How Often Should I Give My Dog A Bath?

The question of how often you should give your dog a bath has been discussed and is still a topic of debate for many dog owners throughout the world. The frequency at which you should give your dog a bath really depends on a number of factors. Some of those factors include your dogs coat condition, skin condition, type of coat, and other important factors. All of these will have affect how often you give your dog a bath.

Perhaps one of the biggest factors that deals with whether or not you need to give your dog a bath is the condition of his or her coat. This really depends on the lifestyle that your dog leads. If your dog is constantly outdoors during the warmer periods of the year, then they are more likely to get dirty and require a bath. For example, if your dog walks through a mud puddle or swims in a lake that is full of algae or a dirty pond, then you'll want to give him or her a bath in order to remove the algae, dirt, and other foreign matter from their skin and coat. These types of extreme situations will most likely require a dog bath.

If you're dog has sensitive skin, you'll not want to give your dog a bath too often as this can possible irritate their skin even more. Dog shampoo, in many cases, can leave residue if not properly rinsed which can irritate the skin if left for days at a time. If your dog has sensitive or dry skin to begin with, this can only make it worse. A dogs natural oils will moisten the dogs skin over time so bathing them on a less frequent basis will allow for less dry skin and irritation. If you must bath your dog, you might want to consider a moisturizing shampoo, perhaps an oatmeal shampoo, that will not dry out your dog's skin.

A dogs coat has certain attributes and every dog breed is different so it is important that you identify what type of coat your dog has. This will affect how often you give your dog a bath. If your dog has an oily coat, you may consider bathing more frequently than a dog that has a drier, less oily coat. The general idea though is if they are not dirty or haven't given you a reason to bath them, then you really don't need to bath them very often.

So how often should you bath your dog? The idea is that you should generally bath your dog every three months just to give them a good cleaning. That will very depending on the factors mentioned above so you may be bathing your dog as much as once a month or as little as once a year. It really depends on the breed, your dog's skin and coat condition, and whether or not a bath is really needed.