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Jackstock, or any donkey for that matter, loves to roll.   He uses dirt like we use daily showers, as a dry shampoo that soaks up hair oils, probably helps suffocate or repel some insects and as an overall rolling back scratch and body wash. 

It's a ritual, and anyone having bathed a donkey for a parade or show has seen, as soon as turned loose they immediately head their favorite dirt hole and begins reapplying his dusty layers.   They like it so much that after rolling you won't normally see a donkey stand and shake like a horse would, they will just shake the dust out of their ears after standing .

There is, however, a difference between dusty dirty, and filthy dirty.  The donkeys shouldn't have to roll in his own feces, he shouldn't stink at all  (to my nose donkeys don't have much body odor, even hot and sweaty). His hair (if allowed to be long) should be fluffy and not caked to his body with mud or worse.   A donkey will normally keep himself clean (dirt not withstanding), and if he's forced to lay down in his own filth, that is a management problem, not the donkeys fault and should be corrected for the donkeys overall health. One of the best grooming tips is clean bedding and picking up manure daily from his stall and the donkey will normally do the rest.

Your grooming regime depends on your type of donkey, what you are doing with it and where you live and the time of year. Brushing is good to do for removing dirt if you are going to saddle up or go out in public. Or if you have a shop vac or horse groomer - you can blow the dust out of their hair.   With a little training they seem to accept the noise and air pressure just fine.  You don't have brush out a donkey to keep him always clean - dust is his middle name.  But brushing instead serves as a bonding/grooming time, a time for you to check out your donkeys hide to make sure it's intact and in good health and for you both to enjoy each others company.  Brushing serves to stimulate hair and skin and can help with air circulation, keeping skin problems at bay.   Donkey generally LOVE brushing. My favorite tool with a shaggy donkey is a dog pin brush.  With a clipped donkey, a soft body brush.  Use a soft brush for the face, there are many delicate nerves and thin skin over facial bones for anything harsher.   Pick up your donkeys feet and clean out each hoof with a hoof pick looking for rocks, sticks or other foreign objects that could get lodged and cause damage.  Also keep an eye out for white line disease, thrush, bruising or abscesses when your checking each foot.  Regular hoof trimming is essential.
 

To Clip or not to clip, that is the question:

Pros:
 

• Your donkey looks very handsome and is easy to groom

• You are ready for Public appearances with a smart looking ambassador

• His clipped short hair will not get caught in tack, like cinches, etc...

• He will stay cooler when working in the summer

• You won't be asked if your donkey needs worming, just because it doesn't shed out like a horse in the summer

• Less likely to harbor parasites or fungus with out the long hair

Cons:
 

• If the weather is cooler, blanketing will be required in the first few weeks

• Sun burn is a possibility when first shorn 

• Fly repellent should be used as biting insects will be more of an irritant..

• Having to buy clippers and getting those blades sharpened

• Training your donkey to tolerate it.  Most realize what's it's for after one or two sessions and are really happy to depart from their fuzz come summer

• One likes the fuzzy teddy bear look or has a breed that requires it.  Foals also have need of the protection of hair and shouldn't be shorn before 3 months of age normally.

For clipping, I find putting the donkey in cross ties works best.  I have a big clipmaster for the body and use a smaller A-5 (10 blade) for the head, ears and legs.  I usually start on the body, and by the time I'm done that the donkey is used to the noise and when I switch to the smaller clipper that is much quieter, they generally doesn't put up a fuss with the head, which is what I'll start on next.  Sometimes ears are sensitive.  I try not grab or hold the ears, rather I'll put a gentle finger down inside for an ear rub, this usually will put them in an ecstatic trance and I can then finish up the ear.  Legs can be tricky and ticklish sometimes.  Try to be very patient and if that fails then tie up a leg opposite to the one you want to work on.  Usually it doesn't need to be done more than once, when they figure out that clippers are not going eat their legs.

I like to clip the mane so it's about half to one inch tall all the way down the neck in a smooth straightish curve, and then cut out a bridle path about 6 to 8 inches long behind the ears.  You can chose, however, to hog or roach off the entire mane (shaved down flat).  Tail switches can be left to grow naturally long.  Some donkeys can grow tails practically to the ground. I do like to shave and smooth up the top portion of the tail though.  One can also trim the tail flat on the bottom, I think that style looks best at hock level.  Ear bobs are usually left on the mammoths to emphasize the ear length.  The mini's usually do not have the pom-pom look on the ends of their ears for the opposite reason. Fashion statements are up to the hair dresser to decide.

For an over all smooth appearance, clip against the hair grain always.  Don't clipper burn your donkey, use blade wash and a clipper coolant to keep the blades from getting hot.  It also helps to clip a clean donkey, as the dirt dulls the blades faster and is more inclined to bind up and snag the clippers, helping to create clipper tracks on the body.  Clip at least two to three weeks before a show or other function, this way the hair can grow out a little and look more natural.  Also red donkeys especially need a little time to regrow their color as the red can disappear after clipping for a short time as the vibrant color is located in the hair tips.

Use a regular horse shampoo to bathe your donkey.  Don't use dish detergent as it can cause skin irritation.  Bathe on a warm day, try to use warm water for washing and rinsing.  I like to use a bucket with the shampoo and a sponge and scrub and then rinse with the hose.  A sweat scraper can be used to get rid of excess moisture, be sure to rinse thoroughly as soup residue can irritate skin.  You could get a hose attachment so you can pull directly from your inside house faucets for warm water for rinsing.  Much nicer to the donkeys.  I usually just tie up the donkey and start washing and rinsing.  They might dance around briefly but then seem to resign themselves to the embarrassment of being washed and stand there.  Don't turn your donkey loose after a bath if you want him to remain clean.  Put a blanket on him, preferably one with some wicking action to help dry the a damp donkey.  Then tie up or put in a clean stall so Mr. Squeaky Clean cannot go visit his favorite rolling spot while your back is turned.

Hoof polish can have a drying effect to the hoof.  Try not sand or smooth the outside wall of the hoof because you are then removing what protects and retains the moisture level in the hoof.  I like to use black coloring on the dark donkeys, especially if they have dark legs.  If the hooves are light or white, and the legs are light, I like to use clear polish.  There are also polish removers available to strip the polish off when you are done.

Moving higher up, if you have a male donkey, sometimes they need to have their sheaths cleaned out as dirt, oils and sloughed skin - smegma - can build up and create problem, even painfully blocking urinary flow. This rarely happens with donkeys for whatever reason, though in horses and sometimes mules it is common enough.  It is something you should be aware of, however.  If you have need to you can use warm soapy water and an old sock on your hand or ask your veterinarian to show you how to clean him.

Take a soft damp towel to wipe eye corners and nostrils.  You can also wipe inside of ears though stuffing anything deep down inside is not recommended or necessary. (By the way, it is normal for a donkey to have black 'gooky' stuff deep inside his ears, but it shouldn't smell bad).  When your donkey is dry, (if showing, etc...) apply a coat of "Showsheen" that will add sparkle and will help repel dirt and dust (tip:  don't apply "Showsheen" under where the saddle would be setting, if riding).  Top dress your donkey with your favorite bug repellent and you are ready to show and shine..