With Spring in the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere and summer right on it’s heels, grooming our dogs becomes even more important. Grooming is an all year round task, but as the weather warms, fleas and ticks and other unwanted creatures become much more active and annoying, if not downright dangerous.
Of course dogs should be bathed in winter months too, but less frequently unless extremely dirty. If your dog has allergies or other skin conditions, no matter what the weather, consult your vet as to how often to bathe him/her and recommendations for which shampoo to use.
How often to bathe your dog depends on breed, coat, lifestyle, habits and environment. Recommendations for bathing are every 1-3 months.
When bathing your dog, use only a shampoo made specifically for dogs. It’s best to use a natural shampoo that contains ingredients that are not irritating and/or harmful to your dog’s health.
If your dog seems to be dirty all the time, try daily brushing/combing and rinsing the coat with plain warm water. Bathing too often (weekly) can remove the natural oils from the coat, leaving it dull, dry and itchy.
You might want to put away the hair dryer – it’s noisy and can frighten your dog. And unless you can adjust the temperature properly, it can do more harm than good.
Be prepared before the bath with a few larger absorbent towels. When the bath is completed, rub your dog’s coat vigorously, changing towels as they get wet. Leave the rest of the drying to the air. Of course, in winter, keep your dog in a warm place until the coat is thoroughly dry.
