Dog Shampoo

How often do you shampoo your dog? Amazingly, most people do not know the answer to this question. And with good reason too - every dog is different. And the answer even varies between the same species of dog due to factors such as age, condition of skin and living environment and climate. All of these things can have a major effect on the coat and skin of your dog; therefore they can greatly determine just how often you should shampoo your dog.

There are several things to take note of when considering how often to shampoo your dog. These are things such as visual signs, for example fleas, dandruff/dry skin, dirt or mud and quality of coat.

If your dog has fleas then a special flea shampoo is required. You can purchase these from your vet. Don't go for a cheap imitation - get the brand that the vet recommends even if it costs a little more. You can never be too safe when it comes to treating fleas on your dog.

Bathing a dog too often will generally dry his coat out. It is not necessary for a dog to be shampooed every single day; most humans don't even wash their hair everyday. Once per week is generally fine, many owners go much longer and their dogs still remain clean and healthy.

vThe lifestyle of your dog can determine how often you shampoo him. Dogs that are very active in the outdoors should be washed more frequently than indoor dogs. This is because they are rolling in dirt and coming in contact with all sorts of toxins and chemicals in the air, not to mention the things that they sniff around in.

Lighter colored dogs appear dirtier than dark colored dogs. Some owners consequently wash their white dog a lot more often than other owners shampoo their brown or black dogs. This is purely for aesthetic reasons though.

Some dogs are naturally smellier for some reason. These dogs should be shampooed more regularly t remove the odor before it increases.

As a dog owner, it is up to you how often you shampoo your dog. If you are unsure, seek veterinary or dog groomer advice.