Many dog owners, especially new ones, might ask themselves: “How often should I wash my dog?” You might think the answer is pretty simple. But, the correct answer might actually surprise you! It all depends on what type of breed they are and how active they tend to be.
As humans, we take showers once a day or sometimes every other day. Should we bathe our dogs just as frequently?
Nope.
Dogs don’t need baths as often as humans do. Let’s look closer at this question and find out how to decide just how frequently to wash your dog.
Plus, we will look at how often to wash other things that your dog owns too.
Dog Bathing Guidelines
Figuring out how often you should wash your dog can depend on many different things like:
- Breed of Dog
- Coat Type
- Physical Activity
- Health Conditions
- Skin Irritations
Taking all of this into account should help you narrow down a bath routine for your pup.
Most dogs do an adequate job of keeping themselves clean. However, it’s still a good idea to give them a bath with soap and water at least once a month.
If your dog gets muddy or is obviously dirty, you should give them a bath right away, especially if your dog has long fur that could get matted. However, if you have a dog who lives mostly indoors, then you only need to give them a bath about once a month.
If washing your dog at home isn’t an option, some dog owners schedule monthly grooming sessions for their dogs. Even if they don’t get frequently bathed, you should still brush your dog daily or at least a few times a week.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog With Fleas?
Give your dog a flea-dip bath as soon as you discover that your dog has fleas. After the bath, treat them with flea medication. Before giving your dog medication, ask your dog’s veterinarian for any advice.
Following the initial bath and treatment, you should only have to wash your dog once a month. The flea bath is a shock and kills fleas all at once, but the medication is what will keep killing future fleas.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog in the Winter?
The seasons shouldn’t affect how often you wash your dog. You can maintain your bathing routine during the summer, fall, winter, and spring season.
However, when you wash your dog in the winter, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep your home warm. This is especially important if you have a sensitive dog.
- Dry your dog completely. Use a towel first and allow them to air dry. But if you want to speed it up, you can use a hairdryer on the lowest setting. Hold it at least 10 inches away from the dog to prevent burns.
- Keep the water warm. Your dog will be more likely to enjoy the bath if the water isn’t cold.
- Use dry shampoo. Keep your dog smelling fresh and clean between baths and try something like our 50 Shades of Spay Refreshing Spray.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog With Dry Skin?
If your dog has dry skin, avoid using soap and water on them too frequently. This will just make the itching and dry skin worse. Use our Pawsitively Soothing Anti Itch Shampoo once a month to reduce irritation.
If you notice that your dog’s dry skin is still a problem, try using a healing lotion on the itchy spots. You can go as long as 6 weeks between baths but use the lotion in between to soothe the irritated skin.
How to Wash A Dog
Always follow the same routine when you wash your dog. This way, your dog knows what to expect. It will also speed up the bathing process when you have a system down.
These are the main steps to follow to wash a dog completely.
- Brush them out. Make sure to untangle their fur completely before giving them a bath.
- Warm up the water. Don’t let them get into a shocking cold bath.
- Rinse them down.
- Add the shampoo. Work it up into a nice lather.
- Rinse off the shampoo.
- Dry your dog with a towel.
- Let them air dry.
- Brush their fur one last time.
You do not have to brush your dog’s teeth unless your vet instructs you to. There are lots of dog treats on the market that do an adequate job of cleaning out their teeth and giving them fresh breath.
That’s it! Your dog is ready to face another month, all fresh and clean!
Watch Out For Allergies
Whenever you use a new bath product or lotion on your dog, watch out or any skin reactions. Our products are mild and naturally soothing. However, if you notice your dog itching or biting at their skin more after a bath, double-check to make sure that you rinsed it all off completely. Soap residue can make your dog’s skin really itchy and uncomfortable.
If you did rinse it all off and they are still scratching at it, stop using that shampoo and try another one.
Other Dog Items To Wash
Now that you know how often to wash your dog and how to do it the right way, it’s time to move onto washing all the other things your dog owns.
There are other things to keep in mind when you wash your dog. You also need to wash all of your dog’s things too. After all, it doesn’t make sense to put a clean dog into a dirty bed! So let’s look at how often to wash items to keep your dog healthy and clean.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog’s Bed?
You should wash your dog’s bed once a week. Just like humans, dogs also shed skin cells and drool all over their beds. If your dog vomits on their bed, replace it. Otherwise, wash it about once a week.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog Bowls?
You should wash your dog’s bowls at least once a week, if not more. Of course, this depends on what type of food you serve. If your dog eats hard food that doesn’t make the bowls very dirty, you can go longer between washings. However, if you serve fresh-cooked meats, you should wash it every day.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog’s Toys?
If your dog has fleas, you should wash all of your dog’s toys immediately to make sure they do not get reinfected.
If not, you can wash your dog’s toys about once a month. Some toys are machine-washable and others; so make sure to read the washing label and care instructions when you buy the toys.
Practice Good Dog Hygiene
Keeping your dog clean doesn’t just mean your dog smells good. It means so much more than that. Good hygiene for your dog can also help reduce the chance of fleas, helps your dog not itch as much, and removes dead skin.
You’ll have a clean, happy dog that you’ll enjoy snuggling!
Dog Bathing: MuttScrub Products Provide The Perfect Calming Blend
Add our calming MuttScrub products for a bathing routine that soothes and heals your dog’s skin naturally. There is no diluting or mixing required since we’ve done the hard work to develop the perfect blend of cleansers, moisturizers and essential oils for you!
Treat your dog’s skin only with pure ingredients that support overall well-being and aid the healing process. MuttScrub products are made of all-natural substances, including shea butter, to give your dog instant relief from ailments and anxiety.
All three of our products work best when used together in the Pawsitively Soothing Itch Relief Kit For Dogs. We have several great reviews of the product over on our Facebook page…check them out!
Tell us in the comments: how often do you bathe your dog?
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