How often should you wash your dog: recommendations from the veterinarian

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Caring pet owners are interested in the question of how often to wash the dog and how to do it right. They buy the necessary vitamins for the animal, walk it regularly, but do not forget about hygiene. It is important not only to bathe the dog correctly, but also to know when to carry out such procedures.

When to wash your dog

To keep your pet clean, you need to wash it. This will also help to avoid contamination of the room. But you need to know how often to bathe dogs, bathing can not only have a beneficial effect on the pet, but also harm him. In the process of washing, natural grease is removed from the skin of the animal, and its subsequent restoration takes time.

Today, there are three main points of view on how often a dog should be washed:

• several times a year;
• every 10-12 days;
• only as needed, if contaminated.

Until recently, veterinarians recommended washing pets as little as possible, but thanks to the development of the production of products forbathing dogs, it is now permissible to bathe them more often without harm to he alth. The frequency of water procedures depends on the habitat, lifestyle, degree of physical activity.

A pet of any breed should be taught to bathe from childhood. In this case, it is permissible to use only professional cosmetics produced by certified companies whose activities are aimed exclusively at the manufacture of products for animals. It is important that products are tested by veterinarians and dermatologists.

Only pet shampoos are allowed for bathing dogs. All sorts of home experiments should not be allowed when household soap or personal shampoo of the owners is used. It is necessary to use compositions that take into account all the characteristics of the animal.

How often to wash your dog

Understanding how to properly and how often to wash a dog, you need to understand that an unwashed pet is normal. These animals do not sweat like humans do, their bodies do not cool down in the same way that humans do. For this reason, they need water procedures less often than their owners. If a pet smells bad, then the reason most often lies in problems with the skin or coat, but not in their cleanliness. That is, there is no such thing that the dog is already "time to wash."

To figure out how often you can and should wash your dog, you should remember that it is always clean enough. Veterinarians list three main reasons to bathe a dog with shampoo:

1. Therapeutic. The most common way to deal with externaldiseases of dogs - this is a therapeutic bath. How often to wash the dog in this case - the doctor decides. If you find any skin problems in your pet, you should immediately take him to the veterinarian.
2. Hygienic. It is necessary to wash a pet if it gets dirty in dirt or falls out in something smelly. Naturally, in this case, you should not postpone water procedures due to the fact that "it's too early." Hunting dogs, which try to hide their natural smell, require washing especially often.
3. Cosmetic. This is washing the animal for "beauty", so that the coat becomes softer, more shiny and easy to comb. Usually pets are washed before shows.

Washing a dog just like that, without a reason, is not worth it.

Bathing depending on the characteristics of the breed

How often you need to wash your dog depends a lot on the breed and coat type of the pet. Decorative animals of small sizes need to be washed less often, because in most cases they are carried on the hands. But, as you know, it is these dogs that the owners most often subject to water procedures, which is extremely wrong. Owners may treat their dogs like toys without realizing that washing small pets is enough.

Smooth-haired breeds also do not require frequent bathing, as do dogs with coarse hair and a short undercoat (Labradors). Such wool is capable of self-cleaning. Frequent bathing of French Bulldogs is also not allowed, because their coat tends to fall out constantly.

Short-haired pets can be subjected to the so-called express cleaning, which uses a minimum amount of water and shampoo, but the result is extremely effective. To do this, take a glass of warm water and dilute in it a tablespoon of vodka and vinegar. A sponge is moistened in such a solution and simply wiped over the dog's coat.

Dependence on the pet's habitat and time of year

When asked how often to wash a dog that lives in an apartment, the answer is unequivocal - as needed. An indoor dog and one that lives in an aviary need a completely different approach. The same applies to pets that walk in a clean park, and those that regularly accompany the owner on hunting trips, where they certainly get very dirty.

If we talk about how often to bathe a dog in summer, you should know that in warm weather the animal needs more thorough cleaning than in cool. At the same time, you need to monitor the condition of the coat and skin, examine the body of the dog after returning from a walk.

What tools to use in the process

You need to know not only how often you need to wash your dog, but also how to do it right. Be sure to use special cosmetics for dogs, shampoos in the process of bathing. Other compounds can harm the condition of the coat and skin of the animal, as well as its he alth, provoke diseases. Shampoos that are designed for people have a different level of acidity. They will dry too much and so too thin skindogs.

Currently, there are many different shampoos for dogs on sale. There are cosmetic compositions for both short and long hair, both for curly and straight, for both light and dark. You can also find options for sensitive pet skin, for puppies, etc. Extended shampoo lines are available from Francodex, Beaphar, Perfect Coat, Iv San Bernard, Bio Groom.

You can still buy leave-in shampoos today. These are powder or sprays, which are very convenient to use in situations where it is not possible to fully bathe the dog. The compositions are also advised to be used for those pets that cannot tolerate the classic washing procedure. Dry shampoos are offered by the brands Biogance, Beaphar, Pet Head, Espree.

Preparation for the bathing procedure

Before you start water procedures, you need to comb your pet's coat well to remove tangles and dead hairs. In this way, it will be possible to facilitate the washing process and avoid clogging the drain.

Next you need to choose a place for swimming. For those who live in a private house, washing in the yard in a pool or basin is the best option. If we are talking about an apartment, then a bath or shower will do. A small pet can be washed in a large bowl or in a regular sink.

About an hour and a half before the procedure, it is necessary to close all windows and doors, turn off the air conditioner. In winter, it is worth additionally warming up the housing. Since the dog's paws will slide intobath, you need to lay a rubber mat or towel on its bottom. You should also lay something on the floor near the bath so that when the dog jumps out of the bath, it does not slip and is not injured. Large animals should be bathed in a collar that will allow them to be restrained in the presence of resistance. You need to immediately close the bathroom doors so that the pet does not run away.

In advance, you should fill the bath with warm water at a temperature not higher than 37-40 degrees. Next to put shampoo, hang a towel. You also need to cover the pet's ears with cotton swabs.

How to properly wash your dog

Having learned how often you can wash your dog with shampoo, you should figure out how the process of bathing a pet goes.

Having prepared the bathroom, you need to draw water at a comfortable temperature. If it is too cold, the dog may become hypothermic, shivering, possibly whining. It is also impossible to allow excessively hot water, otherwise burns form on the dog's skin.

After wetting the pet, you need to gently lather the coat with shampoo. It is recommended to start from the back of the dog, and then carefully move to the stomach and paws. You should deal with the head at the end, while making sure that water does not flow into the ears and eyes of the animal.

If the dog does not tolerate shampooing, feels discomfort, it is recommended to try shampoos from the "no tears" series. Such products are, for example, Pet Head and Perfect Coat.

It is advisable to lather the pet 2-3 times, each time thoroughly washing the coat with water. Must be used forrinsing special conditioner for dogs. The latter will make the hair shiny, it will be better combed.

After the water procedure, you need to wipe the dog well, with special attention to the ears.

How to wash a dog if he is afraid

Usually dogs love water, so they are rarely afraid of water procedures. If this happens, you first need to figure out what exactly is the reason. Perhaps the pet is not afraid of the water itself, but, for example, the noise that is emitted by the flow of water, or the temperature does not suit her.

So that the pet is not afraid, it should be accustomed to water sessions as early as possible, talk softly to it, do not scream and in no case punish if the pet does not obey and wants to run away.

If there are fleas

Although there are many pet flea shampoos on the market today, they often have a very short-term effect. Among other things, some of them contain aggressive chemicals that adversely affect the already sensitive skin of the dog.

An alternative solution may be a folk remedy. You need to wash the dog with a mixture of water and vinegar. Such a natural replacement will be safe for the pet and at the same time effective against fleas. You need to take both components in a ratio of 1: 3. But you need to be careful not to get the mixture in the eyes and on the delicate skin around them.

Using vinegar against fleas will not harm the dog, but you need to understand in advance that the smell on the pet's body will remain for the next few days.

Bathing dogs without water

Sometimes it is contraindicated for dogs to bathe in the water. The reasons may be different: old age, the presence of eczema on the skin, the postoperative period, etc. In such situations, dry washing comes to the rescue with special cleansing powders. Dry shampoos for dogs contain talc, decontaminating and degreasing ingredients.

First, you need to carefully distribute the product over a small area of the pet's body, and then proceed to comb the coat in this place. It is very important to comb the dog thoroughly before the procedure in order to eliminate excess undercoat and tangles in advance. Additional manipulations at the end of the dry wash are not required.

Drying after bathing

After bathing, you need to squeeze the water out of the dog's coat with your hands, and then blot it with a towel. If the dog is small, you can wrap it up and take it to dry in a warm place. The drying process also depends on the season. In summer, you can let the animal dry on its own, but in the cold season it is better to resort to using a hair dryer. It is important to ensure that the air flow is not excessively hot, and only the body needs to be dried, without working through the dog's muzzle.

When the pet is completely dry, you need to carefully comb his coat. Dogs of long-haired breeds are best combed through wet wool, otherwise it can become very tangled and tangled. You need to remove the tampons from the ears and gently wipe the auricles.

If the dog haslacrimation, you should also wipe your eyes. To do this, it is recommended to use colloidal silver, which does not provoke irritation and works effectively against pathogens. Also, veterinarians allow the use of coconut oil.

Having figured out how often you need to wash dogs and cats, and how to do it correctly, you need to try to make water procedures for pets associated with positive emotions. In no case should you shout at an animal, scold it if it does not obey. You need to talk to the dog in an affectionate and calm tone, you can feed your favorite treats during and after washing. If you follow all the recommendations, water sessions will bring only pleasure to your pet.