How to Give a Big Dog a Bath Indoors

Giving your dog a bath isn't always easy. This process can be especially difficult if you have a large dog, as bigger canines require a larger space and more constraints in order to make the bath a successful experience. When giving a large dog a bath, it's often helpful to have another individual helping you with the process. However, indoor baths for large dogs are not impossible. With the proper supplies and bathing area, and a little patience, you will be able to successfully give your large dog a bath.

Things You'll Need

  • Bath tub
  • Leash
  • Harness or collar
  • Cotton balls
  • Dog brush
  • Dog shampoo
  • Hand-held shower head
  • Towels
  • Hair dryer
  • Bucket
  • Tear-forming eye drops
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Instructions

    • 1

      Brush your dog prior to bathing. Use a grooming brush to brush his entire coat, removing loose hairs, dander and tangles in his hair. If there are large balls or knots in his hair, cut these out prior to bathing.

    • 2

      Place one cotton ball into each of your dog's ears; make sure to be very gentle with this so that you don't damage his eardrums.This will prevent your dog's ears from getting irritating water in them.

    • 3

      Put on your dog's collar or harness and hold on to his leash or attach it to a stable, unmovable object near a bath tub. This is important because it will help you restrain your large dog if he tries to run out of your bathtub and into other areas of your house while covered in soap and water.

    • 4

      Lead your dog into your bath tub. You may need to coax your dog into the tub or pick him up, with the help of another person, to put him in the tub. If he's too large to lift, put his feet in the tub one leg at a time and push him towards the tub area.

    • 5

      Run the water you are going to be using over your hand to test the temperature to make sure it's lukewarm. Water that is too warm or too cold can make the process even more stressful for dogs who don't like water. Leave the drain open when giving him a bath so there's not standing water in the tub, as this can irritate some dogs.

    • 6

      Drench your dog with water. Squirt several drops of dog shampoo along your dog's back and work the soap into his coat. Use your hands to move the soap up and down his back and along the sides of his body. Work shampoo into a lather in your hands and work the shampoo onto his legs and in areas that are hard to reach, such as his belly.

    • 7

      Continue shampooing your dog until you get to his face. Be careful while washing his head and face so that shampoo doesn't get into his eyes. If shampoo falls into his eyes, put several drops of dog-safe, tear-forming eye drops in his eyes to help remove the soap.

    • 8

      Rinse off your dog. This is easiest with a hand-held shower head, or can be done with a large cup or bucket that's filled with clean water. Make sure you rinse out all of the shampoo from his coat, as leftover shampoo can irritate his skin.

    • 9

      Remove the cotton balls from your dog's ears and begin to aggressively towel dry him. Allow him to shake excess water off his body. Gently lead your dog out of the tub and use a hair dryer on low heat to remove any excess water. Continue drying him with the hair dryer if you want your dog to be completely dry, or let him air dry once most of the excess water has been dried up.