This is a short post but an important one. Do you know how to give the best dog bath and the ideal frequency?
First, do you know how many times a dog should have a bath?
Indoor versus Outdoor
An outdoor dog has more probability of contacting other animals, grass, etc. In a way, being most of the time an outdoor dog is good to spend energy, doing exercise, be happier but it gets dirty more often with dirt and rain, the dog needs a bath with a higher frequency in order to be with its fellow humans, right?
Family context
A family member that has an auto-immune disease or is doing a treatment that compromises the immune system needs to be very careful with infectious agents. So in a way, it is important to keep the dog clean with good hygiene. Combing the dog hair and bathing more often reduces the prevalence of these agents.
How to give the bath step by step
Otherwise, the dog can have baths every week. But in order to be able to do this, it is very important to choose a good shampoo. Always talk with your vet for their opinion. It is important to choose a shampoo for sensitive skin that respects pH skin. For example, from Douxo Calming Shampoo from Douxo, Dermocanis, and Kimiderm are the brands that I advise. These vet brands have physiologic shampoos or hypoallergenic. They are formulated for high-frequency baths.
- Tricks
Two tricks when giving a bath. First, dissolve the shampoo in a bowl with tepid water. Rinse the dog with clean water and then apply the solution. This a better way to remove the shampoo afterward. Since dogs can have very dense hair, removing all the shampoo can be hard and residues can leave an itchy dog skin. This way by dissolving it first and then using it on your dog can make this step very easy for you. Rinse well your pet’s hair guaranteeing that there are no more shampoo bubbles.
After is extremely important to dry the hair. You shouldn’t feel wet afterward. Beware that the dogs have primary hair which drys first and the undercoat more near the skin that takes more time to dry. You can see in the image below that shows the primary and secondary hair development.
I advise buying a high potency hairdryer since can become very time consuming to completely dry well because of thick dog hair. I use a towel at the same time and a brush while drying the hair. I comb the hair in the opposite direction of the hair growth while using the hairdryer.
So this is my very best advice. Share your experiences.
Have a nice bath!!! :)
First, do you know how many times a dog should have a bath?
The answer is it depends. It depends on the breed if it is an indoor or outdoor or family context.
I will explain with no further ado.
Breed
I will explain with no further ado.
Breed
There are some breeds that have more genetic tendency to skin allergies than others. For example, breeds predisposed to developing allergies include French Bullgos, Chinese Shar-Peis, Wirehaired Fox Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Dalmatians, Boxers, Boston Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Lhasa Apsos, Scottish Terriers, Shih Tzus, West Highland White Terriers, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Pitbulls. These breeds need more skincare than others. To prevent contact allergens such as environmental allergens (dust, pollen, and mold), it is key to give therapeutic baths.
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| Male french bulldog being tested for allergies, just like humans are tested directly on their skin. (https://happyfrenchbulldog.com/). |
Indoor versus Outdoor
An outdoor dog has more probability of contacting other animals, grass, etc. In a way, being most of the time an outdoor dog is good to spend energy, doing exercise, be happier but it gets dirty more often with dirt and rain, the dog needs a bath with a higher frequency in order to be with its fellow humans, right?
 |
| Dog after playing with soil but happy. Photo by Matt Higham on Unsplash |
Family context
A family member that has an auto-immune disease or is doing a treatment that compromises the immune system needs to be very careful with infectious agents. So in a way, it is important to keep the dog clean with good hygiene. Combing the dog hair and bathing more often reduces the prevalence of these agents.
How to give the bath step by step
 |
| Small dog having a bath. Notice the clear water after rinsing. |
It is important to adequate the frequency of bathing according to the factors aforementioned... If it is a “normal dog”, goes only for walks two to three times a day and stays at home most of the time, it is a rule of thumb to give a bath with 2-month intervals using a normal shampoo. I advise combing in the middle of baths to remove the dead hair and to reduce the smell you can use sodium bicarbonate to neutralize odors. Can sprinkle the dog fur on his dorsum and then comb the hair.
Otherwise, the dog can have baths every week. But in order to be able to do this, it is very important to choose a good shampoo. Always talk with your vet for their opinion. It is important to choose a shampoo for sensitive skin that respects pH skin. For example, from Douxo Calming Shampoo from Douxo, Dermocanis, and Kimiderm are the brands that I advise. These vet brands have physiologic shampoos or hypoallergenic. They are formulated for high-frequency baths.
- Tricks
Two tricks when giving a bath. First, dissolve the shampoo in a bowl with tepid water. Rinse the dog with clean water and then apply the solution. This a better way to remove the shampoo afterward. Since dogs can have very dense hair, removing all the shampoo can be hard and residues can leave an itchy dog skin. This way by dissolving it first and then using it on your dog can make this step very easy for you. Rinse well your pet’s hair guaranteeing that there are no more shampoo bubbles.
After is extremely important to dry the hair. You shouldn’t feel wet afterward. Beware that the dogs have primary hair which drys first and the undercoat more near the skin that takes more time to dry. You can see in the image below that shows the primary and secondary hair development.
 |
| Secondary hair or undercoat starting to form at three months of age. (http://www.thedogplace.org) |
So this is my very best advice. Share your experiences.
Have a nice bath!!! :)
