How often should I wash my dog

Usually, a bath is recommended about once every 15 days. If it is a warmer season and also when your dog's body gets dirty more easily, a bath can also be given once every 7-10 days. It is important to note that dogs need to use special bathing gel for bathing, not human bathing gel or soap. At the same time, you need to pay attention to the ambient temperature when bathing, avoid bathing when the ambient temperature is too low, so as not to cause the dog to get cold and sick. Finally, bathing your dog is not recommended in certain situations, such as during vaccinations, during illness, or after long distance transportation. If you bathe your dog during vaccinations, it is easy for your dog's immune system to decline, which may lead to viral infections. If your dog develops symptoms such as coughing and sneezing as a result of bathing, you need to seek prompt medical attention.


How often should my dog be bathed


To be honest, unless your dog has an underlying skin problem, they don't really need a bath unless they have an unpleasant smell or are particularly dirty. If you think of it in terms of human bathing, this may sound a bit unbelievable.
Generally speaking, most dogs only need a bath once a month. You can also do it less often, but it's recommended that you don't do it more than once every three months. You can also give him a bath a little more frequently, but it is recommended not to do so less than once every two weeks. Bathing your dog more often than every two weeks can lead to dry and irritated skin, as well as stripping the natural oils from your dog's coat. So now you know that the frequency of dog bathing cannot be compared to that of humans.
Obviously, once every two weeks to once every three months is a wide range of baths. So we usually simplify it to, "once a month on average," which is just an approximate frequency, and you need to decide exactly how often to give your dog a bath on a case-by-case basis.
So, you may ask, how do I know exactly how often I should give him a bath?
One factor that affects the frequency of your dog's baths is his normal weekday activities. Think about it, does your dog spend a lot of time playing outside? If your dog doesn't spend a lot of time romping in the woods and bushes and rolling around on the ground, but spends most of his time indoors, then the frequency of baths should be reduced. Another thing is, does your dog shed a lot of hair? Or is it a hypoallergenic breed that doesn't shed much? Usually a brush can help pull loose hair off your dog to prevent natural shedding, but a bath can really wash away all the loose hair more thoroughly. So, if it's in the middle of shedding season, your dog may need to be bathed more frequently.

Different coats require different care

Different breeds of dogs have different coats and have different requirements for bathing.
Dogs with long coats may need to be bathed every two weeks to every 4 - 6 weeks.
Usually, with proper grooming, you can protect your dog's coat well and help keep it clean between baths. Over-bathing can leave your dog without the protection of the natural oils on his skin, which can be especially problematic for double-coated dogs. This is because these natural oils help to waterproof the dog's coat and provide better protection from the cold.
There are some dog breeds that can be very particular about their bathing requirements because of their special coats. Believe it or not, hairless dog breeds, such as the Chinese Crested and the Peruvian Hairless, require as much care as long-haired dogs. The "no weekly baths" rule doesn't apply to them. Because these breeds produce a lot of oil on their skin, they need to be bathed frequently to prevent the accumulation of oil.
Dogs with ropey coats, such as the Puri or Komondor, don't need to be bathed as much as you might think. The reason these dogs don't need regular baths is because the ropey coat repels water and it is very difficult to completely rinse out the shampoo, and completely dry the ropey coat. Maintaining the dirty braids of these breeds does take time and effort, but frequent bathing is definitely not appropriate for these breeds.

Different skin conditions require different care

If your dog has healthy skin and coat and does not have any underlying, or concurrent, allergies or skin problems, you can simply use a mild, over-the-counter pet shampoo.
If your dog has allergies or a skin condition, your veterinarian may recommend a special shampoo or even prescribe a prescription shampoo to use.
If you take your dog to a pet groomer for a professional bath, you can bring a special shampoo for your dog for the groomer to use.
Due to the difference in skin structure, human skin is far less sensitive than dog skin. So remember, don't bathe your dog with human shampoo, human shampoo may be too harsh for your dog's skin.

Bathing at home is recommended when you have a small dog

If you have a small dog at home, like a Pomeranian, a small teddy, a Bichon, etc., it is actually highly recommended that the owner bathe it at home. Why? Mainly because the hygiene of pet stores is really unpredictable. My little Teddy has been to the pet store several times to take a bath, the result is 2 times home after suffering from skin disease, suspected that the store tools are not clean, resulting in cross-infection. The money for bathing and haircutting is not much, but every time you get a skin disease in the pet store, rubbing medicine to get a long time, very tired. If your family is a puppy, easier to control, it is recommended that a month can go to the pet store bath hair clipping nail squeezing anal glands, but the daily bath can be washed at home at home.


It is not difficult to give your dog a bath at home, just remember these 5 steps: combing, rinsing, rubbing, drying, and blow drying.

Before bathing, combing the hair is easier

Combing the hair before bathing will open the knots in the dog's hair, otherwise it will be difficult to open the knots when it gets wet. Be careful when opening the knots, and use a comb to help you take your time, starting with the ends of your dog's hair, and then combing the roots afterwards! Hard knots can be very painful and your dog may refuse to let you comb the hair later. While combing, you can also check the condition of your dog's skin to see if there are any red areas or bumps, this is also a daily check.


Rinse slowly and let the dog get used to the flush

If it's your dog's first time taking a bath at home, it's recommended to use a basin filled with a little water, almost to the dog's waist, so the dog won't be afraid to stand in it. Then use a cup of water and slowly scoop up water for the dog to pour on, so that it slowly adapt. The dog's first bath, you must take your time and let it adapt to the most important. Many puppies are scared of their first bath, and later run out of sight once they hear the bath.

When rinsing the dog with water, the water pressure of the nozzle should not be too great. Then start with the paws, slowly move to the body, and then to the head. You need to pay attention to the rinsing of the head, rinse too hard, it is easy to get into the water. Owners can cover the dog's eyes with their hands or use a cup of water to scoop up the rinse to avoid irritating the dog's eyes with the incoming water.


Rubbing the dog's body wash

Choose the right body wash and we can be a little wilder with this step. Rub directly from the dog starting with the dog's back, first rubbing out the foam. Then slowly apply to the neck, followed by the shoulders, belly and finally the buttocks and tail. If your dog is sensitive, be careful when rubbing the paws belly. Finally, rub the head slowly, making sure to take your time. If you want the body wash to lather faster, you can buy a pair of ordinary sponge gloves, the bubbles are very fast.

After rubbing, rinse it off like the previous step. When rinsing, pay more attention to the underarm part of the dog, which can easily be rinsed off and the body wash left behind causing itchy skin. Remember to rinse your dog's underarms more than once.


Dry your dog with a large towel

Prepare a large towel for the dog to wrap, preferably an absorbent towel, and then press to dry the dog in a way that will absorb the water from the dog as soon as possible. The ears should be wiped several times, it is easy for water to accumulate and become inflamed. Wrap the towel to avoid the dog getting cold, and absorb most of the water, you can reduce the time of blowing, after all, some dogs really do not like to blow-dry their fur.


Be sure to blow dry your dog's coat

I see many owners blowing their dogs for the first time, the hair dryer dislikes very close. Try it yourself and see how uncomfortable it is. The blow dryer is best about 30 cm away from the dog's skin, and then it is best to adjust to a slightly hot wind gear to avoid overheating the dog does not adapt! If it's a big dog, use the water blower directly. Be sure to blow dry, or wet is easy to get skin disease. If it is to go to the pet store bath, before picking up the dog home must check whether the dog is blowing dry, the clerk may not check, the owner himself to do the most secure.