often I was bathing the Frenchie Bulldogs. I also wanted to measure whether or not the frequent bathing helped to soothe their skin by consistently removing their allergens.
- The water should be lukewarm. You can test it by running the water on the back of your wrist and ensuring that the water is warm, comforting, and not too hot.
- If your dog is a little nervous, it will be okay! Work on making it a spa experience for them. I like to put the showerhead on a low setting and run the water against their chest to soothe them. You can also incorporate treats into bathtime to try and make it a more positive experience for them. I don’t use treats during bathtime now, but it was a helpful tool as I was getting the dogs used to frequent baths.
- Avoid getting water in their ears while you bathe them. French Bulldogs ears are more susceptible to ear infections and those big ears are a perfect funnel for water. After a few trips to our Vet for ear infections, I realized it was happening after baths and because I was getting water in their ears. If you do get water in their ears just use a few drops of Zymox Otic Ear Treatment after their bath. Since I’ve started using Zymox I have NEVER been back to the Vet for ear issues.
- Their wrinkles create a perfect environment for bacteria to hide, so avoiding excess moisture around their face is best. I don’t clean the Frenchie’s faces at all in the bath. I always use Bulldog appropriate wipes to keep them clean and fight bacteria. If you do wash their face in the bath, make sure to thoroughly dry their wrinkles.
Now for the fun part – let’s find the best shampoo for your dog! Dog bathing tips mean nothing without a great dog shampoo.
It’s important to use dog-specific shampoos for your pup and not human shampoos. Our skin pH is different from dogs, so using any human shampoo (even high-quality human shampoo) can throw off the pH balance of your dog’s skin.
There are SO many dog shampoo options, but we alternate between Rocco & Roxie’s Calm and Oatmeal Shampoo for Luna, Okja, and Zeke. Their shampoos are always free of the “bad stuff” like dyes, artificial colors, mineral oil, phthalates, and isopropyl alcohol.
- Rocco & Roxie Soothe Oatmeal Shampoo: This works great on Luna’s irritated skin. I alternate between this and the Calm for every other bath. This shampoo contains Olive Oil and Oat Extract to help relieve itchy skin. It also contains Shea Butter, Rosemary Extract, and Aloe Vera – all of which infuse the hair with moisture, reduces itchiness, and calms irritation.
- Rocco & Roxie Calm Shampoo: This is a perfect puppy shampoo too because it’s hypoallergenic and has a no-tear formula. It contains Rosemary Extract, Aloe Vera, and Chamomile – all of which promote healthy skin, soothe and moisturize, and improves skin texture.
Calm Sensitive Skin Shampoo
Yoda has extremely-sensitive skin when it comes to shampoo. I have tried a handful of different brands, and he almost always gets dry-itchy-hives after his bath.
I just started using Natural Dog Company’s Sensitive Skin Soothing Bar. I’ve used it on him several times and have been so impressed. We are free from itchy-hives after bathtime thanks to this product…
- Sensitive Skin Soothing Bar: This shampoo bar is suited for dogs with even the most sensitive skin. It feels incredibly silky, is free of dyes, parabens, harsh chemicals, sulfates, and detergents. The shampoo bar is made with 100% natural ingredients.
Bonus: I’ve given you some helpful bath time tips for your dog but let’s make bath time really fun…
I just discovered Fido Fizzies this year, and they are so cool! It is a small, woman-owned business that takes bath time for your dog to the next level!
These are bath bombs that are safe for your dog’s bath time routine! Fido Fizzies has a few different options, but I went with the “Stop the Itch” oatmeal bath bombs. I love that they contain all food-grade or organic ingredients. Bonus: Epsom Salts are great for soaking French Bulldog paws when they experience interdigital cysts or just irritation from allergies.
Last but not least… The Bodhi Bath Brush is a great tool to add to your collection of dog bathtime items. Not only does it gently remove excess fur, but it also helps to get your shampoo suds to your dog’s skin. The dogs feel so soft after I shampoo them with this! Another perk is that you can brush your dog with the Bodhi brush when they’re completely dry too.
I hope my dog bath time tips help you if you’re battling any skin issues with your French Bulldog or if you’re just looking for bath time tips for any dog in general.
This blog may contain affiliate links that allow me to make a very small commission if you make a purchase by clicking the links – including Amazon. This is at no additional cost to you and any money I may receive is put right back into this blog. Thank you all so much for your support! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
