BATHING

You have already been cautioned about bathing the young pup. Avoid too many baths when he is grown up. There are still the same risks involved for the older puppy or dog. Bathing should be resorted to only when you cannot clean the dog by other means. But give those "other means" a fair trial before you decide to bathe the dog.

The most practical place to bathe the dog is in the bathtub. There are several good reasons for this choice: the bathtub is usually large enough for any dog, it is easily flushed and cleaned, and the bathroom floor is tiled, thus allowing for a quick mopping when water is splashed out of the tub (as it will be!). Place a rubber mat on the bottom of the tub so that the dog will not slip or fall. The dog doesn't care for the bath to begin with, and if he slips and gets upended, it will only make him more eager to jump out.

Use warm water, not hot. Test it with your elbows; if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the dog. Put in enough water to reach the dog's stomach. Next, gradually wet the dog all over, either by cupping it on him with your hands or pouring with a pot. Protect his eyes with Vaseline or eye ointment. Soap will sting his eyes and, unlike you, he can't reach for a towel. Castile or Dial soap are mild and will not harm the dog's skin or coat. Coconut-oil shampoos are also satisfactory. Work up a foamy lather all over his body, avoiding his eyes and mouth, then rinse with clean warm water. Make sure that no suds stay on him; dried suds can cause itching and possibly dandruff later on.

After you've rinsed the soap off him, lift the dog out of the tub onto some newspapers. Unless you want to be mopping the floor and bathroom fixtures, quickly envelop him in a large towel. Give him a brisk rubbing with the towel, paying attention to his chest and undercoat. If it is winter, keep him indoors for at least three or four hours. In summer, he can go outside, providing it is a clear and sunny day.

Fleas, lice and ticks

You can use the dog's bath to get rid of fleas, lice and ticks. A commercial "dip" added to the bath will control these parasites. Follow directions explicitly. Most of the commercial "dips" are standardized and contain lindane, chlordane, rotenone or pyrethrum, all of which are nontoxic when used as directed.

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