Because his breed is naturally clean, your shar-pei requires a bath only when he gets dirty or once every three months, whichever comes first. His short coat makes bath time quick and easy, although his many wrinkles make the drying part last a bit longer.
Step 1
Brush his coat before bathing to remove as much dead hair as possible. This will not only make the bath go a little quicker, but will keep all that extra hair from clogging your drain. Use a natural bristle brush or grooming mitt to go over him before the bath.
Step 2
Wet him down thoroughly before applying shampoo. Make sure to get between the various skin folds and wrinkles to saturate the hair. Keep your hands moving all over his skin as you spray him to thoroughly soak his coat.
Step 3
Apply some dog shampoo, work it into a lather and scrub him down. Get in between all his wrinkles to remove the dirt and built up skin oils from his various nooks and crannies. Use a washcloth on his face to clean him and avoid getting shampoo in his eyes.
Step 4
Rinse him thoroughly, moving your hands over his body to spread his wrinkles apart. Keep rinsing until you're sure the shampoo is gone and rinse again just to be sure. Any leftover shampoo could irritate his skin once dry.
Step 5
Dry him completely with towels or use a hair dryer on a low setting. Move every wrinkle and skin fold to thoroughly dry him. Any remaining moisture within his wrinkly skin may cause an infection, so use additional towels if necessary to ensure he is completely dry.
