How often should I bath my dog ?

/ Dog Blog / By
Rub a Dub Dub

Unfortunately the answer to this question is an indefinite, “it depends”.

A consistent myth we hear is that bathing is bad for your dogs skin. There are many possible sources for this myth. Possibly our canine friends started it after all those garden hose experiences, or more likely it developed quite genuinely because that used to be the case. Historically (30 years or more) if you bathed your dog, you did so with basic household/laundry detergents or shampoo from your own shower. Well I think we’d all agree that the laundry and household detergents are out, but many are surprised that “people shampoos” are a no no as well. You’d be forgiven for thinking that people shampoo would be a luxury indulgence and of a superior quality. Many pet parents believe the only difference between thier shampoo and their pets is the fragrance and possible inclusion of flea control, it’s more complicated than that. Human skin is slightly acidic compared to dogs neutral or slightly alkaline skin. Quality, modern day pet shampoos are formulated to maintain that chemical balance.

Actually dispelling the myth of washing your dog being bad is easy enough when you look at the benefits. Almost all skin complaints or ailments require regular bathing to soothe and / or treat. In fact just like you – pets should be bathed whenever they are dirty, smelly, greasy,  or experiencing itchy or flaky skin. Puppies as early as 8 weeks can be bathed with age sensitive shampoos or kept clean with sponge baths. Just remember to dry thoroughly and keep them warm during and after the bath / cleaning process.

Tips for healthy bathing of your dog

  1. Choose a good quality dog shampoo. If possible choose one formulated specifically for your Dogs specific needs. Formulations are available for different hair types as well as specialist whitening shampoos. Sensitive formulations containing oatmeal and tearless also exist.
  2. Using lukewarm water  ( besides being uncomfortable, cold water can lead to excessive drying of the skin), thoroughly soak your pet all over avoiding the inside of their ears as much as possible.
  3. When lathering avoid the eyes with the suds (unless using tearless shampoo) as the soap can damage their corneas.
  4. When rinsing be sure to thoroughly rinse still using lukewarm water and remove every last spec of soap. Incomplete rinsing and drying are a leading cause of hotspots for those prone.
  5. Thoroughly dry your dog all over, not forgetting things like armpits, groin, behind and around ears as well as thoroughly and gently drying their actual ears. Excess moisture in the ears can lead to ear infections and within their fur, hotspots.
Brush your dog thoroughly once they are dry and regularly as their fur and skin type requires. If your dog continues to be dirty, greasy or smelly despite regularly weekly or bi-weekly bathing then please consult your Vet. If a clean dog continues to smell bad, or have greasy hair and or itches more often then they may very well have parasites, skin allergies, infection or even over active sebaceous glands.
Here at the pet hotel we believe a lot has changed over the thousands of years since dogs became domesticated.
1) we altered them through breeding to such an extent that for many of them it is not possible for their skin and fur to exist healthily without human maintenance.
2) dogs don’t live in a dog house at the bottom of the backyard anymore. They live with us often sharing soft furnishings, for your continued comfort this requires them to maintain a similiar standard of hygiene as yourself.
So whilst not every dog requires a weekly bath, you can safely bath your dog as often as they and you require.
The Royal Pets Hotel and Spa is an award winning grooming, pet hotel and spa facility located just outside the GTA in Barrie, ON.