1 Brush your pet before bathing to remove tangles, dirt, debris and shedding hair.
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2 To reduce pet anxiety during bathing, place a towel on the bottom of your tub or sink to reduce the water spray, muffle the sound and to prevent your pet from slipping.
3 Pre-treat areas on your pet by applying shampoo directly onto dry fur … surfactants in shampoo bond to dirt on contact, then proceed to wet down the coat and apply all over shampoo.
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4 Pets are calmer if you start at the tail and move forward wetting down and lathering the coat.
5 Use tepid/warm water to bathe your pet—not as warm as we might like our bathwater; however, pets do not like cold water.
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6 Be sure to use a tearless shampoo on the face area to prevent eye irritation, and rinse thoroughly.
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7 Keep water out of the ears! Placing a cotton ball just under the ear flap can help keep water out of the ears, or have your pet wear a “hoodie” during bathing.
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8 Be sure to use a conditioner after shampooing even on very oily coats; it returns moisture to the skin and coat.
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9 After massaging your favorite conditioner into your pet’s coat, lock in moisture by rinsing with cool water (not cold).
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10 Be sure to rinse out shampoo and conditioner thoroughly, as they will attract dirt and can cause irritation and flaking if left in and on the coat.
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11 Blot your pet dry with a towel; this may take more than one towel.
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12 If your pet will tolerate the sound of a blow dryer, use on NO or LOW heat, moving quickly over the coat avoiding ears and face while running a brush through the fur.
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Often cats do not like being sprayed with water. Try using a waterless shampoo.
John Paul Pet provides grooming information and tips on bathingbasics.com