How to Bathe a Dog Outside

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How to Bathe a Dog Outside

Medium

20 - 60 Minutes

2 Weeks

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Introduction

Some dogs enjoy bathing outside rather than inside. Others might be too big to fit in your tub or shower inside. These large breed dogs are commonly bathed at a groomer’s or self-grooming shop. But you don’t need to pay a groomer to bathe your large breed dog, or even leave your home. You can do it in the comfort of your own backyard! With a hose or even a clean baby pool and a nice warm day, you and your dog can have fun and get clean at the same time. You can brush your dog outdoors and not worry about fur all over your house, and you can utilize the sun to help dry his fur when his bath is done.

Dog's Perspective

Your dog may be a bit worried about the cold water coming out of a hose. You can help by bathing on a warm day so his bath is refreshing instead of cold. Some dog’s don’t enjoy running water. A small baby pool may help ease those anxieties. Even your small dog can have an outdoor bath. Washing a small dog will be quick work with fast sun drying time.

The Hose Bath Method

Most Recommended

3 Votes

Slicker Brush

Shampoo

Pin Brush

Comb

Dryer

Towel

Step

Harness

Using a leash and harness, tether your dog to a tree or other sturdy structure to keep him in place as you bathe him. The hose will need to reach him for this bath.

Step

Hose

Turn the hose on with low pressure. You can also use a nozzle set to shower mode for more coverage with lower pressure. Get your entire dog wet from head to toe and tail, including underneath along his belly and the inside of his legs.

Step

Head hold

When your dog shakes, he starts with his head and the shake ripples down his entire body. While your dog is wet, if you can hold his head still and keep him from turning, you may be able to avoid that messy body shake.

Step

Shampoo

Lather shampoo all over your dog. Talk to him while you are shampooing his fur. Be sure to spend some time massaging his skin and getting deep into the fur to his skin with the shampoo. Don’t forget his belly and legs too. Be careful around his eyes.

Step

Rinse

Using the hose again, rinse your pup from his head to stomach and then to his legs and his bottom. You can move the fur around, especially if he has a thick coat, to get the soap out. Be sure to spend the time needed to rinse. Dried shampoo in your dog’s fur or on his skin could irritate and dry out his skin.

Step

Shake

Once he’s clean and rinsed, stand back and let him have a good shake. This will help get the water out of his fur and give your dog that release he needs after being drenched.

Step

Dry

In the summer, your dog can dry in the sun. But be careful he doesn’t roll, as a newly bathed dog will often do, in dry grass or dirt. You can also use a hair dryer to blow dry his fur before setting him free. Smaller dogs may be chilly once the bath is over. These dogs can be wrapped in a towel and taken inside to dry and keep warm.

The Outdoor Bath Method

Effective

1 Vote

Shampoo

Comb

Towel

Step

Supplies

Gather the supplies you will need such as shampoo, a brush, and towels. Keep everything in arm’s reach so your dog doesn’t get away from you while you are trying to clean him.

Step

Pool or tub

Find a baby pool or outdoor tub you can use to bathe your dog. Depending on your dog’s size, this can be as simple as a plastic container or larger like a clean baby pool filled with cool, refreshing water for a nice summer bath.

Step

Water fill

To heat the water a bit in the sun, you can fill the tub or pool early and let it sit in the sun to warm up.

Step

Bathe dog

Put your dog in the tub or pool for his bath. You may want to have him on a leash to keep him from running out. Or you can tether him to a tree to keep him in place.

Step

Place yourself

If you have a small dog, you might be kneeling down to best reach the dog. If your dog is larger and in a baby pool, it might be easier to stand in the pool with him.

Step

Wet dog

Using buckets or empty and clean milk jugs, wet your dog from head to toe.

Step

Wash

Shampoo your dog from head to toe as well. Pay careful attention to your dog’s eyes and avoid getting shampoo in them. Scrub well deep into his fur and to his skin. Be sure to clean his chest, belly, legs, and potty areas as well.

Step

Rinse

With the same buckets or clean jugs, rinse your dog from head to toe. Again, be careful of his eyes.

Step

Shake

All dogs like to shake when wet. Step back and let your dog shake. You may get soaked as well if your dog is a fluffy large breed, but his shake could also help get much of the water off his fur.

Step

Towel dry

If your dog is small, you can pick him up and wrap him in a towel to dry him and keep him warm. A larger dog may require more than one towel to get dry.

Caution & Considerations

Be prepared with your brush, shampoo, and any other supplies you need before you bring your dog outside.
You may need to leash and harness your dog and potentially tether him to something such as a tree so he does not run. Do not leave him unattended while tethered.
If your dog is shivering, try to wrap up the bath quickly. If you are using a baby pool, you can prep it with some warm water from inside. Though this might be easy with a small pool or large bowl for a small or tiny breed, bringing warm water outside isn’t practical for a large breed.
If your dog does not like running water, a pool bath might be better for him than a hose shower.
Know your dog’s skin and his skin or fur conditions before you bathe to ensure you have the right product.
Stock towels. While outside, you may need one for yourself while your dog shakes, which he will do more than once during his bath. Have one or two on hand to get your dog a dry as possible before letting him run after his bath.
Consider having a hair dryer handy outside to dry your dog.
To prevent him from getting dirty immediately after his bath, you may want to towel dry him, blow him dry with a hair dryer or take him inside or at least away from grass and dirt.

Conclusion

Getting your dog clean doesn't have to ruin your tub or shower inside. You don't have to let your wild dog run around inside your house rubbing against the walls and rolling all over your bed while wet. Bathe your dog outside on a nice warm day to get him clean--and keep your home clean. This does not have to be a ruff experience for either of you! Enjoy time outside with your dog.

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

Grooming Questions & Answers

Question

Kodi

German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix

2 Years

0 found helpful

Question

0 found helpful

Kodi

German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix

2 Years

Can I use irrigation or secondary water to bathe my dog outside or does it need to be house water?

3 months, 2 weeks ago

Kodi's Owner

Darlene Stott

Dog Groomer

0 Dog owners recommended

Kodi is a beautiful dog! I prefer using water that I know is bacteria free so yes, I think house water is best. If the water is not recommended for human consumption, then it may not be good to use on Kodi either. Best to be safe and take precautions against illness. You could collect rainwater to use for washing and rinsing, along with buckets of water brought from the house. Fill a baby pool and bathe Kodi in there if you don't want to bathe him inside. Hope this helps!

3 months, 2 weeks ago