One of the most common questions new dog owners ask is, “How often should I bathe my dog?” This is a reasonable question, as there are problems with bathing too often and too infrequently.
There are various factors that can affect your dog’s bathing schedule. For example, coat length and type, activity level, and any allergies or other skin conditions your dog may or may not have.
To be honest, unless your dog has an underlying skin condition, they don’t really need a bath unless they are smelly or particularly dirty.
On average, most dogs only need to be bathed once a month. You can bathe them less frequently, but less than once every three months is not recommended.
You can also bathe them more frequently, but it is not recommended to bathe them more frequently than every other week.
Bathing your dog more often than every other week may cause dryness and irritation of the skin, as well as stripping the natural oils from the dog’s coat.
Factors in choosing when to bathe your dog
How often a dog needs a bath varies greatly depending on its breed, lifestyle, coat length and how much homework the pet owner is willing to do.
Type of dog coat
The type of coat your dog has is an important factor in how often he needs to be bathed.
However, it’s not as simple as the shorter the coat, the less frequent the baths needed. Hairless breeds, such as the Chinese Crested and Xoloitzcuintli, can actually be quite demanding to care for.
On the other end of the spectrum are the long-haired breeds, such as Maltese and Collies. Obviously, the more hair a dog has, the more work that entails, including the frequency of bathing.
For dogs with medium to large coats, a bath may be required weekly to every 4 to 6 weeks, provided the coat is properly maintained between baths.
The dog’s health condition
If your dog suffers from certain health conditions, your groomer and/or veterinarian may recommend using medicated shampoos when bathing your dog.
Even if your canine companion is healthy, a grooming regimen is important to keep him or her healthy.
Thorough coat brushing and grooming conditioning are more integral to a pet’s health than bath time.
There is also the issue of the owner’s health. Sometimes bathing is for the comfort of the human, not the pet.
For owners who suffer from allergies, they often react to their pets’ dander, which can be managed with a weekly bathing routine.
Shampoos that remove dander may also help manage allergies in humans.
