How often should I give my dog a bath? This is a question I see time and time again and it always has a bunch of different responses. How often do you give a dog a bath? Well, the correct answer for a dog with No skin conditions, allergies, or special circumstances is once a month.
When it comes down to it, there is no NEED to bathe a dog. The only reason to bathe a dog with a healthy coat and skin is for our own nasal pleasure. With indoor pets, you can find your dog start to, well, smell like a dog, and this ,may prompt you to want to throw him or her in the tub. Bathing your dog on a regular monthly basis will not harm them or dry out their skin, so do not fear a monthly bath is overdoing it. We recommend using a dog shampoo or BABY shampoo. Products used by humans; like soap with scents; WILL dry our your dogs coat causing dull dry coats, itching, and the smell wont last long so it is not worth the cost to your pets coat. Choosing a shampoo that is mild is important. It will do its job and remove dirt and stink, but will leave your dogs natural oils in place. Each breed has different coat lengths and textures etc., so make sure you are choosing a wash appropriate for your breed.
If your dog has a medical need to be bathed more often, or they are the type to jump and roll in every mud puddle they see, be sure to use a SOAP free wash and something noted as moisturizing to prevent the skin from drying, flaking and itching. For medical issues, there are medicated soaps, which you should have recommended by a vet.
Important: Make sure to thoroughly rinse the shampoo from yours dogs fur. Their hair is much thicker then ours and extra rinsing may be necessary to ensure a good job. Leaving shampoo on the coat will lead to discomfort for your dog.
Face washing: Soap will burn your dogs eyes just like ours! To avoid pain which will lead to a dislike of the tub, use a washcloth to clean your pets face and lessen the chance of soap getting somewhere it should not go.
Stinky ears? A bath is not going to cure a dog with stinky ears. Stinky ears most likely come from an internal issue of a build up of yeast and bacteria, equaling a less then pleasant odor. There are over the counter and prescription strength ear cleaners which you may want to incorporate into your bath routine, and may even be instructed to use weekly by a vet. Do not spray water into your dogs ears!
The bath itself will be one of 2 extremes the dogs who LOVE to be bathed, and just may jump in a tub ready for your kids or you if you don’t keep an eye out. Then there are the dogs who simply hear and faucet turn on and good luck finding them! From day one, you have to make bath time an enjoyable experience for you and your pet to avoid scenario 2.
Take your time introducing them to the water, you may want to let them sit in the tub a new times before you even turn on the water. You may also want to run the water a few times without forcing them into the tub to get used to the sounds.
Positive reinforcement is the way to make a bath FUN. Keep treats on hand and reward your dog for their good behavior in the tub. In the beginning you can offer treats for simply getting in the tub and not jumping out, for turning on the water and not jumping out etc. After bath time do something fun with your dog. Towel dry them and either go for a short walk or play catch or tug of war. They will eventually associate the bath with everything but the bath. All they will think is treats toys fun, and not scary water!
