
All Water Is Not Created Equally
Hi there! My name is Blair and I’m the owner of Dirty Dog, a chain of self-serve dog washes/grooming shops in Austin, Texas. I’m excited to be a part of this awesome group of bloggers here at Pet Health Central!
Since yesterday was World Water Day, I thought I’d share a bit about water and it’s importance in the grooming process.
Austin is a city filled with and surrounded by lakes, creeks, swimming holes and there are a TON of swimming pools. We hear all the time, “I don’t wash my dog that often because he swims so much.” Well, I understand that thinking, however, that’s like saying you don’t shower because you swim so much—just doesn’t really make sense. While swimming is a great exercise for both dogs and humans alike, there are a few things to consider.
If your pup is swimming in the local lakes, ponds or creeks there can be algae that can be harmful and even dangerous to your pet. Blue-green algae can even be deadly. Likewise, the chlorine in a typical pool can also be harsh for your pup and be very drying to his skin and coat, just like in humans. The same goes for dogs that are lucky enough to swim in an ocean. In all instances, when Fido is done pretending to be Michael Phelps, take a minute to rinse them off with a hose if you don’t have time to give them a full bath.
When giving your dog a full bath, we always tell people that the rinsing portion is the most important. You want to make SURE that you’ve gotten all of the shampoo off so, again, it doesn’t dry out their skin, causing them to become itchy and could lead to more serious issues. When you think you’re done rinsing, keep going for at least a few more minutes. Your pup will thank you! For even more tips about dogs and water safety, click here.
Tags: dog, healthcare, petcare
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Great advise Blair! I know my Elkhounds take quite a bit to get rinsed. I”m sure that bathing too often could also cause problems.
All Water Is Not Created Equally | Pet Health Central Blog http://t.co/ZoVXUjws
can you explain more about the blue/green algae and it””s effects please.
Hey Joshua~ Depending on where you live, you”ll sometimes hear about “algae blooms” that will shut down the local fresh water ponds and lakes. The blue green algae can be harmful for both humans and animals alike. Since I”m not a scientist, here”s a good summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria Hope this helps!!
Hey Jill! Well, again in Austin, allergies are INTENSE, so a lot of people are advised by their vets to give a bath once a week to keep the allergens off the skin. However, if you are going to bathe your pup that frequently, you want to make sure to use a shampoo that doesn”t have a detergent in it or one that is meant to add moisture or for sensitive skin, such as an oatmeal shampoo. Again, just make sure to rinse completely!
Sergeant”s Fur-So-Fresh oatmeal shampoo is very gentle and would be great in a situation like this. You can find where to buy it using the Where to Buy tool on the Sergeant”s website, http://www.sergeants.com. just check under Products/Dogs.
Are you saying that since I”ve only rinsed off at public swimming pools or in ponds for the past four years, I””ve done something wrong? Is that why no one sits next to me, even on crowded Southwest flights? And I thought I was just lucky! Just kidding, of course! While my incredibly lazy Dachshund, Kirby, is about as far from Michael Phelps as a living creature can get, I will definitely take that rinsing tip to heart! Great post, Blair! Glad to have you on the team!
Thanks for the info Blair!!!
Hey Joshua~ Depending on where you live, you”ll sometimes hear about “algae blooms” that will shut down the local fresh water ponds and lakes. The blue green algae can be harmful for both humans and animals alike. Since I”m not a scientist, here”s a good summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria Hope this helps!!
I love this post, Blair! Great info!
Interesting reading
always rinse off your dog, and dry with low setting on dryer so hotspots wont annoy your sweetie