Dog hygiene is most pet parents’ top concern and there are a lot of questions and doubts surrounding their baths, mainly, how often to do it.
We spoke to a vet to find out how often you should bathe your pet pooch to ensure their coat stays healthy while getting rid of the dirt. And her response may come as a surprise to many.
How often should you bathe your dog?
Licensed veterinarian, Dr. Joanna Woodnutt, with over 10 years of experience recommends bathing your dog not more than once a month. It is a common practice among some pet parents to wash their dogs more frequently, especially now in Summer.
However, bathing them once a month is sufficient as overdoing it can strip away natural oils and also lead to other skin issues, says the vet.
Dr. Joanna told The Focus: “There is such a thing as too-frequent bathing, and unless your dog has a bathing routine recommended by a vet for a skin condition, I generally recommend no more than monthly.”
If you’re wondering when is the right time to bath your dog, the vet recommends doing it when their coat is getting too oily or scurfy, or because they just rolled in something disgusting.
“I bathe my dog once or twice a year, either because her coat starts to feel wrong or because she has rolled in seagull poop,” she noted.
Bathing tips to keep in mind
There are several factors you need to consider while bathing your dog depending on their breed, age, skin type, and more.
American Kennel Club offers a few common tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable bathing experience for your dog.
- Always brush your dog thoroughly before the bath to remove hair and dirt.
- Make sure the water isn’t too hot or too cold. The website recommends warm water.
- If you’re bathing your dog in a tub, fill it until their knee.
- You can protect your dog’s eyes with a few drops of mineral oil and use cotton balls to cover their ears.
- Wet the coat thoroughly before applying shampoo and work the lather in the same direction as the hair growth.
- Don’t forget the tough spots such as under the tail, between the paws, under the neck, behind the ears, and belly.
- Let your dog shake itself vigorously after the bath before you use a towel to dry it. There’s no harm in using a blow dryer, as long as you don’t use the hottest setting and keep it at least one foot away from the skin to avoid burn.
- Let your dog out in the sun until it’s completely dry.
