Bathtime with dogs can be fun (or a chore!) However bathrooms for dogs can be hazardous, so here are some tips from home design consultant Catherine Collins, on how to provide a safe bathroom environment for your dog…
HOW TO PROVIDE A SAFE BATHROOM ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR DOG
Having pets is like having children – you will do anything and everything to protect them, raise them right, and show them the love and affection they deserve. However, sometimes things can get complicated, and in the case of having a dog, they can get down-right messy.
For some dogs, taking a bath is an arduous experience they have to endure (but not without a fight beforehand) every couple of months depending on their breed and living conditions, and others consider it to be a fun and rewarding adventure. Here to inspire your pooch to enjoy his baths are the essential tips that will create a fun and safe bathroom environment they’ll love.
Create a puppy storage space
If you’re a true dog lover, then you have probably already found the shampoos and various knick-knacks you’re going to use to scrub your puppy clean, however, leaving them lying about in the bathroom is not a good idea.
Not only is there a chance for a family member to mistake their human shampoo with the doggie counterpart, but there is also a chance that you might reach for a harmful, human shampoo when bathing your pooch. So naturally, you want to devote one cabinet in your bathroom for storing all dog beauty essentials.
Use the right products
Speaking of pooch essentials, the shampoo you use can make all the difference in the quality of their fur coats and the way they perceive their baths, so you have to make sure you get the right one. There are two options you can try: making a homemade shampoo, and buying a trusted brand.
If choosing a brand, be sure to keep a close eye on the label. Stay clear from shampoos that have any of the following ingredients: added dyes or colourants, fragrance or perfumes, any type of paraben, mineral oils, stearalkonium chloride, and sodium laureth sulphate. Given the wide array of harmful products companies use, it might be a better idea to make an all-natural shampoo at home.
Keep stuff away from curious pooches
Dogs are curious, bless their silly hearts, and they will stop at nothing to find the source of that smell or reach something they can chew on or inspect thoroughly with their teeth. Naturally, you don’t want your curious pooch to bite through your shampoo bottle or destroy your bathroom equipment, so make sure all of the cabinets and drawers have locks on them so that the puppy doesn’t make a mess.
Find the “pawfect” bathtub
When planning to bathe your dog inside the house, finding the perfect dog-friendly bath is of utmost importance. Not only does the dog need ample space to move and possibly even play, but the bath should also be tall enough to keep the water from spilling over too much.
When researching bathtubs that are friendly enough for your dog, be sure to find one with smooth and taller edges, boasting ample space. And remember that a shower curtain around the bathtub can save you a lot of cleaning trouble, so make sure you mount one before the pooch starts splashing around like crazy.
Create yummy memories
It’s important that your dog associates the bathroom and the entire bathing ritual with fun and rewarding memories. And what better way to instil loving memories in a dog than giving them a treat? Keeping a bag of treats in a (locked) cabinet for such occasions is more important than you might think.
Your dog will associate the treat with the room where it was given, so you don’t want to finish the bath, and then give them the treat in the backyard. Instead, keep the treats close at hand in order to reward them promptly for being a good boy or girl.
Having a dog is one of life’s greatest blessings; in fact, having any type of pet is a blessing. Sometimes though, you need some shrewd planning and preparation in order to make certain challenges easier for your pooch, until they go outside immediately afterwards and roll themselves right into the dirt. Outfitting your bathroom will help you accomplish this in no time.
About the author
Catherine Collins is a home design consultant from Melbourne, who writes articles on various home improvement topics and is a regular contributor on SmoothDecorator blog.
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