Ciao chows' journal
Category: Grooming & Feeding
Bathing a Chow Chow
One of the attractions of the Chow Chow is the beauty of a healthy, thick double coat, be it rough or smooth.
From time to time it is necessary to bath the Chow Chow to keep the coat in that lovely condition. In our modern day, most Chow Chows are indoor and outdoor dogs, which means that they need to be bathed more often.
For my Chow Chows the best solution has been to dry the coat with a commercial dryer down to the skin.
Bathtime need not be dreaded - particularly when a puppy has been bathed regularly and understands the process. This does not mean they will like it. In all my years few of my dogs actually loved a bath. Most tolerated it stoically and a few objected somewhat. Part of the secret is to accustom them to bathing from a young age (do it every 4-6 weeks until they are about 8 months old). For a healthy Chow Chow skin, the following tips have proven useful.
- * If my dogs have been in saltwater at the sea, shampoo is used before drying
- * If my dogs were in mud/muddy fresh water, a very thorough rinsing is required particularly around the feet
- * A commercial dryer with heat settings works best for use in different seasons
- * Dryers and particularly blasters (very high powered dryers) are used with care around the face/ears and with puppies
May your life always include a Chow Chow with a healthy, well kept, beautiful shiny coat!
