Dog hygiene is very important for them to maintain good health and well-being.. But they are not like us, they don't need to bathe every day. Not only do they not need it, in fact, it should not be done. Your skin is different, and bathing so often would cause skin problems that could become serious. So how do I know when I have to bathe my pet? We tell you how often a dog bathes.
How often a dog bathes
There is no universal rule that dictates how often you have to bathe dogs, but that the frequency depends on many factors. A dog's body odor varies depending on:
- Race
- Feeding
- Level of physical exercise
- Lifestyle
For these and other factors, There may be dogs that need a bath a month, and others, however, can spend 3 or more months without needing a bath.
Do you want to help your dog reduce body odor? Dogs that feed on dry feed tend to smell more than those that are fed natural foods. Check out the BARF diet!
Taking into account that you cannot know exactly how often a dog is bathed and that it depends on each individual case, we can determine, more or less, that No dog should be bathed more than once a month. Of course, if one day in particular your dog is very dirty, you can bathe it even if the month has not elapsed since the previous bath, for example, after a field trip. Another option, in that case, is to use a dry shampoo. But you shouldn't take a bath time too often just because.
Why it is bad to bathe a dog often
In addition to unnecessary, yes, it is bad. LThe dogs have on their skin a fat capita that protects them from external agents and aggressions, in addition to serving them to hydrate. If they are bathed too often, that capita may disappear and alter the skin's pH.
A dog that bathes too often can suffer from itching, peeling, skin irritation ... In addition to being deprived of its natural smell, which can bother you. We have to assume that dogs have a particular smell and you don't have to fight to eliminate it constantly.
Therefore We do not recommend bathing them more than once a month, not even weekly. If you still think you need to bathe more frequently, opt for soap-free shampoos. Did you know you can make your own homemade dog shampoo? For example, with oatmeal base.
How often you have to bathe a puppy
To the puppies you have to bathe them with the same frequency as adult dogs. However, be careful if you have a puppy under three months or if he is sick. In that case, it is better to wait and not bathe it in these circumstances, as it could catch cold and get worse. Further, never bathe a puppy before he receives his first shots: While not vaccinated, dirt from your hair is the only barrier you have against parasites.
Whenever you bathe a puppy, It is important that it be in a warm room, away from drafts. Use warm water (but don't burn it!) And dry it very well afterwards.
After the bath, whether it's a puppy or an adult, You have to brush your hair. And not only after the bath! Of course you should do it often, especially if it is a long-haired dog. Brushing your dog will remove dirt, dead cells, dead hair ... It will remain soft and precious!
Dog Bath Myths
There are many myths about bathing dogs, some more successful than others. It is said that by bathing them they lose the natural oils of their skin and damage the pH, for example. This is not entirely true, since it can only affect your health if we wash them in excess or if we never wash them. Dogs get dirty and need us to bathe them every so often precisely to maintain their health.
Nor is it true that water enters their ears and causes otitis if we bathe them carefully. This may happen, of course, but being careful we should not have problems.
Another of the most accepted myths is that if they smell like perfume the other dogs will reject it. Remember that dogs have a very powerful nose and under that smell so rich that the shampoo leaves, the others will continue to smell the dog and there will be no problem of socialization.
This means that bathing your dog is not bad for your health nor scare it away from others if you do it as often as necessary.
The bathroom is a measure of basic hygiene in the care of a dog. However, you don't have to do it very often. We explain what the ideal frequency is and how to avoid being afraid of it.
Every how much to bathe a dog It is a very common question that many owners ask themselves. The answer is simple: what>
To bathe a pet, it is essential to use special dog shampoos that do not have irritating agents in their composition and that are adapted to their skin pH, which is different from that of humans.
"The type of shampoo that we should use in our dog will vary depending on the type of hair, conditions in which it is and finish we want to give. But any of them should meet mandatory qualities on pH. This should be between 7 and 7.5. Another quality to take into account is the quality: we must use shampoos created with silicone bases that protect the hair and the cuticle, the oil bases can harm our dog's skin in the future. And, most importantly, we must properly and always condition our dog's hair, that will allow us to maintain a healthy and shiny skin and hair", recalls Miki Lluch Blanco, director of the training, cosmetics and management department of the Luzcan canine hairdressers in Tiendanimal and champion of Spain in the Dog grooming of 2016 and 2018." This balm that is applied after the rinse could resemble a mask for us, "adds Ana Anglada, veterinarian board member of the Madrid Association of Pet Veterinarians (AMVAC).
On the other hand, "there are specific shampoos for damaged skin or to avoid problems, as well as products in the form of spray whose main task is to create a calming effect, avoiding irritations or eliminating them, either by brushing with excessive friction, blades that shave excessively or by a skin problem due to illness, "says Miki Lluch.
What is the dry bath?
The dry bath is a type of wash that It can be applied in older or sick dogs or in circumstances that require speed. "Dry shampoo is a surfactant that we should only use on extreme occasions, since it does not give the same quality and efficiency as traditional shampoos. The effect is simple: we apply the foam on the hair, that foam wraps the dirt while we let dry and, once dry, we brush removing the foam together with the dirt, "explains the dog groomer.
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Can I bathe a puppy?
Yes of course. But "what>
On the other hand, the temperature of the water must be warm and the special shampoo for puppies. If we are going to bathe you at home, we can use a bowl with a towel or a mat in the glass and thus prevent it from slipping and catching fear. "Avoiding a bad experience is essential," says the veterinarian. "If the first bath is stressful, it will be an ordeal for the rest of your life. On the contrary, if the first time you are treated with love, games and making it a good experience, you will not have any adult problems. Hence, the choice of hairdressing is also an important aspect when bathing a dog, "he says.
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Long hair, short hair
The bath frequency It is very different between short-haired and long-haired dogs. The latter need more care and you have to be more aware of your image, it is normal, they have more hair where you can hide dust and dirt. So, how often do I have to bathe my dog according to the length of his hair? Here are some guide times:
- Long-haired dogs: once every four weeks.
- Medium-haired dog: once every four to six weeks.
- Shorthaired dogs: once every six to eight weeks.
Remember to wash them with dog-specific shampoos, although you can also use natural products that do not damage your skin or your hair. You can't make excuses to skip your dog's wash if you can't bathe it at home you can always take it to a dog grooming center.
Maintain hygiene
To prevent our dog from smelling bad and staying clean longer it is important to brush frequently. It is preferable brush it for a few minutes every day than once a month for an hour. Brushing it will remove dead hair and dust and keep your dog clean for longer. Although, of course, brushing does not replace the bathroom.
And what happens if you have bathed your dog and after three days it wallows in mud? You will have to bathe it again. Do not worry about having to bathe it a couple of times in a timely manner, you will not damage your skin or your fur.
If you use dry shampoo, do you save the bath with water? No way. Dry shampoo serves for very specific occasions in which we can't bathe him, for example, when our furry vomits during a car trip. The bathroom is essential to maintain your hygiene and health so alternative remedies are not worth it.
If you want to read more articles similar to How often do I have to bathe my dog?, we recommend that you enter our Basic Care section.
Tricks to avoid the fear of water
As we have mentioned, we must try to make the bath soothing so that it does not become a torture for our companion animal. With these tricks you can reduce your anguish:
- Play with him. Before introducing him to the bathtub or where you are going to bathe him, take a moment to play and make the bathroom a continuation of it.
- Kind words. While you are bathing your pet, talk to him softly>Lee: Foods that can be bad for your dog
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When to wash a dog depending on the type of hair you have
Although there are obviously many other factors that will indicate when we should bathe our dog, such as dirt or smell, at general levels we can indicate that depending on the type of hair you have it will be necessary to bathe it more or less frequently.
Dogs with long and abundant hair tend to stain much more than dogs with short and thin hair, simply because dirt sticks better and costs more to come off.
The simple dust they can catch when they are running while playing on parks and roads, is naturally eliminated much easier in dogs with little hair than in dogs with a lot of hair.
- Short-haired / not very abundant dogs: Once every two months approximately
- Dogs with long and abundant hair: Once a month
- Dogs with medium size hair: Once every month and a half
Other factors that affect bath time in dogs
Regardless of the amount of hair our dog has, we must look at his daily habits. A dog that lives in a town where it is in constant contact with other animals and dirt on the roads, will get dirty much more frequently than a city dog.
We must also assess the behavior of our dog, if it is a little suckling pig and is rubbed on the ground when it perceives a bad smell (sometimes even on poop) obviously we must bathe it more frequently.
The weather is also a key factor, since in places where it rains a lot our dog will get wet more frequently, something that will sooner or later lead to bad body odor. In these situations the dog should also be bathed more frequently.
Even food is a factor that greatly influences the grooming of our dogs, dogs fed with natural products such as BARF dog food, give off much less body odor than dogs fed commercial croquettes (feed / balanced).
When to bathe a puppy for the first time
The first thing to understand is that a puppy is an extremely sensitive animal, a simple cold can end his life. That is why it is very important not to bathe a puppy until he has on all your vaccines, that is, until he is at least three months old.
When we bathe it, we must pay attention taking care that the soap does not lick, we must also monitor the temperature of the water and dry it thoroughly when we finish. Avoiding air currents that may affect you.
Bathing a puppy for the first time is almost like a high-risk operation, where we must be very careful. Once they have completed three months, it is advisable to try to bathe them as little as possible until they have at least six months.
In this way we will reduce risks, although obviously if it gets stained a lot ... it is inevitable. Do not miss the complete information in: How to bathe a puppy.
When to bathe dogs with skin or health problems
Sick dogs require another calendar of baths, since it will be the veterinarian who tells us when we can bathe and how often. At general levels we should use a special dog shampoo, since its ph is very different from ours.
Dogs with skin problems such as mites or skin diseases should always use a special soap to treat their disease, it will be the veterinarian who supplies it.
Older puppies should have a lower bath cycle, since, like puppies, they are sensitive dogs that can catch a cold very easily. It is advisable to bathe it at home, since we can dry it well and without haste.
