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Dogs are naturally curious animals that love to play in the dirt. Even if you raise them in a clean environment, they will soon get smelly and might be bitten by fleas! For this reason, regular bathing and grooming is a must.
If you are thinking of raising a puppy, then it is important that you learn about keeping up with your pet’s hygiene as it is good for their health. A responsible pet owner must also consider the cost of grooming their pet.
A healthy dog makes you, and the home, happy. So what exactly do you need to know when grooming your dog?
In this post, you will learn why you should bathe your dog, how often your dogs needs a bath, types of dog shampoos available, the different ways to make bathing and grooming time enjoyable (hint: treats!) and how to bathe your dog.
Generally speaking, all pets need to get bathed by their owners to keep their bodies in good condition. As for dogs, bathing with a good shampoo helps keep their skin moisturized and their coat healthy.
It’s also important to remove the unpleasant odor, which is caused by a number of things including the food they eat, the dirt accumulated on their coat and their oil glands.
Other benefits of bathing your dog include improving the coat’s shine and removing loose hair, scale, and debris. Vets often add bathing as part of the medical treatment plan for dogs with serious allergies or skin conditions.
The answer actually depends on a number of different factors. These include your dog’s health, breed, coat, and activity level.
Dogs that often play outside and roll around in anything need a bath more often than those that spend most of their time at home watching TV. In other cases, dogs that go swimming may also require less bathing because this activity can also be a bath for them.
To make things easier, professional vets would advise you to simply use your nose. If your dog smells from afar, he needs a bath. Or, if your dog is covered with mud and already scattering the mud all over your house, he needs a bath.
Bathing your dog with flea shampoo sometimes requires more frequent bathing to kill all the fleas, eggs and larvae.
Unlike humans, dogs should only be bathed when necessary. Dogs that smell normal or have a healthy dog smell that is not unpleasant do not need bathing.
If you bathe your dog too often, he or she might develop dry skin and coat because of lack of natural oils. It might also develop sickness or a runny nose. As for those with skin problems, their bathing schedules also vary depending on the advice of the professional vet.
Some people who only know how to use soaps for dogs often ask “can you use shampoo on dogs?”. The answer is definitely yes. In fact, there are shampoos specially made for dogs that are available online and in local stores.
The reason why they have created shampoos for dogs is that this animal has more sensitive skin than humans. That simply means that you should not use human shampoos on dogs.
Dog shampoos also vary in ingredients and type. Most owners of dogs with allergies choose organic shampoos or hypoallergenic shampoos.
On the other hand, dogs with specific skin conditions should use medicated shampoos instead, according to what your local vet advises.
After applying dog shampoo, you may also follow with a rinse-out conditioner. The conditioner helps with making the coat shinier and softer after a bath.
Before applying any shampoo or conditioner on your dog, always test a small amount to make sure there is no irritation.
Read the labels to check if there are any harmful chemical, artificial fragrances or colors. Some of the common skin moisturizers a dog shampoo should have are vitamin E, aloe vera, honey, and tea tree oil.
Dogs might be apprehensive during bath time. Some even hide from their owners just to avoid getting wet. This makes bath time a dreadful activity for both owners and pet. The best way to train your dog to stay calm is to take things slow and easy.
This way, they will feel relaxed and comfortable. Pet owners should be calm and patient with their dogs. Try to give rewards to make this activity a positive one.
If you need help picking out a dog shampoo, check out out top 10 dog shampoo brands review below!
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