Does Your Dog Need a Bath, But You Can't Figure Out How Often You Can Safely Bathe Your Pet?
Washing your dog and keeping his surroundings clean is an essential part of having a dog. After all, no one wants a dirty, stinky dog around, right? The dilemma is, how often is too often. In the doggy washing world, too much of a good thing, isn't a good thing and can give your dog skin problems and dry out their skin. We will discuss some factors and tips for finding the dog washing schedule the works for you and your pet.
So How Often Is Too Often?
Got An Opinion?
Most dogs love to be clean. That being said, dogs are also experts at finding dirt, digging, rolling in the mud, or finding something smelly to "perfume" themselves with. The question of how often you should bathe your dog gets an opinion out of everyone. There is the school of thought that dogs never need to be bathed. Others say that that a bath once a week is beneficial and healthy and yet others who say once a month, once a year and so on. As a general rule, however, if a dog is smelly and or if his coat is dirty, you should go ahead and give him a bath. A dirty dog will be a lonely dog and will probably spend a lot of time in his dog crate whenever anything fun is going on or you have guests over.
Livin' La Vida Doggie.
Is your dog a mud princess or a pampered prince?
If your dog doesn't get smelly or dirty all that often, however, the frequency you bathe him or her will depend largely on his lifestyle, habits, type of coat and general habitat. For instance, if you have an active dog who loves to exercise with you, swims in ponds, rolls or digs in dirt and spends a lot of time outdoors, you'll probably want to bathe him more often. On the other hand, if your dog is an indoor dog that rarely goes outdoors, you wouldn't need to bathe him nearly as often. Dog with short, smooth coats may need to be bathed less often than dogs with thick, shaggy hair. In general, it's best not to over bathe your dog as bathing them too often or unnecessarily can strip their hair/skin of its natural oils and cause your dog to suffer from hotspots or skin irritations. Of course, if you prefer washing your dog more often, go ahead, but try to use a gentle or natural dog shampoo. You can also add a cup full of apple cider vinegar to the final rinse. This protects your dog's skin, will cut soap residue and will help leave their coat shinier.
Hazards Of A Damp Dog
How To Avoid and Treat Hotspots and a Moldy Undercoat
Hot Spots: Hot spots are an eczema that occurs when a dog's hair is damp and doesn't dry properly. This can occur especially in dogs with a double coat or a thick undercoat. These hot spots are itchy and the dog will chew or scratch the "spot" which not only looks nasty, but can result in infection if not treated. Using a rinse of apple cider vinegar, or spraying your dog's hot spots with an apple cider vinegar mix, can help treat hot spot. Colloidal oatmeal shampoo also seems to relieve the itching and redness. If it doesn't itch as bad, the dog won't scratch as much and this allows the hot spots time to heal. A dog cone may be necessary if the dog keeps on chewing and doesn't allow the spots to heal. In extreme cases, besides getting hot spots, a dog who doesn't get dried properly can also develop mold on their undercoat or under their matted fur. If that happens, the best solution is to give your dog a really short hair cut or a shave. So, the bottom line is make sure your dog dries thoroughly, especially in damp, wet weather, or if you dog loves to swim and is frequently wet. If you need to wash your dog more often for any reason, use gentle shampoo that won't rob your dog's skin and hair from its natural oils. And finally, keep your dog's hair brushed out at least once or twice a week to avoid matting as matting creates places on your dog's coat or fur that can't dry properly.
A Few Pointers For Keeping The "After Bath" Look
Don't Let the Dog Go Wild After His Bath
After your dog is bathed, one tip I learned the hard way is that after towel drying your dog, put him in his dog crate or dog house immediately until he is dry. If allowed to run and shake after his bath, many will run wild, rolling around on the ground, rubbing up against furniture or anything smelly. Someday a dog shampoo may be invented that has the perfect "stink" and dogs finally feel like they smell good and will cease from this crazy behavior, but until then, I recommend, keeping your dog in his quarters until he's dry.
While You're At It...
Clean Quarters and Bedding = A Cleaner Dog
After washing your dog, another good practice is to spend a few minutes to clean out and rinse out their dog crate, crate mats and dog house and to throw any dog bedding or dog throws into the washing machine. By cleaning your dog's habitat, you will be helping your dog to stay cleaner for longer. You also extend the life of his doggie gear and dog beds by keeping them looking good, smelling nice and from allowing dirt to get ground in which can harder to remove with less frequent cleanings.
Dog Bathing Tips and Pointers
When to Bath and How Often
Everyone loves a clean dog, but over bathing can cause problems such as hotspots and skin irritations. Here are some simple tips to help you determine how often your dog needs a bath and keep their dog gear, dog crates, dog beddingand dog house clean too. - Enjoy!
