A new pooch comes with new responsibilities, and these include feeding him a balanced diet, giving him enough exercise and taking him to your local Byford vet clinic for regular check-ups. Another critically important responsibility is to keep your dog clean and one of the most common questions that all new dog owners have is, “How often should I wash my dog?”. While this is often asked, it’s not such a simple question to answer. The frequency of your dog’s bathing schedule could differ due to its fur length and type, the amount of activity he gets and any allergies or skin conditions he may have or be prone to. Railway Avenue Veterinary Hospital is a leading Byford vet centre, home to a large, well-equipped grooming area where your pets can expect to receive love, care and attention. Read on for some helpful information on washing your four-legged friend.
How Often Should I Wash My Dog?
At the very least you should bathe your dog every three months, however, for optimal health and hygiene experts suggest you wash your dog on a monthly basis. Unless your dog is noticeably smelly or dirty and they don’t have any underlying skin conditions monthly is recommended as more frequent washing can cause dryness of the skin as well as stripping the natural oils that develop in your dog’s fur.
Obviously one to three months does leave a rather large window, so other factors do need to be taken into account. The main one being, the “normal” activity of your dog. Is it predominantly an indoor or outdoor dog? Is it walked daily? Does it have a tendency to roll around in the mud? Does it shed a lot? Do you brush the coat yourself on a regular basis? this can pull a lot of loose fur to prevent shedding, likewise consistent bathing can have really help pull loose fur out too.
Different Coats Require Different Care
Understanding your dogs breed and coat can also help you determine how often you should wash your dog. A lot of confusion around washing and grooming schedules for coat types exists. Less hair does not necessarily mean less washing. For example, a husky who is an arctic dog with a thick undercoat of fur that has evolved to keep them warm. When this coat gets wet, it takes time to dry out so less frequent bathing is usually required. On the other hand, short coat breeds typically require more frequent baths as some require the oil build up on their skin to be consistently removed on a more frequent basis. By simply calling your local Byford vet and making arrangements to book your dog in for a grooming service, you can be assured that your pet will love his or her bath time and a routine bathing schedule can be arranged and discussed.
Different Skin Conditions Also Require Different Care
It’s important to research different health conditions that can affect the breed of your dog. Some breeds are more prone to skin conditions and these conditions may require specialised attention. From environmental allergies and bacterial infections to fungal infections and parasite allergies, there are many issues that can affect your dog’s skin. If your pooch suffers from any of these or if they are common amongst their breed, make sure you tailor your dog-washing plan to suit.
Which Shampoo Should I Use?
If your dog has a healthy skin and coat and has no underlying allergies or skin conditions an over the counter pet shampoo would be sufficient to bathe your dog. If your dog does have allergies, places like Byford Vet Clinic would be a place to recommend a specific shampoo or even prescribe a specific shampoo to use. It’s important that you do not use human haircare products as these can cause irritation to your pooch or may cause illness if ingested.
Grooming for Overall Health
An ongoing grooming regimen is an important way to keep your dog healthy. For expert advice and assistance on an overall and ongoing grooming plan get in touch with your local Armadale/Byford vet, Railway Avenue Veterinary Hospital. We can offer expert advice to keep your pup clean at home, we also offer a professional grooming service which includes an indulgent hydrobath, hair-drying, specialised flea treatments and nail trimming. Give us a call on (08) 9497 1547 or book an appointment online now.
