how to groom your dog at home with no hassle

One of the things I love doing the most is giving my dog a nice bath.

One of my dogs is a complete nightmare and to be honest, takes two of us to bath him.

This post will focus on Millie our 7 years young Springador.

Millie has a bit of a skin condition and TMI but her anal gland needs expressing often. I get asked a lot about how we groom millie. I thought I would take you through a doggy spa morning at my house.

black springador dog looking at camera with tartan cover

Enter Millie. Hello, mum, my bum is a bit smelly martin. If you have a dog Whos anal gland gets compacted now and again you will know. The all to familiar smell and dog signs. unfortunate this is where my overactive sense of smell comes in to play. You will notice your dog licking her bum more than normal and a very strong fishy smell. Now it is an action station before the dog expresses its self on your furniture. Some Dogs express this naturally others it becomes impacted.

I would always recommend getting your vet to check your dog if you expect the anal gland is impacted. Some dog groomer can do this also. We know what to look for in Millie as we have been to the vets with her. I will not go into much detail here on how I express this. Let me know if you want a guide but go to the vets and they can help you and check there are not any underlying conditions you need help with.

What you will need/checklist for the doggy spa day.

1. A dog

2. Dog shampoo and conditioner I love tropiclean

3. AquaPaw and Aquapaw slow-treater

4. peanut butter dog-friendly

5. noodle drying towel

6. pet nail grooming by Dremmel

The key to the bathing is to keep your dog as calm as possible. Some dog finds bath time the worst experience of there life's. Some love it and then there is Millie. Who I'm pretty sure quietly plans my death every time. Remember you need to keep both you and your dog safe. If you uncomfortable with lifting your dog into the bath I would recommend going to a groomer. This is defiantly not for people who suffer from bad backs as there is lots of washing and liting of your dog.

Before I get Millie. I set up the Aquapaw. This Is a brilliant bathing hose.

bath with pet hose attachment and slow feeder fitted

It comes with lots of attachments depending on your shower configuration. I use the clever attachment and screw it to the connection unit at the base of my shower. The hose attaches just like a garden hose. Simple. I love this dog grooming hose as I can use it as a massage tool and a riser. I can also use my own shower if need.

As you can see above, I set up the Aqua paw slow treat feeder with some doggy peanut butter. Please make sure that if you are using peanut butter it is one for dogs. There is a couple of peanut butter which contain chemical sweeteners that are highly toxic to dogs. My dogs also love pate as an alternative.

I check the temperature of the water and set it just right for Millie. Yes, she is a pampered princess.

collection of dog shampoos and conditioner on blue background

Next, I set out the shampoo and conditioner so it is within easy reach and make sure the tops are off.
If you haven't tried Tropiclean For your dogs where have you been? This smells amazing. I have never been this close to stealing my dog's shampoo before.

I use Tropiclean Berry clean shampoo and The Conditioner is Kiwi and cocoa butter. These both use natural mild cleansers and it is perfect for Millie as she has dry skin. This has integrated skin calming ingredients. It has no nasty chemicals so it rises out really easy. I also like the waterless shampoo deep cleaning version for cleaning on Mylo our dalmatian. Again it smells like heaven. My dogs have a bit of an over obsession with nice smells and this one tick all the boxes for them. None of these will interfere with any flea treatments the dog is receiving.

Its time to get Millie, First I lift her gently into the bath. Remember you don't want to injure yourself or your furry friend. So be careful and lift from your knees. I wet her. Making sure she is soaking wet.
Next, its time to add the shampoo and massage all over. Paying attention to legs and bum and tums. Don't forget to clean the ears. Make sure you wash your pup's feet and check-in between her pads.

This is where Millie normally has a bit of her peanut butter and forgets she is in the bath.

springador in bath with lots of soap on her

The massaging of the shampoo is one of her favourite bits. She really likes the extra pampering of the Aquapaw on her fur. Under her neck is her favourite. Once I am happy she is all soaped up. Its time to get the rinse going.

wet black dog being bathed water spraying on her

The AquaPaw makes this so easy you can have it lopped on your hand. With a simple press of the middle section, it will stop the water. I really like this handy feature.

Once I am sure the shampoo is all washes away. I massage in the conditioner this has to be left on for five minutes. This is where Mille really has fun eating her peanut butter. This is a perfect time to do a quick health check. Wash your hands and check your dog for any lumps and bumps. Check there teeth and gums look heathy. If you find anything untoward contact your vet.

Next, its rise off time and more peanut butter. It lasts forever in the slow treat.

Now its time to soak the whole bathroom with a big wet dog shake. I use the Noodle towel To dry her off. Where has this been all my life? It's like a giant oven glove but super absorbent and perfect for drying a dog. This makes quick work of drying Millie.

Next and last set its nail trimming time. Now I know what you are thinking Dremmel do nail grooming tools? Yes, they do the best nail tool I have ever used. So Normally dog Nail cutting is an experience. You know what I mean. The pup is not waiting for this done and you can not cope with a fight. Or worse those sad dog eyes.

This nail grinder is not only safe to use but it leaves nails perfect. It gradually sands the nail to a perfect length. It is a bit noisy but if you let your dog get used to it first. It will make nail trimming an easy job. It has two settings hi and lo. Hi makes the motor run faster making the nail sand quicker but it is a bit louder. Lo is the lower setting this is the one I use. It makes clipping nails so fast and simple. There is no mess as there is a little safety guard which collects all the grided nails.

This is my guide to how I keep my dogs nice and clean. I hope you have found it helpful.

Some items for this post have been gifted but as always review is my own.

MissLJBeauty