How Often Should You Wash Your Dog?

Napa gets dirty easy. He’s a muslin white color, but he’s still white. A day at the dog park typically means a day in the shower.

Every dog gets dirty. It’s a fact of life. I like to think that if my dog isn’t dirty then he hasn’t been having any fun. So how often should you wash your dog?

Hair or Fur?

Depending on what kind of coat your dog has will dictate how often you can wash them. For instance, a dog with oilier fur can be washed more often than a dog with dry hair. Keeping this in mind will give you a good indicator of how often you can wash your dogs hair.

Caesar Milan says, “Unless a dog has skin problems, there is no specific need to bathe the dog except to make him a more enjoyable companion. Just like people, some dogs get stinky faster than others. I have known dogs that have never had a bath in their life and do not have an unpleasant smell, but my own dogs get bathed weekly.”

But what about dogs with allergies?

Dr. Karen Becker says, “animals with skin problems often need baths several times a week in a medicated shampoo to reduce the bacterial load on their skin, reduce irritation and inflammation and provide a low cost, effective form of relief.”

I find many dogs in the height of the “allergy” season find significant relief by rinsing off their itchy parts daily or every other day,” says Becker. ” Doctors call this form of treatment ‘irrigation therapy’ … I call it “rinsing off the allergens.'”

Becker notes, “if your dog has irritated and inflamed feet, you can devise a simple system to immerse one foot at a time in a bowl of cool water. You can also soak itchy, irritated paws in a few inches of cool water in your bathtub or kitchen sink, depending on the size of your dog.”

If your dog seems to get dirty everyday the best thing you can do is brush them. Brushing your dogs hair will loosen up any dirt. It also massages the skin which promotes natural oil production that will keep them moisturized.

 


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