If your dog could bark at you the list of things he least likes in the world, taking a bath would be among them. The fact that the dog shower is often a chaotic moment, in which all involved literally end up running through water, does not make things easier either. But to bathe your dog is essential to protect the health of your friend, take care of his skin and hair, as well as to keep it clean and away from parasites. Therefore, we wonder how often we have to bathe our furry companions. Although, as in so many other occasions, the answer is: it depends.
As much as it’s not funny, the truth is that the bathroom has beneficial effects for the dog. The dog epidermis constitutes a powerful and very well-made defensive barrier, which works alongside good bacteria and other beneficial microorganisms of the skin to keep it protected and healthy. This barrier moves pathogens away from the body, while good skin bacteria prevent them from proliferating less beneficial ones, such as those that cause infections and other problems.
Without the bathrooms, in addition, your friend’s hair becomes tangled and may become indomitable. And, let’s face it: sooner or later, dogs smell. With what we like to be near and hug our furry companion … Although dogs clean themselves (in part) alone, with licks and bites that help them clean the hair follicles and keep their skin healthy, experts agree: most our furry friends need complementary baths.
The question is how many bathrooms and how often. Because the defect is so bad as the excess: too much showering your four-legged partner crushes the protective fatty layer of your epidermis, and can irritate your skin, damage your follicles and bring unsuspected consequences such as bacterial or fungal infections.
General rule to bathe your dog
The most common pattern points to the following: one bath per month usually works and is sufficient for most dogs. But, like almost all rules, it also contains exceptions. “Because there are animals that need to bathe every week, especially when they suffer from dermatological problems, while others have a shower every two or three months; and there are even fewer,” explains veterinarian Miguel Seco.
Because the answer depends on a number of factors, including your health and your dog activity level or lifestyle. Thus, the number of baths recommended for your dog will change, especially, with the reason: if the showers are part of a perrune health treatment, such as allergies or atopic (sensitive) skin, the veterinarian will usually recommend increasing the frequency.
It also influences the fur and the skin, because “there are dogs such as the labrador, the husky, the mastiff and even the golden retriever, who practically do not need to bathe ever or almost never; although they do require very frequent brushing,” says Seco. The cause: the hair of these animals is so dense that water literally slips them, almost repels it. On the contrary, if your dog partner has the oily skin of the bloodhound, he needs to enter the shower more often, up to once a week. Your hairy doctor can advise you in each case.
It also depends on your rhythm of life: if your dog spends a good part of the day sitting on the couch, it probably won’t get stained. Now, if you have a magnet to locate and batter in the most foul pools you will need to bathe more frequently. Don’t blame him: he’s just being a dog.
Dog shampoos: where do I start?
Not all shampoos are worth it either: remember that your dog’s friend’s skin has a pH that is almost two points higher than that of human skin, that is, it is more basic. Therefore, you need to use a gel with a special formula for his skin to bathe your dog. In addition, the veterinary dermatological industry has advanced a lot, and there are already specific products for almost every type of skin, there are soaps recommended for different types of hair and there are even hypoallergenic.