Dog Washing

Starting children with the ownership of chores young is always a good idea.  Especially when the chore is as rewarding as washing the dog.  Seth is always eager to wash Mango.  Mango thinks that baths are humiliating.  However, if it means she gets to continue to sleep on the sofa she obliges.  Conveniently enough Mango fit’s perfectly in the kitchen sink.  The extendable sprayer makes rinsing easy.  When I was growing up we had an outdoor washing station complete with a hot water hook up for our large short hair collie.  If you live in a city you may want to locate your local self-wash (Wags is a great place to wash your dogs in San Francisco).   While it is easy to save time and have someone else groom the dog, Seth and I find it gratifying to wash Mango ourselves.

There are lots of special pet shampoos available.  However, we simply use the same shampoo we use for our own hair.  We usually use a lavender scented shampoo, but this time Seth wanted to use his “baby” shampoo.  I thought it was nice that Seth felt strongly about which shampoo to use.  It’s satisfying to see him asserting himself and making choices on his own.

It’s not a bad idea to wash the really dirty parts twice.  Seth felt that Mango’s tail needed a second wash.  I’m not sure how much dirtier the tail gets, but I trust his best judgment, infact I encourage it.  Chores can so often be a formulaic activity that children do because they have to.   I like to think Seth is creating his own washing ritual and embracing the intrinsic value a clean dog.

Getting a wet squirming dog from the kitchen sink to the outdoors is not the easiest task.  In the spirit of things, Seth wanted to carry Mango out.  We tried but eventually I had to manage the transition.  The best way for a dog to dry off is to shake. The after bath shake is a joyful event for everyone.   Not only was Mango free of her temporary purgatory, but Seth was elated with his accomplishment.  When it comes to dog washing I definitely suggest that you try this at home!