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 by a groomer. But you don’t need to hire 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, your dog can make a splash and get clean at the same time. You can brush your dog outdoors and not worry about fur all over your house. Plus, the sun can help dry your pup's fur when their bath is over.

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 their bath is refreshing instead of cold. Some dog’s don’t enjoy running water. A small baby pool may help ease any anxiety. Even your small dog can have an outdoor bath. Washing a small dog will be quick work with fast sun drying time.

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The Hose Bath Method

Most Recommended

5 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 them in place. Ensure your dog is within reach of your hose.

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 their belly and the inside of their legs.

Step

Shampoo

Lather your dog with their doggy shampoo. Talk to them while you are shampooing their fur. Be thorough in order to reach the skin underneath their fur. Don’t forget their belly and legs too. Be careful not to get shampoo in your pup’s eyes.

Step

Rinse

Using the hose again, rinse your pup from head to stomach and then to his legs and his bottom. Move the fur around to rinse out all the shampoo. Dried shampoo in your dog’s fur or skin could irritate and dry out their skin.

Step

Shake

Once clean and rinsed, stand back and let your dog have a good shake. This will help get the water out of their fur.

Step

Dry

In the summer, your dog can dry in the sun. But be careful they don’t roll in dry grass or dirt. You can also use a hair dryer to blow dry his fur before setting them 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

2 Votes

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 them.

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 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 their bath. You may want to have them on a leash to keep them from running around. Or you can tether them to a tree to keep them 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 them.

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 deep into their fur to reach their skin. Be sure to clean their chest, belly, and legs as well.

Step

Rinse

With the same buckets or clean jugs, rinse your dog from head to toe. Again, be careful of their 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 their shake could also help get much of the water off their fur.

Step

Towel dry

If your dog is small, you can pick them up and wrap them in a towel to dry them and keep them 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 them to something such as a tree so they does not run. Do not leave them 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 them than a hose shower.
Consider any skin or coat conditions your dog has before you bathe them.
Stock towels. You'll need one towel for you and one for your dog. You're likely to get wet as your dog will shake their fur several times during their bath. Try to get your dog as dry as possible before letting them run off.
Consider having a hair dryer handy outside to dry your dog.
To prevent them from getting dirty immediately after their bath. You may want to towel dry them, blow dry them with a hair dryer, or keep them inside to dry off.

Conclusion

Getting your dog clean doesn't have to ruin your tub or shower inside. You don't have to let your hyper pup 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 them clean and keep your home clean. This does not have to be a ruff experience for either of you! Enjoy some quality 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?

4 years, 9 months ago

Kodi's Owner

Darlene Stott

Dog Trainer and 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!

4 years, 9 months ago