How often should you bathe your dog? A guide based on breed, lifestyle and coat.
It’s a Friday night and you’ve just let your dog out before going to bed. As your perfect pooch approaches the door, a smell emerges. Skunk. The only logical solution is to get your dog into the bathtub as fast as possible to rid your house, your dog and your nostrils of the stench.
A scenario like this is the most common time to give your dog a bath, but should you be washing your pet on a regular schedule? Here’s the how, why and when of bathing your dog.
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How often should you bathe your dog?
The answer varies, depending on breed, lifestyle and coat. Even veterinarians and experts disagree on how often you should bathe your pup but the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends a baseline of once every three months.
The most tried and true answer to this question is personal to your dog and their needs. Do they spend their days frolicking in the grass and playing in the mud? Are they prone to run-ins with skunks? Or are they lap dogs who would rather cozy up inside?
It’s also contingent on their hair length. According to BeChewy, medium and long coat dogs should bathe every four to six weeks, and owners of dogs with short coats should bathe their pets somewhere between every month and every three months.
Dog owners should be warned not to wash their pup’s coats too much, though. The American Kennel Club advises against over-bathing dogs with thick coats — think Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers or Siberian Huskies — because it can strip oil from the skin that aids with naturally insulating dogs.
Knowing when and how often to bathe your dog can be a learning curve, but another good indicator to use is to bathe them when they get dirty. Accidents happen. Dogs roll in things they shouldn’t, and fur gets filthy. Use your sense of smell and touch as a timer for doggy bath time
