how often should you bath your dog?

Question

our dog is very much a house dog, so obviously we want to keep him as clean as possible. can you bath them too much? if so how much is too much.

thanks.

Answer 1

I guess when he starts to smell.

Answer 2

Depends on the dog.

I was trying to find out the same thing, and I'm still none the wiser, but the general consensus seems to be that it's bad to do it too often. It tends to dry the skin, and a lot of the dog shampoos are very harsh.

I haven't washed my dog since the summer - when she had a really bad allergic dermatitis.
The vet said to only wash her when absolutely necessary, and it hasn't been absolutely necessary yet! She doesn't smell any worse than usual, and her skin is keeping clear - she's a Westie, and they're very prone to having sensitive skin.
We bring her to the beach quite often, and she rolls a lot in the sand - I think she's cleaning herself that way!

The groomer says they shouldn't be washed more than every couple of weeks, minimum.

Hope that's of some use.

Answer 3

Once a year should be sufficient, regular daily grooming is the key to a clean sweet smelling dog.
Too much bathing is bad for the skin as it removes essential oils and can cause dry skin and/or eczema.

Obviously if the dog rolls in something nasty then they should be bathed.
Spend at least 10-15 minutes a day grooming your dog,
they love the attention and it keeps their coat in good condition.

Answer 4

No more than 2 times a year. Otherwise if you give your dog too many baths, you'll wash away the dog's natural skin oils, and then your dog is seriously prone to skin problems and hair loss. If you do bathe your dog, use a mild, over-the-counter oatmeal shampoo. I have 5 dogs myself.

Answer 5

You can bathe some dogs too much. How often you bathe him completely depends on the dog itself. Research his breed. The frequency (and need) of a bath depends on a few things: length of fur, oil in the dog's skin, season, etc. You should be able to find a website giving you some info on his particular breed. Good luck!

Answer 6

It is very bad for the dog's coat to wash it with any kind of soap,shampoo etc as it strips the hair of vital natural oils. Dogs should only be washed when it's absolutely necessary ie. if they need to be treated with a medicated shampoo for a skin condition, or if they've rolled in something pungent! Dogs will keep themselves clean; a healthy diet will ensure a clean, healthy coat. Also, I do hope that your dog gets plenty of daily outdoors exercise, as all dogs need this- there is no such thing as a 'house dog,' unless by that you just mean that he lives in the house with you, as opposed to in the garden etc. Oh, and they don't 'start to smell' as time passes because THEY DON'T SWEAT unlike us stinky humans!

Answer 7

We have 2 dogs and to be honest we bath them when we feel they are read. I think you will know when they need it, if they are a house dog then obviously you know they've not been in rivers or in mud so they don't really need cleaning, just freshening up. I use baby shampoo on mine as it is nice and mild and doesn't sting their eyes, I feel that dog shampoos are a bit harsh.

Answer 8

I work a groomer ( I am the bather) depending on the breed and their skin type depends on how much they need to be bathed. Typically, we have dogs that come in regularly every 6 - 8 weeks.

Answer 9

I bath mine about once a week. remember to use a good dog shampoo.

Answer 10

i havea large lab weimeriner and he never smelles to bath them to often will dry out their skin once a month or more is enough. not in cold weather or they can get distemper which is really like human cold other than parvo it,s the worse.take baby wipes and rub him clean.smells good and cleans him

Answer 11

Ours gets a bath once a month,
remember to only use doggy shampoo.