How to bathe a dog in winter at home without them getting cold

Key points

• Warm up the bathroom first, use lukewarm water (about 37 °C / 99 °F, like for a baby) and avoid drafts.
• Always use dog shampoo: body wash, baby soap and dish soap dry out their skin.
• Drying is the most important part: down to the skin, in the armpits, groin, between the toes and around the ears.
• Don't take them outside until they're completely dry, ideally after a couple of hours.
• In winter, washing the paws and belly and brushing is often enough; a full bath every 4-8 weeks or when they get dirty.

You can bathe a dog in winter at home without any problem, as long as you take care of three things: a warm bathroom with no drafts, lukewarm water and, above all, drying them completely down to the skin before they go outside. The risk isn't the water; it's being left damp and cold for hours.

In winter, most dogs also need fewer baths: it's mostly their paws and belly that get dirty, and indoor heating already dries out the skin. In this guide you'll find when a bath is worth it, how to get the bathroom ready, the step-by-step process, how to dry them according to their coat type and what to do between baths so they don't smell.

Do dogs need baths in winter?

Yes, when they've rolled in something, smell bad, are covered in mud up to their back or the vet has prescribed baths for a skin problem. Otherwise, in winter most dogs are fine with a bath every 4-8 weeks, like the rest of the year, or even less.

Between baths, what keeps the coat clean is:

• Brushing, which removes dirt and dead hair and spreads the skin's natural oils. You'll find how to do it in how to brush your dog by coat type.
• Washing just the paws and belly with lukewarm water after a muddy or salty walk, and drying them well.
• A damp cloth or unscented dog wipes for small spots.
• Dry shampoo for dogs, as an occasional quick fix. Make sure it's made for dogs and brush it out well afterward, because if they lick it, they swallow it.

Bathing too often strips the oils that protect the skin and, with the heating on, encourages dandruff and itching. If their skin is already dry, see dandruff and dry skin in dogs.

Get the bathroom ready before you call your dog

• Warm up the bathroom a while beforehand: heating or a heater on and the door closed, windows shut. No drafts.
• Pick the time: in the morning or around midday, so they have hours in a warm house ahead of them. Never right before a walk, and especially not at night.
• Have everything within reach before you put them in: shampoo, a pitcher or handheld shower, towels, hair dryer, treats. A wet dog you leave alone for a moment will go running down the hallway.
• Put a non-slip mat in the tub or shower. Slipping is what scares many dogs most, and in seniors it can cause an injury.
• A hair catcher over the drain will save you a clog.
• Small dogs: a tub or the sink (thoroughly clean) is more comfortable than the bathtub. Large dogs: a walk-in shower or a bathtub with help getting them in; don't lift them on your own if they're heavy.

Shampoo and water: what to use and what not to

Use a shampoo formulated for dogs, mild and unscented if they have sensitive skin, or the one your vet has prescribed. Dog skin is thinner than ours and has a different pH; body wash, human shampoo, baby soap and dish soap dry it out. We explain it in detail in the homemade dog shampoo guide, where you'll also find the oatmeal rinse for itchy skin.

Don't add vinegar, essential oils, cologne or fabric softener either: they irritate, and whatever stays on the coat ends up in their mouth.

The water should be lukewarm: about 37 °C (99 °F). Test it with your wrist or elbow, as you would for a baby; it shouldn't feel cold or hot. Hot water dries the skin more and, when they get out of the bath, the contrast makes them colder.

Drying: what matters most in winter

A dog that isn't dried properly can spend hours with moisture trapped against the skin even if they look dry on the outside. That chills them and encourages hot spots and fungal infections, especially in dogs with dense coats.

With a towel

Press instead of rubbing, so you don't tangle the coat. Use two or three towels, switching to a dry one when the first is soaked. Microfiber towels absorb much more.

With a hair dryer

• Warm air, never hot, about 30 cm (12 in) from the skin, and keep it moving: don't hold it on one spot.
• Start with the back and sides, which they accept best, and leave the head for last, without aiming at the face or ears.
• If the noise scares them, turn it on at the lowest setting, pointed away, and give them treats while they hear it. It may take several baths.
• Never leave them alone in a crate with the dryer blowing into it: dogs have suffered heatstroke this way.

By coat type

Coat type	How to dry it
Short (Boxer, Beagle, Podenco)	A thorough towel-dry; a few minutes with the dryer if it's cold
Double coat (German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Husky)	Towel and a long time with the dryer, lifting the coat against the grain until the undercoat is dry
Long or curly (Yorkshire Terrier, Poodle, Bichon Frise)	Dryer while you brush section by section, so mats don't form

How to tell if they're dry: push your fingers down to the skin on the chest, armpits, groin, base of the tail and between the toes. If you feel coolness or damp, keep going. Dry the ears on the outside and at the opening with a gauze pad, without putting anything inside; there's more in how to clean your dog's ears.

After the bath

• Don't go outside until they're completely dry, ideally after a couple of hours. If they need to go out sooner, keep it brief and put a coat on them.
• Leave them in a warm room with their bed and a dry blanket. Many dogs roll on the rug or the couch after a bath: that's normal.
• If they scratch more than usual over the next few days, there may have been shampoo left on them: rinse longer next time.
• Use the fact that they're clean to check their skin, nails and paw pads, and to brush them.

Puppies and senior dogs

Puppies: bathe them only when needed, with puppy shampoo, in a very warm bathroom and with flawless drying, because they get cold very quickly. With very young puppies who've just come home, wiping the dirty areas with a warm damp cloth is usually enough. Use these first baths to help them associate it with treats and calm: they'll thank you for the rest of their life.

Senior dogs: more time, more patience and a non-slip floor. Help them in and out without jumping, supporting them under the chest and hindquarters. If they have arthritis, the cold after a bath leaves them stiffer: dry them completely, give them a warm bed and no long walks that day. If bathing stresses them a lot or they struggle to stay standing, a groomer experienced with older dogs can be a good option.

What you need

• Dog shampoo (or the one your vet has prescribed)
• A brush suited to their coat type
• Two or three towels, ideally microfiber
• A hair dryer with a warm (not hot) setting
• A non-slip mat
• A pitcher or handheld shower
• A hair catcher for the drain
• Small treats

Step by step

1. Warm up the bathroom

   Turn on the bathroom heating a while beforehand, close the door and window and have everything you need within reach.

2. Brush them first

   Remove dead hair and work out tangles while the coat is dry. When wet, mats tighten and become much harder to remove.

3. Check the water

   Lukewarm water, about 37 °C (99 °F): on your wrist it shouldn't feel cold or hot.

4. Wet them from back to front

   Start with the hind legs and work up toward the neck, leaving the head for last. Don't pour water directly on their face or into their ears; clean the face with a damp cloth.

5. Wash with dog shampoo

   Dilute a little shampoo in water and work it in down to the skin with a massage, without forgetting the belly, armpits, between the toes and the base of the tail.

6. Rinse thoroughly

   Rinse until the water runs clear and the coat no longer feels slippery. Leftover shampoo causes itching and dryness.

7. Towel-dry them

   Squeeze the water out with your hands and press the towel over their whole body, switching towels when one is soaked.

8. Finish with the hair dryer

   Warm air, about 30 cm (12 in) away and moving, until the coat is dry right next to the skin. Check the armpits, groin, chest and between the toes.

9. Keep them in a warm house

   No going out until they're completely dry. A treat, a bed with a dry blanket and, if they need to go out soon, a coat.

Frequently asked questions

Is it OK to bathe a dog in winter?

Yes, as long as you bathe them indoors in a warm bathroom with lukewarm water and dry them completely down to the skin before they go outside. The danger isn't the water but being left damp and cold for hours. Choose the morning or midday and avoid bathing them right before a walk.

How often should you bathe a dog in winter?

Most dogs need a bath every 4-8 weeks, or when they get dirty or smell bad, just like the rest of the year. In winter, washing the paws and belly after walks and brushing is often enough. Bathing too often dries out their skin, especially with the heating on.

How long after a bath can a dog go outside?

When they're completely dry down to the skin, ideally after a couple of hours, especially on cold or windy days. In dogs with dense coats, even if you use a hair dryer, the undercoat takes a while to dry fully. If they need to go out sooner, keep it a short walk with a coat on.

What temperature should the water be to bathe a dog?

Lukewarm, about 37 °C (99 °F), the same as for bathing a baby. Test it with your wrist or elbow: it shouldn't feel cold or hot. Hot water dries their skin and the contrast when they get out makes them colder; cold water makes it an unpleasant experience.

Can I wash my dog with human shampoo or baby soap?

It's not a good idea. Dog skin is thinner than human skin and has a different pH, and products made for people, including baby soap, can dry it out and irritate it. Use a shampoo formulated for dogs, mild and unscented if they have sensitive skin, or the one your vet prescribes.