How Often Should I Bathe my Dog?

Simply put it, there is no one straight answer to this question. By asking this, is like asking me which dog breed should you get without considering your lifestyle, commitment level, personal preference and financial status. Sound judgment will tell you that your active dog needs a bath badly when he is smelly and dirty. Similarly, a lap dog who rarely steps out of the house doesn’t need a bath until it is called for.

I’ve known of some dog owners who bathe their dogs twice a year while some once in every other day. These two methods are of the extreme which I personally won’t do or advocate it. Granted, my Maltese live in a topical climate so more frequent baths is needed but they certainly don’t deserve to be striped off their natural oils from their coat that often.

I know I’m not making it easy for you to grasp for now, but bear with me as I go more in depths soon. Many will say that dog bathing is more of a science (rules), I would have to say is a combination of both science and art (situation).

Note: Dogs should be groomed before bath in order to prevent further matting. In any case, all dogs should have a weekly brush or comb regardless how frequent you bathe your dog.

There are few factors to look at as to how often should one bathe her dog

1. Dog Coat

• Double or undercoat dogs (ie. Cocker Spaniel, Pekingese), bathe once every 4 to 8 weeks.
• Silky long coat (ie. Yorkie, Lhasa Apso), bathe once every 3 to 6 weeks
• Non-shedding curly coat (ie. Poodle), bathe once 6 to 8 weeks
• Smooth coat (ie. Chihuahua, Boston Terrier), bathe no less than once in 8 weeks or only when it gets dirty, frequent bath will wash out their waterproofing oils produced by the skin for protection.
• Wiry/Coarse coat (ie. Schnauzer and most terriers), bathe once every 4 to 6 weeks * Scottish Terriers tend to get dirty skin through a build up of dandruff, a fortnightly bath is ideal.

2. Lifestyle of the Dog

If your dog loves to roll in the mud or faces every chance he gets, you may have to bathe him every time he does. Usually a small amount of dirt can be brushed out when dry. While some might use dry shampoo to get rid of the dirt, honesty it doesn’t help much. It is only excellent for a quick clean to remove excess oil in the coat but won’t do much good for a really dirty dog. Should your dog get muddy every day or so, I don’t recommend a regular bath using any ordinary doggy shampoo, as you will strip off his natural oil in no time. Either you prohibit him from doing (better option) or shampoo him with mild shampoo such as PNP Gentle Shampoo (green apple & pear scent), which is designed specifically for the pH of the dog’s skin.

Not many dogs worship water as much as Newfoundlands do, however if your dog enjoys weekly swim be it in the pool or sea you have to give him a bathe after by using moderate mild shampoo. This is to wash out the chlorine and salt water. Most importantly, a good conditioner (i.e. All Natural Earthbath Pet Crème Rinse & Conditioner or Organimals Dip & Crème Rinse Concentrate) is essential to retain his natural oil and lustrous coat.

For regular daily walk, a good wash on his paws is more than enough. Just in case you didn’t notice that he stepped on someone else’s poops.

3. Climate

All dogs require more baths during summer (ticks and flea infestation season), naturally. Nonetheless, try not to bathe your dog more than once fortnightly or once weekly if it really calls for it. Choose only to use those that are conditioning shampoo such as Doc Ackerman’s Orange Creme Shampoo and Conditioner or Bubbles N Beads. A thorough scrub is not necessary.

I have yet to know of any dog who doesn’t like to roll in the snow. It’s a fun activity but it won’t be fun to see your dog caught on “Hot Spot” also known as Moist Eczema—a cause by dampness of the undercoat. This happens when the dogs aren’t properly dried. It can be very detrimental and certainly a sore sight to look at those infected areas when he keeps chewing on the itchy spots. In some neglected cases, you might see molds collected underneath the thick matted coat. This requires two to three thorough baths and a good shave down. A “bald” Shih Tzu is not a very pretty sight during winter even she is wearing Louis Vuitton from head to paws.

There are many products in the market that help relieve hot spots, but only two products I found to have the most effective ingredients to relieve the itch without stripping the oil: Colloidal Oatmeal shampoo and Itchin’ for Relief spray. Note: Doc Ackerman’s Herbal Colloidal Oatmeal shampoo is also another product I highly recommend.

4. Dog Allergy and Skin Disorder

This happens in rare occasions where your dog needs medical attention for a period of time. One important rule is to follow your veterinarian’s advice to the tee.

To be perfectly honest, I find those medicated dog shampoos sold in veterinary clinics are way too overpriced. If you’re lucky, you might get one prescribed to that works wonders but most are just mediocre. You will do much better to get directly from online stores like those I highlighted here.

5. Human Allergy

There are many owners who suffer pet allergies still keep dogs. The only difference is that they know how to manage it and not let it affect them too much. It’s good to know that I’m not the only crazy one who bothers to go the extra mile.

My tolerance to dust, dirt, and dander is moderately low, therefore I have to keep my semi-active dogs very clean in order for them to be close to me. As such, I give them a weekly bath using those shampoos mentioned above along with Synergy Groomer’s Blend Ultra White shampoo for my Maltese, Buddy Wash shampoo (Lavender & Mint Scented), and occasionally FURminator Waterless deShedding shampoo and conditioner. And, once a month I give them a 10 minutes aromatherapy Jacuzzi. This is to restore equilibrium if I washed them more often than usual—mostly due to environmental factors.

Conclusion: Whatever your dog situation is, daily or yearly bath, I highly suggest you invest in good quality (not necessary expensive means quality as I have shown you here) dog shampoos and conditioners. This will minimize many unnecessary and/or future skin problems.