How Often Should I Bathe My Dog?

We all know we need to wash our dog every so often to keep it clean and parasite-free, but what many of us don't know is how often a dog should be bathed, which varies depending on its coat type and traits.

From Soyunperro we're going to explain which factors you should keep in mind to know how often you can or should wash your pup, whether adult or puppy. Remember every dog is different, so just apply these tips as a guide.

When to Wash a Dog Depending on Its Coat Type

Although there are obviously many other factors that will tell us when we should bathe our dog, such as dirt or smell, generally speaking we can say that depending on its coat type, it will need to be bathed more or less often.

Dogs with long, thick coats tend to get much dirtier than dogs with short, sparse coats, simply because dirt sticks better and is harder to shake off.

The simple dust they can pick up while running and playing around parks and paths comes off naturally much more easily on dogs with little coat than on dogs with a lot of coat.

Remember that daily brushing works like a dry bath — besides removing dirt, it stimulates blood circulation and coat growth, removes dead skin cells from your pet's skin, while spreading the skin's fatty acids through the coat and making it look shinier and better protected.

• Short/sparse-coat dogs: About once every two months
• Long, thick-coat dogs: Once a month
• Medium-coat dogs: Once every month and a half

Other Factors That Affect How Often to Bathe a Dog

Regardless of how much coat our dog has, we need to look at its daily habits. A dog that lives in a rural area where it's in constant contact with other animals and dirt from paths will get dirty much more often than a city dog.

Keep in mind that skin glands secrete immunoglobulins and other substances onto the surface that neutralize resistant bacteria, preventing the development of pyoderma (pus infections), so bathing should be... just the essential minimum.

We should also assess our dog's behavior — if it's a bit of a mess and rolls around on the ground when it detects a bad smell (sometimes even on poop), obviously we need to bathe it more often.

The climate is also a key factor, since in places with lots of rain our dog will get wet more often, which will sooner or later lead to body odor. In these situations, the dog should also be bathed more often.

Even diet is a factor that greatly influences our dogs' grooming — dogs fed natural products such as the BARF Diet for Dogs give off much less body odor than dogs fed commercial kibble.

When to Bathe a Puppy for the First Time

The first thing we need to understand is that a puppy is an extremely sensitive animal — a simple cold can end its life. That's why it's very important not to bathe a puppy until it has had all its vaccines, that is, until it's at least three months old.

The fluids that cover the puppy during fetal life, together with the mother's saliva (from continuously licking them after birth), create a protective barrier against opportunistic germs, so we shouldn't rush to bathe our puppy.

When we do bathe it we need to make sure it doesn't lick the soap, and we also need to closely watch the water temperature and dry it thoroughly when we finish, avoiding drafts that could affect it.

Bathing a puppy for the first time is almost like a high-risk operation, where we need to be very careful. Once they've turned three months old, it's advisable to try to bathe them as little as possible until they're at least six months old.

This way we'll reduce risks, although obviously if it gets very dirty... that's sometimes unavoidable. Don't miss the full information at:

• How and When Can I Bathe a Puppy?

When to Bathe Dogs With Skin or Health Problems

Sick dogs need a different bathing schedule, since it will be the vet who tells us when we can bathe it and how often. Generally speaking, we should use a special dog shampoo, since its pH is very different from ours.

In the case of dermatitis, bathing is an ally for the vet, since through it we can supply the skin with moisturizers and pH stabilizers, antiseptics, anti-parasitics, among others.

Generally the period between one bath and the next is shortened based on veterinary progress and a prior assessment of the lesions in question. Dogs with skin problems such as mites or skin conditions should always use a special soap to treat their condition, which the vet will provide.

Older dogs should have a less frequent bathing cycle, since just like puppies, they're sensitive dogs that can catch colds very easily. It's advisable to bathe them at home, since that way we can dry them well and without rushing.

Pay special attention to your pet's ears at bath time — water in the ears can cause otitis. If you're going to clean that area, keep it to the outer part of the ear as much as possible; leave the rest to your vet.