What happens if I never bathe my dog?
Hassie VonRueden
2025-05-25 08:27:01
Count answers: 2
Bathing too frequently can lead to dry coats and skin problems, while not enough bathing can lead to health problems and a stinky pup. The happy medium may range from bathing your dog once a week to only a few times a year. If your pup has any health conditions—particularly those that affect the skin—your veterinarian will likely have additional guidelines to consider when developing a bathing schedule. Using the wrong product on a dog with unhealthy skin could make matters worse, so if you are noting any changes in your pet’s skin, be sure to check it out with your veterinarian before opting for a product. During the warm, wet months of the year, many dogs are prone to greasy coats and doggy odor. Dogs that swim in the warmer months may not need as many baths but will need a good rise in clean water post swim. Senior pups typically do not need as much bathing—usually just enough to keep any body odor at bay. If they are managing health conditions, daily wipes and spot cleaning may be necessary. Dog odor tends to be more obvious in the summer versus the winter months.
Flossie Ratke
2025-05-25 07:08:05
Count answers: 1
Dogs have sensitive skin and cleaning them too often can really dry out their coat and can cause skin irritation. Unless they get dirty or roll in something a bit gross, it’s best to leave the natural oils in their coat do all the hard work – they’re pretty great at self-cleaning. If you use drop on flea and worming treatment, this will also be washed away every time you bathe them. Dogs are better left without being washed for as long as possible.
Jada Fritsch
2025-05-25 06:09:54
Count answers: 2
In general, healthy dogs only need to be bathed if they smell. There's no reason particularly to bath a healthy dog, unless they're dirty. You actually don't have to wash your dog ever, if you have a regular, healthy dog without a skin condition. In the wild, feral dogs generally don't bathe and they definitely don't use shampoo. So when we wash our dogs, it's mostly because we want to keep them from muddying up our homes, particularly after they roll around in the dirt. Or some dogs develop a doggy smell and people want to remove that, or they get dusty or dirty. Dogs are bathed more often than they need to be. If I see a normal healthy dog, they can wash their dog as often as they like. Most domestic dogs get a wash every now and then because they smell or get muddy.
Concepcion Schaefer
2025-05-25 05:41:32
Count answers: 2
Normal dogs without skin allergies or other sensitivities simply don’t need bathing very much at all. A dog’s coat contains natural oils which are designed to repel dirt. When people wash their dogs a lot, these oils can be removed. If that happens, then the coat will no longer stay clean naturally. So then the people are inclined to wash the dog again, and so it goes. She bathes her own dogs roughly once a year. She realized that would horrify a lot of tidy housekeepers, but while her dogs do shed some hair, they really don’t bring in much dirt. In my experience, doggie smell comes from less-than-healthy skin. Not bathing your dog will also make the flea control meds that you apply last longer.