We all know that we should wash our dog from time to time to keep it clean and free of parasites, but what we often do not know is how often a dog should be bathed, something that varies depending on its hair type and characteristics.
In this article, we will explain what factors you should take into account to know how often you can or should wash your dog, either adult or a puppy. Remember that each dog is different, so simply implement these tips.
When to wash a dog depending on the type of hair dogs have
Although many other factors will indicate when we should bathe our dog, such as dirt or smell, at general levels we can indicate that depending on the type of hair a dog has will be necessary to take into account to bathe it more or less frequently.
Dogs with long and abundant hair tend to stain much more than dogs with short and not very thick hair, simply because of dirt sticks better and cost more to come off.
The simple dust they can catch when they are running while playing on parks and roads is naturally eliminated much easier in dogs with little hair than in dogs with a lot of hair.
- Short-haired / not very abundant dogs: Once every two months approximately
- Dogs with long and abundant hair: Once a month
- Dogs with medium-sized hair: Once every month and a half
Other factors that affect bath time in dogs
Regardless of the amount of hair our dog has, we must look at his daily habits. A dog that lives in a town where it is in constant contact with other animals and dirt on the roads will get dirty much more frequently than a city dog.
We must also assess the behaviour of our dog, if it is a little suckling pig and is rubbed on the ground when it perceives a bad smell (sometimes even on poop) obviously we must bathe it more frequently.
The weather is also a key factor, since in places where it rains a lot our dog will get wet more frequently, something that will sooner or later lead to bad body odour. In these situations, the dog should also be bathed more often.
Even feeding is a factor that greatly influences the grooming of our dogs, dogs fed with natural products such as BARF Food for dogs, emit much less body odour than dogs fed commercial croquettes (feed / balanced).
When to bathe a puppy for the first time
The first thing to understand is that a puppy is an extremely sensitive animal; a simple cold can end his life. That is why it is very important not to bathe a puppy until he has all his vaccines on and until he is at least three months old.
When we bathe it, we must pay attention to the fact that it does not lick the soap, we must also monitor the temperature of the water and dry it thoroughly when we finish — avoiding air currents that may affect the dog.
Bathing a puppy for the first time is almost like a high-risk operation, where we must be cautious. Once they have completed three months, it is advisable to try to bathe them as little as possible until they reach at least six months. In this way, we will reduce risks.
Dogs with skin or health problems
At general levels, we should use a special dog shampoo, since its ph is very different from ours.
Dogs with skin problems such as mites or skin diseases should always use a special soap to treat their disease, and it will be the veterinarian who supplies it.
Older puppies should have a lower bath cycle, since, like puppies, they are sensitive dogs that can catch a cold very easily. It is advisable to bathe it at home since we can dry it well and without haste.
