~ The Bath & Drying ~
By: Debbie Baird, Dynasty Samoyeds
 

Ch Metak's Cloud Dancer, "Dani"
Taking a bath in the Booster Bath
Owned By: Pam and Scott Barbe, Mirage Samoyeds

First, you do not need to bathe the older Samoyed more often than approximately once every three months, due to stripping their natural oils. Exceptions are showing, puppies, etc. I personally bathe my Samoyeds in the bathtub. Some Samoyed owners will bathe their dogs outside during the warmer months on top of the grooming table.

For the bathtub I recommend that you invest in a shower massage hand held sprayer with extra long hose if possible. Also, get yourself a bath mat to prevent your dog from slipping in the tub, as the bottom is slick especially once you start using the shampoo. In addition, I recommend that you purchase one of those rubber maid type of drain covers to cover your drain and prevent the hair from clogging your drains.

What you will need for the bath is a good shampoo. Do not use human shampoo, as the pH is different for dogs. I personally use #1 All Systems, which does not contain bluing, peroxide, etc. although the shampoo itself is blue in color. Shampoos that contain bluing can easily turn your dog's coat blue. Others, and myself, have had great success using a dog shampoo such as Pure Pet and 1st In Line. I do not use flea shampoos on my dogs. For flea and tick prevention I personally use Frontline TopSpot. If you would like you can also buy yourself a rubber type of hand held scrubber to assist you with the areas that are prone to pick up more dirt such as the hocks, elbows, etc.

Prior to bathing your Samoyed you should make sure you have completely brushed or combed out your dog. You want to make sure they are free of mats, which will only get worse when wet. The hair between the pads need to be free of debris. Also, rid your dog of loose hair if blowing coat. Only brush the Samoyed tail versus combing it.

Note: Some Samoyeds have a problem with not being able to properly empty their anal sacs naturally. If you do not know how to express the anal sacs it is always a better idea to have your veterinarian do so. Plan this prior to bath time, as once the anal sacs are expressed the odor is strong. The anal sacs are your dog's scent glands. If your dog's anal sacs are full you may notice them plopping down, scooting across the floor on their rear end; they may be swollen near their anus, etc.

So, now you should be ready to bathe your dog.

RINSE your dog very well down to the skin. RINSING is the most important part of the bath. If you do not rinse well both prior and after shampooing you will not have a clean dog. Leaving shampoo in can also result in skin irritations.

Once rinsed, shampoo starting with one area at a time. Some people prefer to work from the head down and I suggest this method if your dog has fleas so the fleas will at least travel down versus up towards their eyes, etc. Others prefer to work on the feet, elbows and legs first, then from the rear forward. The latter is so that the shampoo can sit longer on those areas (feet, elbows and legs). Note: if your Samoyed's coat is of correct texture you will find that you will need to re-wet the next area you work on prior to shampooing due to the coat drying. Be careful not to get shampoo in your dog's eyes or down in their ears along with water. Some people will use cotton balls to help prevent shampoo and water from getting into their dog's ears (see the section on ears for more info). Shampoo well down to the skin. And, remember…a little diluted shampoo goes a long way. A helpful hint for shampooing your dog is after you rinse your dog add shampoo to the area(s) you will be starting with and run a little water over the shampoo prior to messaging and shampooing in.

After you have completely shampooed your dog, RINSE. RINSING will take the most time. Your dog is not rinsed well until the water runs clear. I can not emphasize the importance of rinsing well enough.

Your dog should be clean now. Run your hands over the entire dog to release as much water as possible. You may want to use this time to use your "shake" command and let your dog shake off in the tub. Towel dry your dog making sure you also towel dry the inside of the ears. Do not stick your finger or towel dry deep down into the ear canal. Just dry the inside base of the ears. Some people will take this time to use some ear flushing and/or drying solutions. Check with your veterinarian.

Now you are ready to blow dry your Samoyed. There are many good dog dryers on the market and they are worth the investment in getting one. I personally have the Double K Challengair 2000 A.D. XL two-speed dryer. It cost around one hundred dollars when I purchased it. I highly recommend that you get at least a two-speed (high/low) dryer. The dryers will save not only your back, but also time, prevent matting, curling/waving, etc. of the coat. Dry your dog as thoroughly as you can. Be especially careful not to hold the dryer head too close to the skin, in the ears, etc. I usually work on one area at a time using a short motion back and forth with the dryer head. Some dogs hate the area around their ears from being blow dried, so we will allow that section to air dry. Do not comb or brush your dog when their coat is still wet.

At this point I will usually cut the toenails, as they are still soft from the bath and less likely to split. Some people prefer to cut the nails with dog toenail clippers, some will use the clippers then the grinder and yet others only use the grinder. (Note: If you use a grinder be very careful not to catch the hair in the grinder. To prevent this you can stick the toenail through some old pantyhose prior to grinding. Also, trim the hair in between and on the bottom of the pads along with trimming the rear hocks (see the section on trimming hocks for more info). We will usually take a break at this point prior to line combing the dog.