I think im hurting my dog, am i?

Question

I have a large 70pound Weimaraner VERY short coat. Based on a comment in one of my other questions i figured Id ask. Is bathing him once a week too much? hes an inside dog but we go to the dog park a couple times a week and run everyday. I noticed his coat was getting thin, i thought it was from a heat rash/sunburn... could it be from dry skin by too many baths. i think i have a OCD when it comes to my dog and being clean. I heard ppl bathe their dog once every couple of months.

HOW? dont they get dirty?
How often do you bathe your dog?

Err, bad comparison... not serious OCD i just want him to be clean. He doesnt smell at all... Just thought thats what you do to keep them clean. Vet never said a word when i told them. I didnt know dogs can go that long... one guy at the dog park told he he bathes his dog one every six months.

Answer 1

I also have weimaraners and they get baths with shampoo probably every 3-4 weeks...but they do get rinsed with just water every week or two when they get dirty, but until they really start to smell like a dirty dog they don't get the full treatment. JUst make sure you're not bathing him so often his skin starts to get dry and/or flaky.

One comment about the coat...even though weims have short coats, they still blow their coats in the summer and you'll notice their hair getting thinner from losing the 'winter' coat. I know it sounds funny because they don't have a winter coat in the sense that a husky or malamute does, but nonetheless, what you are observing may just be normal yearly shedding...if it continues excessively, though, I'd consult a vet.

Answer 2

You are not supposed to wash your dog once a week. That is way too much. He is getting the dry skin from taking too many baths. A coat cant get thin from a sunburn/heat rash. Unless he gets into some kind of situation where he absolutely NEEDS a bath, only give him one 2 times per month. Even if you go to the park and run every day, bathing him that much is not good.

Hope I could help!

Answer 3

Once a month. You are right - you are damaging your dogs skin and drying it out which can cause it to either crack or become itchy, as well as thin out. Your dog could also develop skin infections which will mean alot of trips to the vet and a miserable pup.

Use very gentle oatmeal based shampoos, the organic ones without chemicals are best for their irritated skin. A good product is bio groom. Only use lukewarm water, never hot and followup with a moisturising conditioner that should sit on the skin/coat to sink in for a bit. Stay away from anything with heavy perfumes etc...as they can create problems for doggie skin.

You can buy doggie bath wipes for in between baths when they get stinky, but you should not bathe your dog more frequently than once a month. I included a link for the shampoo, but you can find it in any dog/pet store.

Answer 4

Dogs should and will always have a musky smell to them. They need the oils in their coat to protect them. I only bathe my dog when I absolutely have to. My current dog is quite short haired and not very thick coat, Boxer /German Shepard X so in between the two breeds, and I only bathe her if she gets overly stinky. Maybe 4-6 times per year. She's an inside dog too.

My previous dog was a Lab and I only bathed him when absolutely necessary as they have extremely sensitive skin and their oil on the skin is extremely important. Maybe - 3x per year.

If the dog is swimming a lot, you should need to bathe it less not more. As your dog has such a short coat, I don't imagine it can retain a lot of dirt. As you've been bathing your dog overly frequently, it may take some time before the coat gets 'normalized'. The dog's coat should be very shiny and almost glossy - on it's own, without conditioners.

You have a large dog - get used to the smell. Go OCD on cleaning your house, but not on the dog.

Answer 5

Just asked my vet the same question last week! He said that frequent bathing...every 10-15 days is ok as long as using a good quality shampoo that will condition the animals skin and not strip the natural essential oils from the dogs coat. Do not use ppl shampoo, or ones for dogs U may find in discount stores such as WalMart for such frequent shampoo's...get one from your vet or have some one @ a large pet supply store such as PetsMart or similar to reccomend one...just make sure they know how often you are bathing ur dog. Also, hair loss can be a symptom of poor nutrition - make sure you're feeding a good, balanced food appropriate for his age, weight and activity level and any special needs. Hope this helps!

Answer 6

You can get a waterless shampoo for your dog. It also depends on the type of breed of your dog as to how often the washing is hurting him. If you have a water dog like a lab, it shouldn't hurt. but if not then yu could be bathing a little much. try once every 2 weeks. But personally I am not familiar with your breed of dog. You should really let a vet check him over. There are some different kinds of skin problems that dogs suffer from.

Answer 7

I have an Italian Greyhound and he also has a very short coat. I only bathe him a few times a year (except for emergency baths!) because it will dry out his skin. Dogs really don't need to be bathed that much and it can cause skin and fur problems. If he is really dirty you can wipe him down with a damp cloth or baby wipe. I do that when necessary.

Answer 8

yes. that is too much. Once a week strips the natural oils from the coat and makes it dry.

I bathe my dog once a month and wipe him down with baby wipes in between when he needs it. He has a short coat, but I brush him and that helps to get rid of loose hair and to shine his coat.

I have a spray that I put on him when I feel he's a bit doggie-smelling. Currently, I'm using Nature's Miracle Deodorizing & Conditioning Spray

Answer 9

Once a month or every other month is best. Dogs have natural oils in their skin and coat that help keep their skin healthy and if you wash them too much, you can wash these oils all off.

We bathe our dogs whenever the mood strikes us, but that's not very often. Once a month at most. They get dirty, but you can just take a damp wash cloth and give them a quick wipe-down to get the dirt off. Also, dogs do groom themselves. Not as much as cats, but my dogs do definately keep themselves fairly clean through grooming.

Answer 10

Bathing once a week is too much. He needs the natural oils in his skin. You probably bathe him so often because he smells. I feel your pain. My daughter has a Pug and to me, he always stinks. I am a cat person. I just try to avoid the dog. My vet says to not bathe him more than once a month.