How to: Spaw Day at home

As a professional groomer, I know that as much as we want to think that grooming is a spa day experience for our pups, it, in fact, can be a little stressful for most of them. Maple, my new rescue pitbull, is working on her grooming experience and the only thing she tolerates is the bath portion. I decided to make her a positive spa experience at home in the form of a soothing oatmeal, milk bath and wanted to share a few alternate ideas for y'all as well.

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1. Oatmeal Milk Bath - We love this for allergy season!

- 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats, optional to grind them down in food processor

- 1 cup milk

- high value snacks

- bathtub

- Kin Organics Oatmeal Shampoo (Fig+Cedar)

-Pro Tip: place a towel on the floor of the tub to help them with traction

Fill bath 1/4 -1/3 of the way full with lukewarm water (dogs are more sensitive to heat so err on the side of cool) and add ingredients. Stir well to encourage the oats to saturate. Gently place your dog in the tub (we used a junk slip lead to ensure she didn't oatmeal dance around the bathroom). Continue to fill the tub to desired depth. Give calming praise as you feed their favorite snacks to them or use a lick mat with peanut butter. Using your hand, gently cup water and gently pour along the length of their spine. If your dog is comfortable with touch, you can lightly massage down the sides of their spine top to bottom as well as their outer thigh and shoulder muscle areas. When the tub is drained, rinse your dog off with water and/or your favorite shampoo. For coated puppers, take time to rinse and dry them thoroughly to avoid mildew in their coat. We use Kin & Kind Shampoo: Oatmeal/ Fig & Cedar and it smells SO GOOD! Let go of expectations that you have, it could turn out to be a disaster, but it was worth the milky chance.

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2. Epsom Salt Soak - We love this for senior pups!

- 2 cups Epsom Salt

- bathtub

-high value snacks

Fill bath 1/4-1/3 of the way full with lukewarm water and stir in epsom salts. Gently place your dog in the tub and continue to fill the tub to desired depth. This was one of my favorite activities with my previous dog, Aspen, in her senior/arthritic years. I would sit in the tub with her (as pictured) but you can follow the same steps from above to ensure your pup is feeling relaxed without getting in.

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3. Hot or Cold Compress - We love this anytime!

- Rice bag compress

- Microwave or Freezer

- Lick mat with Peanut Butter or Canned Food

Create a cozy space for your dog on their bed or just with a thick blanket. For cooler months, heat rice bag compress in microwave for 1-2 minutes or as recommended on label. For warmer months, place rice bag compress in freezer for 1-2 hours. Place the compress under a towel or thin blanket and encourage your dog to settle onto the space. Set up the lick mat within reaching distance of your dog's mouth. Licking and sniffing are both naturally soothing and endorphin-releasing actions for your dog which helps to create that true spa-like experience.

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While in general, these are all safe at-home activities, we do recommend checking with your vet before trying anything new to ensure it is safe for your pet.

Was it tranquil or terrible!?

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