Removing Sand from Your Dog’s Coat After a Day at the Beach

Dog owners and dogs alike can agree – beach days are the best days. But what isn’t the best is dealing with all of the sand that coats our furry friends after a long day at the beach. It seems like somehow, our dogs always end up with sand everywhere, and the last thing we want to do after a day in the sun is spend hours getting all of the sand out of their coats. Here are our tips for easy sand removal for your doggo.

Prevention

As many dog owners know, the best way to keep our dogs sand-free is through preventative measures. You’re always going to end up with sand in your dog’s fur to some capacity, but you might as well do what you can to prevent too much sand from getting into your dog’s coat. First, we recommend keeping your dog’s coat short in the summertime, both for cooling purposes and to prevent sand and dirt build-up that can worsen with longer hair. The shorter the hair, the less likely sand is to stick in it! We also recommend brushing your dog’s hair before hitting the beach. This will make it easier to run a comb through your pup’s coat after a day in the sun, surf, and sand.

Do a Final Rinse

Another helpful way to get rid of any excess sand in your dog’s fur is to do a final rinse-down before heading home. This will help shake free some of the extra sand that your dog likely has in their fur from lounging on the beach. While this means you’ll be dealing with a wet dog on the way home, it can be very helpful for reducing the sand your dog is tracking away from the beach and into your home.

Towel Dry Thoroughly

It’s much easier to brush sand out of dry fur than it is wet fur. Towel dry your dog as best you can to remove sand that may be sticking to their coat. Using a plush towel is a great way to promote quick drying and toweling your dog down will also help loosen up any extra debris that is deep in your dog’s fur. Sand can be tough to reach once it gets embedded in your dog’s fur, and towel-drying is a great way to loosen it up.

Use a Crate to Bring Your Dog Home

Crate-training your dog can come in handy on long beach days, especially if your dog is still wet and sandy on the drive back home. Placing them in the crate will allow them to shake dry within the crate instead of all over your car. Hopefully, any mess will be contained and easier for you to clean up later. Your dog may also be itchy and irritated from the sand in their fur, causing them to scratch up against surfaces in the car. This could be distracting to the driver, so we recommend placing your pup in a crate to promote safe driving.

Beach days are the best days, and hopefully the aftermath isn’t so bad, either! Do your best to take preventative steps to keep your dog’s fur clean, and follow our guidelines above to ensure your dog isn’t tracking sand all over your car and home.