How to Bathe a Dog Outside

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. 

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. 

• 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.