Teaching your dog to walk safely off lead can be incredibly rewarding, giving them space to explore while strengthening trust and responsiveness. Done properly, it supports confidence, enrichment, and a more relaxed outdoor routine for both of you.

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Our Top 10 tips for bathing your dog

Prepare your space – Set up towels, shampoo, brushes, and non-slip mats beforehand so your dog enters a calm, organised environment, helping reduce stress and preventing last-minute scrambling that disrupts the routine.

Brush before washing – Remove knots, loose hair, and debris prior to getting your dog wet, as this prevents matting, speeds up washing, and allows shampoo to penetrate more evenly across the entire coat.

Choose the right shampoo – Use a dog-specific, mild formula suited to your dog’s skin needs, avoiding human products that can disrupt pH balance and cause irritation, dryness, or long-term dermatological problems.

Use lukewarm water – Keep the temperature comfortably warm but never hot, maintaining a soothing experience that encourages stillness and prevents discomfort, flinching, or aversion to future bath sessions.

Wet Gradually – Start from the shoulders and work backwards, avoiding the ears and face to keep your dog relaxed, ensuring water flows down the coat gently without startling them or triggering stress reactions.

Apply Shampoo Evenly – Lather slowly and massage into the coat, paying attention to the neck, underarms, tail base, and chest, ensuring an even clean that supports skin health and removes trapped oils or dirt.

Clean Sensitive Areas – Use a damp cloth or sponge to carefully clean the face, ears, and paws. Avoid pouring water directly into the ears or eyes, and gently separate folds or skin creases to remove dirt and debris. This prevents infections and discomfort.

Condition if needed – Apply a dog-safe conditioner for long-haired, dry, or older dogs. Massage gently to distribute evenly and allow a few minutes for absorption before rinsing. Conditioning maintains moisture prevents tangles, and improves coat shine.

Dry Safely– Pat your dog dry with absorbent towels, avoiding vigorous rubbing that can damage hair or irritate the skin. For dogs comfortable with blow dryers, use a low-heat setting while keeping the nozzle moving. Ensure ears, undercoat, and folds are completely dry to prevent fungal or bacterial infections.

Reward and Reassure – Throughout the process, offer treats, praise, and gentle reassurance to make the experience positive. Reinforcing calm behaviour with rewards helps reduce anxiety in future baths and strengthens the bond between you and your dog, making grooming a more enjoyable routine.

From the experts – Always use dog-specific products and lukewarm water, brush before and after the bath to maintain coat health, rinse thoroughly to prevent irritation, and reward your dog consistently to make the process stress-free. Regular inspection of skin, ears, and paws allows early detection of problems, and Max can help answer questions about products or techniques for sensitive or unusual coats.

Got questions? Max is hanging out on the right of your display - give him a shout!

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