How often should I wash my dog?

Most advice you find on theinternet recommends washing your dog just several times per year!

Either these people have outdoordogs or the articles were written a long time ago when the quality of pet shampooswas very poor! Times have changed! Today, dog’s enjoy shampoos and conditionersthat are on par with the best human shampoos- that don’t have harsh chemicalsand that don’t strip the hair of all of it’s oils.

The arguments against washing yourdog too often are generally about stripping the coat of natural oils. The moreoften you wash something, the more often the sebum (oil) is going to beremoved. Think about your own hair. If you don’t wash it, what happens? It getsoily. Is the oil good for your hair? Probably, but we wash our hair everydayanyway so that it’s clean!

There are several factors youshould consider when deciding how often to wash your dog which include:

1. Does your dog live indoors or outdoors, and does your dog sleep inyour bed?

If your dog lives in your housewith you and more importantly, if he/she sleeps in your bed, then you areprobably going to wash your dog regularly–depending on the breed anywhere fromonce a week to once a month. I know this is radical thinking, but, if your dogsits on your sofa, you probably don’t want him dragging in dirt, poop, insectsand other grime onto your sofa. So, the trade off is that your dog’s coat might be marginally drier but you will have afresh smelling dog that you can cuddle without the fear that gross stuff isgetting into the sheets.

2. Breed of dog

Dogs that have dry skin can bebathed less frequently than dogs with oily skin. Harsh-textured coats repeldirt pretty well so they don’t get as dirty as a soft-coated dog. Dogs likeMaltese, Yorkies, Afghans and Shitzus should be bathed once a week.Harsh-coated breeds, like Shelties and Collies, can be bathed once a month. Ifyou’re not sure, remember, a clean dog is a happy dog!

One of my dog’s is a Maltese and Ican’t imagine washing her less than once every week. Little white dogs pick uplots of dirt and by weeks end they are looking brown instead of white. Also, Ihate to mention it but long-coated dogs get those famous cling on poops stuckto their bottoms.

My other dog, a Westie, who has athicker coat, doesn’t lget so dirty, but, I have to wash her every week due tothe next point– allergies.

3. Is anyone in your household allergic to dogs?

If so, you SHOULD groom & bathethem as often as possible. According to the American Lung Association, doing sowill help remove the dander that accumulates on a pet’s fur.

I am allergic to one of my dogs andwhen I don’t wash her once a week I get wheezy and sneezy.

4. What activities does your dog partake in?

Do you take your dog to the dogpark? Does you dog play in the sand or dirt? Does your dog roll in the grass orgo swimming or hiking? What about sniffing butts, eating poop or drooling?

Well, if you have a normal dog, sheprobably partakes in several of the above activities– all of which warrantregular bathing. Again, you have to think of the trade off. Your dog’s coat maybe marginally drier HOWEVER, he will be cleaner, smell better, and mostimportant you will be more likely to give a clean dog lots of love. Thosesmelly dogs we tend to keep at arms length.

5. Does your dog suffer from itchy skin?

Unlike humans who absorb mostenvironmental allergens through their noses and mouths, dogs tend to absorballergens through the skin. Weekly bathing can prevent itchiness , washingallergens away before they get a chance to penetrate the skin.

So at the conclusion of all of this— the answer for MOST dogs is to wash them once every week to once a month,depending on the above circumstances.

But remember, use a gentle pet shampoo andconditioner . Do not use your own shampoo. Click here for an article ofwhy you should not use your own shampoo on your dog.

Also, if you simply can’t wash yourdog for a prolonged period of time you can use a dry shampoo, like Dry DogInstant Clean - This is a really effective spray on bath replacement that helpsto get rid of bad odors. Also, if you feed your dog a non-commercial, allnatural and organic diet chances are your canine companion will be less smelly.Our favorite is a dehydrated raw pet food from the Honest Kitchen