How often should you wash your dog? For the majority of dog owners, determining this can get complicated. The simple truth is the frequency of bathing depends on a lot of factors.
Lifestyle, coat’s quality and length, breed and effort of the pet owner are some factors which need to be considered.
Type of Coat
How often a dog requires bathing depends a lot on the kind of coat your dog has. Well, don’t be fooled that dogs without hair don’t need so much effort. Few breeds like Chinese Crested and Xoloitzcuintli requires a lot of time and effort as they may even need weekly baths.
Some long coat breeds like the Collie and the Maltese need frequent bathing and grooming. Medium and large coat dogs can need a bath weekly or monthly depending on the consistency in grooming.
Dogs like Puli are long haired and usually don’t have the dog odor which occurs in other dogs. The frequency of baths is also lesser in their case.
Dogs with thick or even double coats like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Siberian Huskies keep warm in different seasons owing to the thickness of their coats.
It is advisable to limit their bathing frequency to maintain the natural oils in their body. Using products designed for shedding will help in this.
Health
Medicated shampoos are preferable for dogs suffering from specific health conditions. Go to your groomer or veterinarian if you see any evidence of health issues and they can refer suitable solutions.
Maintain a consistent grooming schedule to keep dogs healthy and clean. All pets require grooming from monthly ear cleaning, nail trimming, combing, conditioning and proper brushing of their coat.
Since pets and humans are in constant contact, the health of the pet owner is also a factor. If humans are susceptible to allergies, they may react to their pet’s dander. In this case, they can maintain the bathing frequency on a weekly basis.
Lifestyle
Keeping dogs clean and tidy by grooming in between bathing requires lesser effort for short-coated breeds with an active lifestyle. For short-haired dogs, you can use damp washcloths to nicely rub away dirt accumulated by visits to the park.
Regardless of the breed, dogs who play in muddy waters, oceans and outdoors require more baths as compared to the dogs who are mostly indoors.
A good thumb rule is to wash a dog, whenever you think that hugging him will make your clothes dirty!
Tips on How to Bathe A Dog
Taming dogs in the wash can be really tricky, especially if they are in the mood to play. Why not try out the most useful tips to bathe them correctly and easily? Read on and have happy bath times with your furry friend.
Use Proper Bathing Supplies
Prevent soap studs from stinging his eye by using specially formulated shampoos. They come in all natural and hypo-allergenic formulations which act to minimize skin irritations.
Take extra care not to let water go into your dog’s ears. Put cotton balls gently inside their ears to keep the water from splashing inside their ears.
Brush Before Bathing
Brushing before bathing is a simple step to get rid of all tangles and excess hair on your friend’s coat.
Many dog owners don’t do this crucial step which helps to maintain the dog’s coat and reduces tangles and hair fall.
Identify a Bathing Spot
Is your dog scared of taking a bath? Keep him calm by developing a daily routine for him.
Identify one spot for his bath and maintain it every day. Familiarity in the place will allow them to understand and associate that spot with their bath.
In apartments, a shower in the bathtub can help you bath your dog. For smaller dogs or puppies, sink is a better option.
If you have large spaces, you can even get dog bathing tubs, or use a clean area in the garden.
Arrange Supplies and Get the Dog
Once you are in the bathtub, washing your dog, it will be tough for you to step out and get the towel, shampoo and other supplies.
Arrange everything in the bathroom and then start his bath. Leaving dogs unattended in the bathtub, or outside is not advisable at all.
Maintain Water Temperature
Always try to maintain the water temperature when you bath your friend. Ensure that it shouldn’t be too hot or it can end up scalding his skin.
Lukewarm water is perfect for your dog. When in doubt, remember to keep it just right, not too cold and not too hot.
Head to Tail
Once you get the shampoo, just follow the instructions mentioned on the bottle.
You can lather the soap starting with their paws and follow up towards their body. Use circular motions to keep cleaning specific areas, and face should be the last place to clean.
Following this order will avoid soap dripping into their eyes and ears. While watering him, follow the reverse order. Wash his face first and wash down everything next.
Use the Towel
Use a towel to retain heat in the dog’s body. A Towel also helps to absorb water from their hair, thus minimizing the water spillage if they shake themselves.
You can use a blow dryer in winter in case the dog has long hair which takes more time to dry.
Make It Fun!
Make bath time fun by singing, using toys, giving him a treat and even talking to him followed by cuddles!
If he is happy, he is likely to come wagging his tail for the next bath time!