Caring pet owners are interested in the question of how often to wash the dog and how to do it. They buy the necessary vitamins for the animal, regularly walk it, but at the same time do not forget about hygiene. It is important not only to bathe the dog correctly, but also to know when to carry out such procedures.
When to wash a dog
To keep the pet clean, it must be washed. This will also help to prevent pollution of the room. But you need to know how often to bathe dogs, bathing can not only beneficially affect the pet, but also harm it. In the process of washing, natural fatty grease is removed from the skin of the animal, and its subsequent restoration takes time.
Today, there are three main points of view on how often to wash a dog:
- several times a year;
- every 10-12 days;
- only when necessary, in the presence of contamination.
Until recently, veterinarians recommended washing pets as little as possible, but thanks to the development of the production of means for bathing dogs, bathing them now is permissible more often without harm to health. The frequency of water procedures depends on the habitat, lifestyle, degree of physical activity.
A pet of any breed should be accustomed to swimming from childhood. In this case, it is permissible to use only professional cosmetics manufactured by certified companies, the activity of which is aimed solely at making products for animals. It is important that products are tested by veterinarians and dermatologists.
For bathing dogs, only special shampoos for pets are allowed. You can not allow all kinds of home experiments when using household soap or personal shampoo from the owners. It is necessary to use compositions where all the features of the animal are taken into account.
How often to wash a dog
Understanding how to properly and how often to wash the dog, you need to understand that the unwashed pet is normal. These animals do not sweat like humans, their bodies do not cool in the same way as humans. For this reason, they need water procedures less often than their owners. If the pet smells bad, then the reason most often lies in problems with the skin or coat, but not in their cleanliness. That is, there is no such thing that the dog is already "time to wash."
To understand how often you can and should wash your dog, you should remember that it is always clean enough. Veterinarians identify three main reasons to bathe a dog with shampoo:
- Therapeutic. The most common way to combat the external diseases of dogs is to use therapeutic bathing. How often to wash the dog in this case - the doctor decides. If any pet skin problems are detected, you should immediately take him to a veterinarian.
- Hygienic. It is necessary to wash the pet if it got dirty in the mud or fell out in something smelling bad. Naturally, in this case it is not necessary to postpone water procedures due to the fact that "it is too early". Especially often hunting dogs, who try to hide their natural smell, require washing.
- Cosmetic. This is an animal wash for “beauty”, so that the hair becomes softer, more shiny and easy to comb. Pets are usually washed before shows.
To wash a dog just like that, for no reason, is not worth it.
Bathing depending on the characteristics of the breed
How often you need to wash the dog, greatly depends on the breed and type of hair of the pet. Small decorative animals need to be washed less often, because in most cases they are carried on hands. But, as you know, it is precisely these dogs that the owners most often undergo water procedures, which is extremely wrong. Owners can treat their dogs as toys, not realizing that small pets are quite easy to wash.
Smooth-haired breeds also do not require frequent bathing, as well as dogs with hard hair and short undercoat (Labradors). Such wool is able to clean itself. Often you can’t bathe French bulldogs either, because their coat has the property of constantly falling out.
Shorthair pets can be subjected to the so-called express cleaning, which uses a minimal amount of water and shampoo, but the result is extremely effective. To do this, take a glass of warm water and dilute it in a tablespoon of vodka and vinegar. The sponge is moistened in such a solution and just wiped the dog’s hair.
Dependence on pet habitat and season
When asked how often to wash a dog who lives in an apartment, the answer is unequivocal - as necessary. A room dog and one that lives in an aviary need a completely different approach. The same applies to pets who walk in a clean park, and those who regularly accompany the owner on a hunt, where they will certainly get very dirty.
If we talk about how often to bathe a dog in the summer, it is worth knowing that in warm time the animal needs a more thorough cleansing than in cool. In this case, you need to monitor the condition of the hair and skin, examine the body of the dog after returning from a walk.
What tools to use in the process
You need to know not only how often you need to wash the dog, but also how to do it correctly. Be sure to use special cosmetics for dogs and shampoos in the bathing process. Other compounds can harm the condition of the coat and skin of the animal, as well as its health, provoke diseases. Shampoos that are formulated for humans have a different level of acidity. They will dry the dog’s skin too thin too much.
To date, many different shampoos for dogs are on sale. There are cosmetic compositions for both short and long hair, both curly and straight, both for light and dark. You can also find options for sensitive pet skin, for puppies, etc. An extended series of shampoos are available from the manufacturers Francodex, Beaphar, Perfect Coat, Iv San Bernard, Bio Groom.
Even today you can buy indelible shampoos. This is a powder or sprays that are very convenient to use in situations where it is not possible to fully redeem a dog. The compositions are also recommended for those pets that cannot tolerate the classical washing procedure. Dry shampoos are offered by the brands Biogance, Beaphar, Pet Head, Espree.
Preparing for a bathing procedure
Before proceeding with water procedures, it is necessary to comb the pet's hair well in order to remove tangles and dead hairs. Thus, it will be easier to wash and avoid clogging the drain.
Next, you need to choose a place for swimming. For those who live in a private house, the best option would be washing in the yard in the pool or basin. If we are talking about an apartment, then a bath or shower is suitable. A small pet can be washed in a large bowl or in a conventional sink.
About an hour and a half before the procedure, it is necessary to close all windows and doors, turn off the air conditioner. In winter, it is worth additionally warming the house. Since the dog’s paws will slide in the bath, you need to lay a rubber mat or towel on its bottom. You should also lay something on the floor near the bathtub, so that when the dog jumps out of the bathtub, it does not slip and is not injured. Large animals should be bathed in a collar, which will keep them in the presence of resistance. You must immediately close the bath door so that the pet does not run away.
In advance, the bath should be filled with warm water with a temperature of no higher than 37-40 degrees. Put shampoo nearby, hang a towel. You also need to cover your pet’s ears with cotton swabs.
How to wash a dog
Having learned how often you can wash your dog with shampoo, you should figure out how the process of bathing the pet goes.
Having prepared the bathroom, you need to draw water at a comfortable temperature. If it is too cold, the dog may get hypothermia, begin to tremble, possibly whine. It is also impossible to allow excessively hot water, otherwise burns will form on the dog's skin.
After wetting the pet, you need to gently lather the hair with shampoo. They recommend starting from the back of the dog, and then carefully switch to the stomach and paws. The head should be tackled at the end, while making sure that water does not flow into the ears and eyes of the animal.
If the dog does not tolerate shampooing, is uncomfortable, it is recommended to try shampoos from the "no tears" series. Such products are, for example, from Pet Head and Perfect Coat.
It is desirable to lather the pet 2-3 times, each time thoroughly washing the coat with water. Be sure to use a special conditioner for dogs to rinse. The latter will make the hair shiny, it will be better combed.
After the water procedure, you need to wipe the dog well, with particular attention to the ears.
How to wash a dog if she is afraid
Usually dogs love water, so they rarely fear water procedures. If this happened, you first need to figure out what exactly is the reason. Perhaps the pet is not afraid of the water itself, but, for example, of the noise that is made by the flow of water, or the temperature is not suitable for it.
In order for the pet not to be afraid, it must be accustomed to water sessions as early as possible, to speak gently with it, not to scream and in no case to punish if the pet does not obey and wants to escape.
If there are fleas
Although there are many flea shampoos for animals on sale today, they often have a very short effect. Among other things, some of them contain aggressive chemicals, which adversely affects the already sensitive skin of the dog.
An alternative solution can be a folk remedy. It is necessary to wash the dog with a mixture of water and vinegar. Such a natural substitution will be safe for the pet and at the same time effective against fleas. You need to take both components in a ratio of 1: 3. But you need to carefully monitor that the mixture does not get into the eyes and on the delicate skin around them.
The use of vinegar against fleas will not harm the dog, but you must understand in advance that the smell on the body of the pet will remain for the next few days.
Bathing dogs without water
Sometimes dogs are contraindicated in the usual bathing in water. The reasons can be different: old age, the presence of eczema on the skin, the postoperative period, etc. In such situations, a dry wash comes to the rescue with the help of special cleaning powders. Dry dog shampoos contain talc, disinfecting and degreasing ingredients.
First you need to carefully distribute the product over a small area of the pet’s body, and then proceed to comb the wool in this place. It is very important to comb out the dog thoroughly before the procedure, in order to remove the excess undercoat and tangles in advance. Additional manipulations at the end of the dry wash are not required.
Drying after bathing
After bathing, you need to squeeze the water from the dog’s coat with your hands, and then pat it with a towel. If the dog is small in size, it can be wrapped up and carried to dry in a warm place. The drying process also depends on the season. In summer, you can let the animal dry on its own, but in the cold season it is better to resort to using a hairdryer. It is important to ensure that the air flow is not too hot, and only the body needs to be dried, without working through the dog's face.
When the pet is completely dry, you need to thoroughly comb his coat. Dogs of long-haired breeds are better to comb on wet hair, otherwise it can become very tangled and stray into tangles. It is necessary to remove tampons from the ears and gently rub the auricles.
If the dog has lacrimation, eyes should be wiped. To do this, it is recommended to use colloidal silver, which does not provoke irritation and works effectively against pathogens. Also, veterinarians are allowed to use coconut oil.
Having figured out how often you need to wash dogs and cats, and how to do it correctly, you need to try to associate water procedures for pets with positive emotions. In no case should you yell at the animal, scold it if it does not obey. You need to talk to the dog in a gentle and calm tone, you can feed your favorite treats during and after washing. If you follow all the recommendations, water sessions will bring the pet only pleasure.