How often should I bathe my dog? Although dogs are capable of doing a share of the cleaning work on their own, vets will attest that semi-regular bathing is necessary for most breeds to complement their natural grooming habits. However, too much bathing can lead to a host of issues such as:
- Increase risk of fungal infections
- Increase risk of bacterial infections
- Damaged hair follicles
- Skin irritations
These days, a good rule of thumb is that if your dog is covered with mud or reeks like something awful, then a bath may be called for. However, when it comes to specific questions about the best bathing practices and frequency of bathing, much depends on several factors.
- Short-coated breeds – These will typically require more baths than a medium-coated breed. That said, those with soft and oily coats will demand more frequent bathing than short-coats with hard and dry furs. These breeds would benefit from a bath once every few months; that is, unless they get extra dirty from playing in the mud or ocean. However, they are susceptible to over bathing, which can result in deficient oil in their coats and dried out skin. Often, frequent brushing and de-shedding are all that’s required.
- Medium-coated breeds – Most of these dogs only need to be bathed when dirty or when they start to smell. While baths should be infrequent, they do benefit from regular brushing and rinsing. Also, take extra care to not to over bathe breeds with thick coats or double coats such as a Husky or Golden retriever.
- Long-coated breeds – Long coats require much more attention and care. Experts suggest that you bathe these breeds once every 4 to 6 weeks for best results. As you might imagine, there’s far more time, work, and upkeep necessary to properly maintain their coats. For example, a Shetland Sheepdog may need a deep soak, heavy moisturizing, conditioning, continuous brushing, and a blow dry to finish.
Can You Use Human Shampoo on Your Dog?
Simply put, giving your dog human shampoo is not advisable. Just like how there are certain things dogs can’t eat and process, there are several products and chemicals that their skin would react to negatively. Part of the reason for this is the difference in our pH balances as it pertains to the acidity-alkalinity spectrum.
It might surprise you, but dogs have very sensitive skin. As a result, if you use shampoo that’s intended for acidic pH skin on a dog’s neutral pH skin, it could cause irritation, resulting in damaged or dried out skin. Such a reaction also increases their susceptibility to bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
Depending on a dog’s breed and coat type, some specialized dog shampoos can also cause reactions if used on the wrong sort of pooch. So, if you don’t know which type of shampoo to buy, play it safe and speak with your vet. They’ll have intimate knowledge of your pet’s breed, lifestyle, and medical history, and will thus be able to give an educated recommendation.
- Humans – Have a pH balance that falls on the acidic side of the scale. Commonly it’s under 5 on the scale.
- Dogs – Have a relatively neutral pH balance closer to 7 on the scale.
Sources:
Gobel, R. PetMD. Identifying and Treating Fungal Infections in Dogs. https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/identifying-and-treating-fungal-infections-dogs
Mindbodygreen. Alkaline & Acidic Foods Chart: The pH Spectrum. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5165/Alkaline-Acidic-Foods-Chart-The-pH-Spectrum.html
