Dog faces. Some are smooth, some are fluffy, some are wrinkled, some are beautiful, and others are adorable. What they all have in common is they get dirty and smelly. Maybe it's from digging in the dirt, rolling in something that stinks, or having salmon for supper, but cleaning those faces can be a serious challenge.
It's not uncommon for dogs to have greasy areas under their ears; others have runny eyes that build up crusts in the eye corners. Lip folds can be problematic, with smelly, stained fur. Both pet owners and groomers want those faces clean, bright, and sweet smelling, but we must be careful because the dogs' delicate eyes are the center of all that grime.
Considering what products you choose is a good idea when working on faces. You want something that will clean the fur but is gentle to the eyes. No product is guaranteed not to irritate the eyes, but some are formulated to be less irritating than others. Even products that claim to be "tearless" can cause problems if they come in direct contact with the eye's surface and are not promptly and adequately flushed out. (On that note, if you suspect you got shampoo in the dog's eye, rinse with a sterile saline solution designed for eye care. If this is not possible, use a gentle flow of cool tap water. Most directions will say to rinse for several minutes, but this is rarely possible with dogs because they don't like it. If the dog shows signs of irritation after the bath, seek veterinary care immediately.)
Here are some good ideas for taking care of getting faces clean:
- Choose a product that claims to be tearless. Many groomers also choose one that is hypoallergenic.
- Consider using a foaming bottle to direct the product exactly where you want it to be on the face. Doing this helps direct the cleaner to the most needed spots and avoid where you don't want it. Work it through the coat with fingers or a small comb or brush. Rinse and repeat.
- Alternatively, apply the product with a small, thin washcloth (microfiber clothes work great). This works exceptionally well on breeds with facial wrinkles.
- Since mild tearless shampoos don't tend to clean as well as heavier duty shampoos, it may take multiple applications to get the fur perfectly clean.
- Check out specialty facial cleaning products. Many groomers swear they do the best job when it comes to dealing with eye "crusties," staining, and odor. Others like the idea of using a spa-type product to promote a unique service to customers.
- Rinse, rinse, and rinse again to ensure you have removed every trace of product
- Some groomers wash and rinse faces before they tackle the rest of the dog to minimize the chance of the dog shaking and splashing shampoo into their eyes.
Whether the faces you wash are squishy, pointy, fuzzy, or sleek, getting them safely clean and smelling sweet is integral to a quality grooming job.
