How often do you have to bathe a dog?
Most dog owners bathe their pets regularly. There are good reasons for this, because the four-legged friends can smell quite a lot and leave a very unpleasant smell in the apartment.
Also hygienic reasons speak for a bath. If a four-legged friend is very active and moves around a lot outside, he picks up a lot of dirt, and long-haired breeds in particular are real dirt throwers.
This can quickly become a problem, especially with the dog Germs, insects and even parasites find your way into the house. In some cases, regular bathing can also help care for the coat and prevent matting in advance.
As often as necessary, but don't exaggerate
So I don't want to make a plea against bathing. However, you shouldn't overdo it with cleanliness. In general, experts advise: The dog should be bathed as often as necessary, but not much more.
Accordingly there is no rule of thumb regarding the necessary care units in the wet. With a shaggy, very active four-legged friend, it may be necessary to put him in the bathtub every week – perhaps even more often in bad weather. However, animals that spend most of their time indoors can sometimes go months without a bath.
Dog “smell types” at a glance
When it comes to the smell of dogs, there is basically one three types of four-legged friends:
- Dogs that practically do not smell at all are not an odor nuisance and do not need to be bathed at all or only very rarely.
- Animals that occasionally smell “like dogs” don’t actually need to be bathed often – usually a few times a year are enough.
- However, four-legged friends who are outside a lot and also roll around in carrion or feces are bathed much more often because they can have a very disgusting smell.
skin the four-legged friend also serves as Protective barrier
Both fur and skin are washed in the tub: Skin and fur usually represent an excellent combination:
- The coat serves to protect the four-legged friend from environmental influences and to keep moisture away from the animal.
- The skin, in turn, is equipped with a natural protective film of fat and sebum, which primarily serves to keep parasites, fungi and pathogens free from the body.
This is completely sufficient for dog requirements, as long as there is no heavy dirt or matting. The animal itself rarely needs a bath. However, for us humans this may not be enough if basic hygiene requirements or odor nuisance come into play.
Bathing too often weakens the dog
If the dog is then bathed very often, the whole thing gets upset natural protective mechanism falters: The skin becomes brittle and the fur can also be affected. In the end, the four-legged friend smells very pleasant to us, but is also exposed to great risks.
Unfortunately, many skin diseases are caused by too frequent or incorrect bathing. These include, for example:
- Hair loss/bald spots
- Eczema
- Fungal diseases or even
- Dry skin.
The more often you bathe and the lower the quality of the soap/shampoo you choose, the greater the medium and long-term damage.
alternative to the bathroom: Regular brushing
Often it is not even necessary to put your four-legged friend in the tub all the time. If it's “just” about removing dirt such as soil and dust, it doesn't have to be a bathroom. Then submit thorough brushing the fur is usually completely gone.
You should definitely have one for this special dog brush Use one that is tailored to your pet's fur texture – you can also find out more on the topic here find. It's easiest and most hygienic if you make grooming a regular ritual, for example every time the dog comes into the apartment from outside.
In the case of heavy contamination, an additional one can also be used Dry shampoo be used. This is applied like a powder to the dirty area, after a short time the fur can then be brushed out.
When should you start with bathing?
In general, a bath can help, but it should definitely not be done too often: a dog has different hygienic requirements than we do, and if you constantly keep it as clean as we would like, it could harm itself .
This also means that you don't start too early You are not allowed to put a strain on your four-legged friend's skin and fur.
Very young animals should not be bathed if possible
Young puppies should therefore not be bathed if possible. Your protective layer is not yet developed; if the skin flora, which is still developing, is disturbed, germs have an easy time of it. Due to the comparatively weak immune system in this phase of life, a bath can have unwanted, bad consequences.
Experts therefore recommend not bathing dogs at all until they are four months old. Then you should in the first year of life maximum twice a month make your way to the tub.
Here's what you can do if the puppy stinks
If the puppy stinks, there are some gentle alternatives, which do not put excessive strain on the skin and fur. These include, among others:
- Dry wet puppy
- Diet change
- Grooming with a puppy-friendly brush and dry shampoo if necessary
- Watch the puppy closely when it is being exercised and intervene if, for example, it rolls over.
Danger: If a puppy has a very unpleasant smell, this could also be a sign of a skin disease, such as a fungal infection. If the smell persists for several days, I would definitely take the animal to the vet.