Dogs should be rubbed down every day with a brush or a rough cloth. The hair and skin are thus kept clean and sweet, the creature's comfort greatly promoted, vermin kept off, and washing rendered less frequently needful. Washing, however, cannot be altogether dispensed with; but soap should not be used, in consequence of its irritating action on the dog's skin. The best mode of washing is to rub into the hair and skin the yolks of three or four eggs, one by one, so as to make a lather with the aid of water; then, the dog being in a tub or similar vessel, pour over him sufficient lukewarm water to remove all the lather and dirt. The hair should then be thoroughly dried with a towel whilst the dog is near the fire. Little dogs may be carefully wrapped up in a blanket until they are perfectly dry. For the destruction of fleas, soap may be used in the same way instead of egg-yolks. The great objection to soap is that it combines with and removes the natural oily secretion of the skin, and thereby destroys the gloss of the hair. The water should not be used of too high a temperature, else the dog will be debilitated, and be liable to catch cold afterwards.

In some cases of disease, such as chorea, a cold bath is of great service.